Isaiah 40:24, commentary and pictures

Yea, they shall not be planted and their stock shall not take root means that earthly princes, judges and powers have no lasting establishment before God, but when He breathes upon them they fade and are swept away as stubble by the whirlwind, so that no human authority can stand by its own strength. The One who does this is the Holy One to whom none can be likened, the everlasting Creator of the ends of the earth who sits above the circle of the earth, spreads out the heavens, brings out the stars by number and calls them by name, and by greatness of might lets not one fail. His power, wisdom and ways are beyond human measuring, directing or fully understanding, and He hides Himself in mystery to command faith, reverence and whole trust. From that same unfailing power He gives strength to the faint and increases might to those with none, so that those who wait upon Him renew their strength to mount up as eagles, to run without weariness and to walk without fainting. Therefore men are not to trust in men or make flesh their arm, but to trust in the Lord alone, especially amid afflicting judgments near the close of this earth's history when the rebellious wither as stubble while the humble righteous are afflicted with them yet comforted.

Earthly Rulers Wither Quickly

Earthly princes, judges, rulers and powers have no lasting establishment before God, for they are not planted, they are not sown, and their stock takes no root in the earth. When He blows upon them they wither, and the whirlwind carries them away as stubble or straw. They are thus brought to nothing and made as emptiness and vanity, temporary and powerless before Him. No human authority can compare with Him or stand by its own strength, but withers and disappears before His breath as easily as wind carries stubble. The One who does this is the Holy One to whom none can be likened or made equal, the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth who does not faint or grow weary and whose understanding cannot be searched, who sits upon the circle of the earth, stretches out the heavens as a curtain, brings out the starry host by number and calls them all by name, and by greatness of might and strength of power lets not one fail. He gives power to the faint and increases strength to those with no might, so that though youths grow tired and young men fall, those who wait on the Lord renew strength to rise like eagles, to run without weariness and to walk without fainting, proving groundless the complaint that their way is hidden and their justice overlooked, and because He alone is so great no likeness can be compared to Him and He cannot be represented by any graven image of any creature. Finite beings cannot measure and weigh creation nor direct and counsel Him, but can consider His ways and works only as finite beings.

The same frailty belongs to human beings and their glory in general, which fade like grass and flowers when the breath of the Lord blows upon them. Human powers and plans cannot establish themselves against God, but like plants that fail to take root they wither when He blows upon them and are swept away like stubble.

Incomprehensible Creator Sustains All

The verse stands in a declaration that God's power, wisdom and ways are beyond human understanding and human greatness is small beside Him, for finite beings can only consider His ways and works as finite, unable to measure and weigh creation or to direct and counsel Him. The One who withers rulers is the Holy One to whom none can be likened or made equal, the everlasting God and Creator of the ends of the earth who sits upon the circle of the earth, stretches out the heavens as a curtain, brings out the starry host by number and calls them all by name, and by greatness of might and strength of power lets not one fail. He does not faint or grow weary and His understanding cannot be searched, and the complaint of Jacob and Israel that their way is hidden from the Lord and their justice overlooked by Him is groundless before such unfailing might. Because God alone is so great and no human power endures before Him, no likeness can be compared to Him and He cannot be represented by any graven image of any creature, so worship of the true God through any creature or image is forbidden.

He shrouds Himself in thick clouds of mystery and conceals more of Himself than He makes known, giving incomprehensible mysteries to command faith, reverence and whole trust rather than doubting His existence or ascribing infinite power to nature because science cannot explain His ways and works. The wisdom of even the greatest intellect is limited and finite beside the infinite One, whose judgment and purposes are past finding out and whose wisdom is unsearchable. If men could fully understand and explain what He has done or can do, He would not stand as supreme and they would no longer revere and fear His power. Men may be ever searching, ever inquiring, ever learning while walking in increasing light, yet there is still an infinite beyond and nothing is beneath His notice and nothing too small for His attention, while rejection of heaven's light brings darkness dense and impenetrable.

The same passage draws comfort from the Creator's power to sustain what He has made by giving strength to the weak: He gives power to the faint and increases strength to those with no might, and He gives strength to His own people whom He calls to diligent work for repentance and most earnest work. Though youths grow tired and young men utterly fall, those who wait on the Lord renew strength to rise like eagles, to run without weariness and to walk without fainting. This teaching about God's unfailing creative power, before which those who rise like plants are easily withered and swept away and no earthly power can compare, is kept in memory by the Sabbath, which serves as a sign that the Lord is God.

Warning for Closing History

The verse gives the correct lesson of true higher education and comforts true believers amid God's afflicting providence coming upon the world in judgments near the closing of this earth's history. In those judgments earthquakes will visit the world, with storms on land and sea and heavy calamities by sea and by railroad. These come because Lucifer has perverted his higher education and wars against God and all who exalt the Lord, doing his best to cause calamities.

Many who have greatly sinned against God will perish physically and wither as stubble taken away by the whirlwind. Even the sincere, humble, righteous followers of Christ will decidedly feel and be themselves afflicted by the results of these judgments upon the rebellious people of the world. Terrible scenes await Lucifer the fallen angel for his rebellion, although as a mighty deceiver he will take many from the ranks of believers to unite them in deception. The verse holds precious promises and assurance that the word of the Lord will certainly be fulfilled for those who meet these things in these latter days.

Therefore men are not to trust in men or make flesh their arm, for the Lord alone is to be trusted. The Lord will not be trifled with. He calls His people to diligent work for repentance and most earnest work, and He gives strength to His own people.