Isaiah 40:28, commentary and pictures

Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, is spoken to answer the complaint that God has overlooked, forgotten and failed to do justice to His people, assuring them that His power, knowledge and wisdom are not limited. It names Him the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth who made and upholds all things, existing from everlasting to everlasting. Unlike men He never grows faint, weak, tired or weary, and there is no searching of His understanding, for His wisdom is infinite and beyond human comprehension. Because His power is inexhaustible He gives power to the faint and renews the strength of those who wait upon Him, so that though even youths faint they mount up with wings as eagles, run and are not weary, and walk and do not faint. Therefore men who are weakness itself are to humble themselves, trust wholly in His wisdom rather than their own understanding or in flesh, and seek Him for wisdom, strength and grace.

Complaint and Comfort Context

Isaiah 40:28 is the direct answer to Israel's complaint that their way is hidden from the Lord and their judgment is passed over from God. It assures them that God has not overlooked their case and cause, has not forgotten them, has not lost sight of them, and has not failed to do justice. The ground of the assurance is that He is the everlasting Creator of the whole earth and of the ends of the earth, who never grows faint, weak, tired, or weary, and whose understanding cannot be searched out, measured, or fathomed. His power, knowledge, and wisdom are not limited, so He does not fail, and He is able to give power to the faint and increase strength to those who have no might and to uphold and renew those who wait on Him and trust in Him. As the Creator who sustains the stars and orders their unfailing course, He uses that same sustaining strength to give power and strength to the faint who fear their way is overlooked.

The verse comforts those who fear they will not be received if they return to God. It speaks to a people whose warfare is accomplished and whose iniquity is pardoned, declaring that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not faint and is not weary and His understanding cannot be searched, so He still sees and knows His people. It grounds the promise that He gives power to the faint and increases strength to those who have no might, so that those who wait on the Lord renew strength to mount up with wings as eagles, to run and not be weary, and to walk and not faint. He feeds and gathers them like a shepherd with his flock, even though even youths faint and young men utterly fall.

Its enduring power and wisdom ground the comfort Isaiah 40 gives to true believers amid coming judgments and affliction. That comfort belongs to God's people living in this age, showing that God has not forgotten them. To faint and powerless people He gives power and increased strength, so that while even youths faint and young men fall, those who wait on the Lord renew strength to mount up, run, and walk without weariness or fainting.

Everlasting Creator Described

The verse names God the everlasting God, meaning He is the Eternal One, existing from everlasting to everlasting and embracing the past, the present, and the future. It names Him the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth and of the whole earth, who created the heavens and their host and sustains them in their ordered, unfailing course. His works in nature reveal His character and His unlimited power, and nature keeps in memory that He is the Creator who can be trusted to help and save. That same sustaining power over the stars assures His people that He has not overlooked their way or their cause, and it offers courage and steadfastness when they feel faint or face discouragement.

The everlasting LORD and Creator cannot be likened to anything, so no image of any creature can represent Him or be associated in any way with His worship. The verse forbids worshiping the true God through any creature or image and asserts His supremacy as Creator.

Unlike human beings, the everlasting Creator never grows faint, weak, tired, or weary. He never grows faint or weary, and His understanding cannot be searched out, measured, or fathomed. His power is therefore inexhaustible and unwearied, the source of strength for those who are weak and who wait upon Him.

Unsearchable Understanding Explained

There is no searching of His understanding, meaning it cannot be searched out, measured, or fathomed. His wisdom is infinite and beyond human comprehension, belonging to the everlasting Lord, the Creator of the whole earth and of the ends of the earth, who never grows faint, weak, tired, or weary. That inexhaustible power is the source of help for His people, enabling Him to give power to the faint, increase strength to those who have no might, and renew the strength of those who wait upon Him. This same unfailing strength is the ground for assuring those who feel forgotten or believe their way is hidden from Him that He still sees and judges rightly, and it supports prayer for healing in faith when healing is asked only if it will bring Him glory.

Finite minds cannot comprehend the infinite One, but can consider His ways and works only as finite beings can. Even in the common things of daily life there are mysteries past comprehension, while His judgments and purposes are past finding out. His love can never be explained upon natural principles.

He reveals Himself only while shrouding Himself in thick clouds of mystery, concealing more of Himself than He makes known, and He is to be acknowledged more from what He does not reveal than from what is open to limited comprehension. If men could fully understand and explain His ways and works and power, what He has done or can do, they would not believe Him to be infinite and supreme, would no longer give Him reverence or fear His power, and would not feel they could trust Him with the interests of their souls. In revelation He has therefore given mysteries that are incomprehensible in order to command faith, and this must be so. Men may be ever searching, ever inquiring, ever learning, and yet there is an infinite beyond, while every drop of rain and flake of snow and every spire of grass and leaf and flower and shrub testifies of Him and teaches that nothing is beneath His notice and nothing too small for His attention.

His wisdom is infinite and does not depend on counsel or instruction from anyone, and no one can fully search or measure His understanding. Yet that infinite wisdom and strength are available at the demand of His church and of all who depend on Him, which is the church's exalted privilege, so that workers should seek their guidance and support from Him rather than rely on finite human authority.

Strength for Waiting Ones

Because His power is inexhaustible, He gives power to the faint and increases strength to those who have no might. He renews the strength of those who wait on Him so they endure without weariness and are upheld as they trust in Him. This answers the complaint that He has overlooked His people, hidden their way, or passed over their cause, for the everlasting Lord who created the whole earth never grows faint or weary and His understanding is beyond human measure and searching. His strength and wisdom are not limited, and His unfailing power and wisdom assure fearful ones that they are not forgotten.

Though even youths faint and young men utterly fall, those who wait on the Lord renew their strength to mount up with wings as eagles, to run and not be weary, and to walk and not faint. He still sees and knows His people, and has not forgotten those who live in this age, so faint and powerless people receive power and increased strength from Him. This comfort belongs to those whose warfare is accomplished and whose iniquity is pardoned, whom He feeds and gathers like a shepherd with his flock, and to those who fear they will not be received if they return to God.

The Creator who sustains the stars also gives power and strength to the faint who fear their way or cause has been overlooked. The ordered, unfailing course of the stars points to His power, which cannot be measured or fathomed. That same sustaining power offers courage and steadfastness when people feel faint or face discouragement.

He exerts His unlimited power for those who fear Him, and His works reveal a character trustworthy to help the weak and weary. Those who wait on Him renew their strength and endure, for God gives strength to them. This promise supports prayer for healing in faith, when healing is asked only if it will bring Him glory.

Christ Sabbath and Study

The everlasting Lord as Creator of the whole earth, tireless and never weary, whose understanding cannot be searched out, shows His power and knowledge in creating and sustaining the heavens and their host to assure His people that He has not overlooked them. His unfailing power gives strength to the weak, and the Sabbath stands as a memorial of that creative power and as a sign by which people know Him as their God. Nature and the Sabbath together keep in memory that He is the Creator and can be trusted to help and save.

The everlasting Lord, Creator of the whole earth, who never grows faint or weary and whose understanding is beyond human search, is the Majesty of heaven able to regard tempted, finite people. His inexhaustible strength and understanding stand alongside the work of Jesus as heaven's compassionate, merciful, and faithful high priest, able to help those who are tempted.

Because the everlasting Creator never grows faint or weary and His understanding cannot be searched out, Christ's patience and pleading with those who reject Him do not run out, for He remains constant and inexhaustible in love. He never tires or gives up as compassionate Intercessor and merciful and faithful high priest, but keeps seeking and healing poor tempted mortals who are spiritually diseased instead of condemning and driving them away. Those who have His mind will work in the same lines without growing faint or tired.

The chapter to which the verse belongs presents learning God's will and ways through His Word as the highest education, grounded in pure and undefiled principles rather than worldly ideas. It should be studied prayerfully together with Isaiah 50, and Isaiah 40 should be studied in connection with Isaiah 42 and Second Peter to understand the nature of the work to be carried forward in deeply spiritual lines. That connected study calls for prepared hearts to receive God's messages and for men of clear understanding worked by the Holy Spirit to lead out in thorough reformation with no haphazard work.

Call to Trust and Repent

Human beings are weakness itself, with too small faith and limited wisdom set against a God who never grows weak or tired and whose understanding cannot be measured or searched out. They must therefore humble themselves, diligently make Him their trust, and trust wholly in His wisdom rather than their own understanding, learning to trust His knowledge and ways. Human words and plans without knowledge of God only darken counsel, so His instruction is to be trusted above human teaching. To those who so trust Him He gives strength, fortitude, and courage.

The Lord alone is to be trusted, and men are not to trust in men or make flesh their arm. He is not to be trifled with, and He calls His people to diligent work for repentance and most earnest work. Human agents must not limit Him by relying on human judgments or counsel. Through faith in Christ inherited weaknesses and defects of character can be overcome, and He can restore His image in them and equip them for the work He has chosen for them.

His infinite wisdom and strength are available to those who depend on Him, so workers are to seek their guidance and support from God rather than rely on finite human authority. The declaration that the everlasting Lord, Creator of the ends of the earth, never grows faint or weary and that His wisdom is beyond searching means that nothing escapes Him. It stands as a message from God to souls living careless, self-indulgent lives unashamed of their wrong course, correcting the claim that a person's way is hidden from God and their cause overlooked by Him.

Such careless souls are urged to seek the Lord, confess their sins, see how their unconverted lives lead others astray, and repent and be converted. Complaint, worry, unbelief, and distrust that God has forgotten are without reason and grieve the Holy Spirit, for in Him is no darkness at all and His thoughts and ways are higher than human thoughts and ways. The answer is to keep the mind stayed upon the Lord, feeding on His holy Word as food filled with spiritual life for the soul, and practicing its teachings so that its promises and heaven full of blessings are fulfilled. It is to face the light, cultivate cheerfulness, and talk faith and hope instead of discouragement.

Seeking Him is to be done with thanksgiving for His tender, loving compassion, asking Him for wisdom and grace. It includes praying for guidance of pen and speech so as not to sin, to be taught truth so as not to leave His way, and for help against unbelief.