"To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal? says the Holy One."
In yesterday's reading in Isaiah, we saw that Hezekiah's life was spared by God. In the wake of his relief, however, Hezekiah was found by the king of Babylon to be in a vulnerable state. The king "sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures" (v. 1-2). (Proverbs 18:16, says this about gifts: "A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men". This was certainly true for the king of Babylon.) Hezekiah's naive actions would result in captivity for his prodigy and loss of all the riches that his fathers treasured. Hezekiah's response to this future devastation is revealing. His comment? "At least there will be peace and truth in my days" (v.8).
Although God's judgment would be fulfilled on Jerusalem, God offered comfort and hope to its inhabitants even before it occurred. God does not leave His people without hope. Dr. Stanley says, "That is God's way--hope in the midst of suffering". Isaiah chapter 40, contains the prophecy that refers to John the Baptist--"the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord" (v.3). Isaiah goes on to describe our condition as that of grass--"All flesh is grass, and all it's loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades" (v. 6), however, in contrast, "But the word of our God stands forever" (v.8).
God is described as the Shepherd in verses 10-11, having a strong, yet gentle hand--ruling with strength and at the same time showing compassion and mercy toward His people. God's power is unimaginable for us--"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure" (v. 12). In comparison, God likens the nations "as a drop in a bucket" and counts them "as the small dust on the scales" (v.15). There is no comparison to the real God and the lifeless images man erroneously fashions in his misguided desire to worship. It is God "who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers" (v. 22). The writer also calls the reader's attention to the stars in the heavens and says, "He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power: not one is missing" (v. 26). The passage ends with tremendous good news for those who wait on the Lord and trust in this Creator-God. "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength" (v. 29). "But those who wait on the Lord shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (v. 31).
"The Spirit-filled life", writes Dr. Stanley, "is the only way for a Christian to experience all that God has for us." Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." "The Spirit-filled life is marked by purpose, power, and effectiveness. . . There really is no such thing as an 'average' Christian life. Either you are living a vibrant, Spirit-filled life, or you aren't." (Dr. Stanley). Do I know God the Creator, the Good Shepherd, the God who gives power to the weak? As Dr. Stanley points out, "God will never overstep the boundaries of your will". It is because of His love for us that "He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Will we choose the vibrant life in Christ offered by and paid for by God the Almighty?
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