Isaiah 40:10-12 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him… We find frequent reference in Scripture to the Divine hand, arm, and bosom, by which God is brought the nearer to the level of our comprehension, and within touch of our love and confidence. In these verses there is a striking combination in the use made of these figures. I. THE MAGNITUDE OF GOD'S POWER AND RULE. "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span?" etc. The reference to the Divine hand is essentially human, man being the only creature on God's earth who has a hand. How wonderful is its construction! It is marvellously adapted for skill, power, and authority. It is that which in happy combination with other endowments gives man dominion over creation. It is his hand which, in more senses than one, sways the sceptre. It is his hand that asserts his royal nature, his power and authority to rule. Again, the arm is that which gives leverage to the hand, and without which the hand would be useless. The hand and arm of God are spoken of here. We read elsewhere that the heavens are the work of His fingers, that in His hands are the deep places of the earth, and that His hands formed the dry land. Here we read, "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with the span? "The great Architect and Framer of the universe is represented as forming and adjusting earth, sea, and sky with His hand. This is the graphic representation of the Divine Worker at work. The one implement used is the hand of the Great Worker — its hollow for the seas, its span for the heavens! What sublime poetry descriptive of creative skill! The illustrations are taken from primitive life. The truest poetry comes from primitive simplicity. 1. "Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?" What is the sublime truth which this richly figurative speech conveys? One truth at least is the self-sufficiency of God in His creative work. He needed not to go beyond Himself. All creation is the outcome of His own power and skill, independent of the shifts of machinery and tools. When this has been stated, the prophet proceeds to draw other figures from, primitive life in the simplicity of its operations to describe God's creative work. "Comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure" that is a tierce, or the third of an ephah. It is the same word as that used in Psalm 80:5, "Thou givest them tears to drink in great measure." As Delitzsch beautifully expresses it, it is a small measure for the dust of the earth, but a "great measure" for tears. "Weighed the mountains in scales," that is, a steel-yard, that by which the greater loads are weighed; "and the hills in a balance" — the tradesman's balances which weigh smaller things, but with greater accuracy than the "steel-yard." Nothing has been done by haphazard. Every world has been balanced, and the equilibrium of the universe adjusted with infinite wisdom and skill. Astronomical observation leads to this conclusion; Isaiah asserted it with regard to this earth before astronomy was born. 2. So far we have dwelt upon Isaiah's statement of what God had done. Now we notice the prophetic announcement of what God would do. The former refers to His creative power, the latter to His providential rule. "The Lord God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him." There is here a prediction of a special Divine advent in power, but I take this as typical of all Divine advents and interventions throughout the ages. We have read of the Divine hand in the record of God forming and adjusting the earth, but now we read of the Divine arm in His personal advent and providential rule. There is a Providence as well as a creation. God has not completed His work by His creative skill and power. "He worketh hitherto." The hand that formed and adjusted is moved by the arm that rules and governs. It is the arm that wields the hand. The Scriptures abound with emphatic references to the Divine arm. "Hast thou an arm like God?" (Job 40:9) asked God out of the whirlwind of Job. "Thou hast a mighty arm" (Psalm 89:13), exclaimed the Psalmist; and again, "His holy arm hath gotten Him the victory" (Psalm 98:1). Isaiah wrote, "The Lord hath sworn by the arm of His strength" (Isaiah 62:8), and again, "Therefore His arm brought salvation" (Isaiah 59:16). In these and similar passages the arm of God is the symbol of His power in providential and redemptive works. "His arm shall rule for Him," — that is, shall bring all foes submissive, and make all subjects obedient to His sovereignty and command. It is instructive to notice the different names applied to God in the Scriptures to show various aspects of His character and work. Observe the names by which God is called here. "The Lord God" (Adonai-Jehovah) — a combination of the two greatest names by which God was known under the Old Dispensation. The consequent announcement is that of the advent of the "Mighty One" (R.V.). Yet these words, expressive of power and dominion, are followed by others which have all the tenderness and grace of a pastoral symphony. II. THE TENDERNESS OF HIS SHEPHERDLY CARE. "He shall feed His flock like a shepherd," etc. The hand that meted out the heavens and measured the waters of the deep is that which feeds the flock, and the arm that rules for Him is the arm that gathers the lambs. "And carry them in His bosom." Ah! I have not read of "His bosom" in this context before now. I heard no mention of His bosom when He was spoken of as measuring the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meting out heaven with the span; it is only when the prophet speaks of the lambs that he mentions not only God's arm but also His bosom. The hollow of His hand is good enough for the waters, His span for the heavens, His arm for His subjects, but only His bosom for the lambs. This is a tenderness specially adapted to the peculiar need. "And shall gently lead those that are with young," or. "those that give suck" (R.V.). The great Shepherd will not forget motherhood with its cares and burdens. God s omnipotence can only be equalled by His compassion. He is not only Almighty, but also "Almighty to save." Our God who created the heavens has also lifted up the Cross. (D. Davies.) Parallel Verses KJV: Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. |
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