Our Great God cont. - Isaiah 40

More declarations from God as He declares Himself to His people.

Is. 40:21-22 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

Verse 21 poses some questions meant to humble His people. They did know, had heard, had been told from the beginning that God is the Creator; there is no other God. I think establish would have been a better choice than sitteth in verse 22. This is a declaration from God that the earth is round; at this time, the earth was thought to be flat. From God’s perspective the people on earth are like grasshoppers, truly insignificant except for the significance that He assigns to them. God has spread out the heavens as a tent to provide a dwelling place for man. To the denial of many, I believe this is a statement that the universe was established to support the earth and its inhabitants even as it declares the awesomeness of Almighty God.

Is. 40:23-24 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.

It is God who thwarts the purposes of rulers and leaders on earth according to His own purposes. Daniel affirms this truth:

Dan. 2:20-21 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:

Although God has given man the ability to choose and act independently, God is ever in control.

Is. 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

As I continue to read these verses, I can’t help but connect with God’s dialogue with Job. All He has to do is pose the questions to make Job understand that he should not question God’s actions. He is not capable of understanding God or of a character to question God’s righteousness or the rightness of His actions.