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Isaiah 40 v.28-31 - With Wings Like Eagles
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King James Version |
| 28: Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. |
| 29: He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. |
| 30: Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: |
| 31: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
English Standard Version |
| 28: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. |
| 29: He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. |
| 30: Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; |
| 31: but they who wait for 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. |
New International Version |
| 28: Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. |
| 29: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. |
| 30: Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; |
| 31: but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. |
With Wings Like Eagles - A Commentary
For those who seek the assurance of God's willingness and ability to lift us up in times of need, Isaiah 40:28-31 is one of the most beloved and inspirational Bible passages. Like all scripture, it has stood the test of time and remains as relevant today as it was in the times of the prophet Isaiah.
Verse 28 describes our God as everlasting. This means He exists from the eternal past to the eternal future. There is no beginning or end to God. He exists outside of space and time as we understand it. So we know from this that there's no decline in God's ability. He won't be there for us for a while and then lose interest. We're reminded that God created the ends of the earth, meaning that He created all of it. Everything. He doesn't faint at all. There's never going to be a day when God just isn't feeling up to it - He's not like you and me. We need a sick day from time to time. Not so for our almighty God. Neither does he get tired or weary. He created energy. He is the source of all energy. He's always with us. Always has been, and always will be. No change.
We're told that there's no searching of God's understanding. That is, we can't define or quantify in any manner the extent of God's knowledge, His ways or His wisdom. God's perspective is infinitely vast and is simply beyond us. Eternal and without limit.
It follows that our God is all powerful and is able to give us strength. Verse 29 assures us that when we faint or otherwise become weak, the One who never faints or becomes weak will increase our strength. In fact our youngsters, in their prime and at maximum strength, need God's strength as they tire against life's struggle. Verse 30 tell us that even the young men with their tendency to think they're stronger than they are will ultimately fall down in life if they try to rely on themselves alone.
But we need not lose hope as we wear down. Instead, as we wait on the Lord, relying on His guidance and following the path He has ordained for our life, with trust, we can renew our strength. Through the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ and as the Holy Spirit empowers us, we're able to tap into His boundless strength, renewing our ability to move forward, tireless in faith. Verse 31 invokes the wings of eagles. Imagine the power of this magnificent raptor, soaring with confidence as she rides the uplifting thermals to great heights from where she surveys God's creation with awe and amazement.
By believing on Him, we too can soar on wings like eagles, running forward without effort. Upright, steady, not fainting. The strength of our eternal, all-powerful Creator coursing through body and soul, our very being raised to heights unimagined. Truly blessed.
With Wings Like Eagles - A Commentary, Copyright © 2017 Steve Howells, All Rights Reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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