Isaiah 40:12-26 - Homiletics

God in creation.

Creation tells of God in many ways. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork: day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge" ( Psalms 19:1 , Psalms 19:2 ). "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead" ( Romans 1:20 ). Here we have noted especially—

I. GOD 'S MARVELLOUSNESS IN CREATION .

1 . The very act of creation is the most marvellous of all marvels. For what is creation but the production of something out of nothing?—a seeming contradiction, at any rate a strange paradox. Isaiah affects strongly the use of the word bara ( Isaiah 4:5 ; Isaiah 40:26 ; Isaiah 41:20 ; Isaiah 45:8 , Isaiah 45:12 , Isaiah 45:18 , etc.), which, if not confined to the sense of "producing out of nothing," at any rate includes that sense (Gesenius, 'Lex. Hebrews,' ad voc. ).

2 . And the marvellousness of creation is enhanced by the vastness of creation : sun, moon, planets, stars; the incalculable distances of space—the nebulae , either unformed stars, or infinitely distant solar systems like that of which our system forms a part; the Milky Way, or outer edge of our own system, set so thick with stars that they seem to form a continuous girdle of light.

3 . The perfect order of creation : all things weighed out and measured by God's hand in set proportions one to another; all keeping their appointed courses without collision or confusion; observing their respective times and seasons; displaying an infinite variety, which, however, is all ordered and regulated.

4 . And by the unity of creation : all of it from one hand, from one mind, working without assistance, without counsel (verses 13, 14), from its own inexhaustible stores of wisdom and knowledge; and all of it subject to that one mind and obeying its every behest (verse 26).

II. GOD 'S GOODNESS IN CREATION . God does not leave his creation alone, to stand or fall by its own inherent strength. Every part of it is upheld by him, maintained in existence by him, enabled by him to perform the task which he has set it. The "way" of no part of his creation is "hid from him" (verse 27). Each star is known by name, and the starry hosts are marshalled "by number," and led forth in their stately march, so that "not one faileth" (verse 26). So with his moral creatures. They too are upheld; "power" and "strength" are given to them continually (verse 29); he who sustains them is "never faint, never weary;" a way is contrived for them by which they may "renew their strength" (verse 31). Doubtless there is this difference. Material things are absolutely upheld, and prevented from failing; God's moral creation is not absolutely upheld. It is given a sufficiency of help ( 2 Corinthians 12:9 ), but is not compelled to accept the gift. If man wills to perish, he must perish. Though God's grace is "sufficient for him," he can reject that grace—he can thwart the will of God, who "wouldeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Were it otherwise, he would be a machine, and not a moral being.