Sermon Central
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Worth The Wait Series
Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Nov 26, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Those who faithfully wait before the Lord will exchange their strength for His and be enabled to perform the tasks of life all the way to its end.
Isaiah 40: 27-31
"WORTH THE WAIT"
Universally it is complained that God is unjust, and usually the person making the complaint believes that God is unjust toward him personally. Is it an accurate statement that God is unjust? If so, why is God unjust? Is it because He does not care, or because He lacks sufficient strength or ability to do all that needs doing?
Isaiah states that in as much as God is not only the Creator but also the Sustainer of all things, including the heavens, nations, and individual persons, how can people consider that it is God who has forsaken them? How can persons who are by nature weak and sinful claim that the righteous, benevolent, all knowing, all powerful Judge is unjust?
It is not God who has forsaken men but men have forsaken God! Yet those who wait on the Lord, in faithful assurance that God can and will keep His promises, will find the strength and support to perform the tasks of life all the way to its end.
I. God Does It His Way, 27-29.
II. The Faithful Find His Way, 30-31.
The prophet begins addressing a series questions to the people in verse 27. "Why will you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel"
The uncompleted action tense of the verb in Hebrew indicates that they have said it in the past, are saying it in the present and will say it in the future. Why doesn’t God take action to right situations is a continual complaint that we will see has no just grounds.
The two names of the patriarch are both given. Jacob means deceiver, supplanter, and is his name before his conversion. Israel means the God ruled one and is the name God gave him after his wrestling experience with God when he was finally saved. The meaning is that both the lost and the saved say the same thing about God. Why doesn’t God act? Is it because He is unwilling or because He is unable?
The thoughts of men continue in verse 27 with "My way is hidden from the Lord,"
The term way is the common figure for course, pattern, manner or direction of life. My way refers to their self-centered focus of life. They believe that the world should revolve around them and since it obviously isn’t, something must be wrong. They complain about it to God and nothing seems to happen so obviously God is not seeing them or their situation for what it is. They are trying to get God to see things from their perspective, and God is trying to get them to see things from His. They want God to do things their way when God wants them to do things His way.
Their complaint continues (27c), "And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"
The idea is that their just cause is forgotten, neglected or dismissed by the Judge. It is a universal complaint which arises in times of difficulty and adversity. It is the notion that since I am correct, vindication of my problems would come about if God brought real justice. The person is skeptical and despondent believing God is not fulfilling His promises to him. Thus in reality they are saying God is unjust.
This form of unbelief is familiar to the personal experience of all believers and God acknowledging lost people of all ages. It comes when one doubts God’s goodness and/or His ability to fulfill His promises. It comes from a pride that says we know more what God should do than He does.
The accusation is that God either does not know His job as Judge, cannot do the job, is too tired for it, is not aware, or that He does not care.
As Abraham though we affirm, "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right (Gen. 18:25)? He will not do anything that is unfair, untrue, or inappropriate by taking all of a matter into consideration. A creator who know the names of all the stars (v. 26) certainly knows the problems of His people. A creator who made the constellations certainly has the capacity to deal with our concerns.
The prophet’s response to man centered observations begins in verse 28. "Do you not know? Have you not heard?"
Isaiah’s response is a double question which sets forth the folly of such despondent thoughts or attitude. God has been, is, and will be readily available for those who will listen and learn.
He then affirms who our God is. "The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired."
God does not tire neither can He tire like a man who lacks nourishment nor does He become weary like a man who is exhausted by over-exertion. He created the limits and bounds. Limits and bounds did not define Him and do not hold Him.
