December 15: PICTURE OF DELIVERANCE
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him? Isaiah 40:18
As Isaiah pivots into themes of the New Testament with the words of chapter 40, he touches alternately on two attributes of the LORD: mercy and power. These attributes are woven together to present our merciful Savior who is in total possession of the power to save.
A “flyover” of this chapter will create a moving picture of the living God that reveals mercy, power, mercy, power, mercy!
· Verses 1-5 speak of comfort because the Lord is coming to deliver.
· Verses 3-8 speak of the Glory and Power that endures permanently and works on behalf of feeble humans in their state of weakness.
· Verses 9-11 speak of good news of deliverance by the Shepherd who cares for His people.
· Verses 12-26 set Him apart as the Creator who is incomparable. His creative power is the same power that redeems.
· Verses 27-31 show us a God of inexhaustible strength who is never tired and who promises to impart strength of character to those who wait for Him. This kind of waiting is focused upon the only true hope for redemption. This kind of waiting is centered upon absolute trust in the One who knows best.
The subject of God’s mercy becomes one of great interest to the wretched sinner whose eyes are opened to his awful condition. The secular world is busy pointing fingers at this guilty group and that guilty organization while screaming for “justice!”. But the humble soul who looks to the Lord understands that his greatest need is mercy!
The rhetorical questions of today’s opening verse remind each of us that no one and nothing can compare to our God. There is no mercy like the majestic mercy extended by the Omniscient One. His power compares to absolutely no one. It is in absolute purity and power that He created the Redemption Plan to save to the uttermost those who come to God through [His Son] (Hebrews 7:25). And in the time between now and His coming, we are to live in irrepressible joy and hope – knowing that the One upon whom we wait is sure to come. This knowledge lifts us above the storms of this world, enabling us to encourage others to gather their own hope in the reality of His coming. And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9). Jesus reminds us that this waiting involves much watching and much praying to avoid being tripped up by the archdeceiver (see Matthew 26:41).
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. 40:31