Homilist Isaiah 40:12-28 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span… The grand object of this sublime chapter seems to be to inspirit and to comfort the Jews in their Babylonian captivity. Their God in His transcendent greatness is brought under their notice for this purpose — I. IN THE EXACTITUDE OF HIS OPERATIONS. He is here represented as "measuring" the waters, as "spanning" the heavens, as "comprehending" the very dust of the earth in a measure, as "weighing" the mountains in scales. As the physician adjusts in nicest proportions the elements in the medical dose, with which he hopes to cure his patient; the engineer every crank and wheel and pin in the machine which he has constructed for a certain purpose, so God — only in an Infinite degree — arranges all the parts of the complicated universe. It is seen in the atmosphere that surrounds this globe; were one of its constituent elements more or less than it is the whole would be disturbed. This is seen in the punctuality with which all the heavenly orbs perform their movements; they are never out of time. It is seen, in fact, in the unbroken uniformity with which all nature proceeds on its march. 1. This Divine exactitude should inspire us with unbounded confidence in His procedure. Because God works with such infinite precision, His works admit of no improvement. 2. This Divine exactitude should inspire us to imitate Him in this respect. When we act from blind impulse, or from imperfect reflection, we risk our wellbeing. II. IN THE ALMIGHTINESS OF HIS POWER. He is here represented as holding the waters in the "hollow of His hand." In thinking of this power we should remember — 1. That all this power is under the direction of intelligence. It is not a blind force, like the force of the storm or the tornado, but it is a force directed by the highest wisdom. Wisdom uses the whole as the smith uses his hammer on the anvil, as the mariner the rudder in the tempest. 2. That all this power is inspired by benevolence. The infinite is here portrayed. III. IN THE INDEPENDENCY OF HIS MIND. "With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him?" From this absolute mental independency of God the following things may be deduced — 1. That all His operations must originate in pure sovereignty. All that exists must be traced to the counsels of His own will, for He had no counsellor. 2. That all His laws must be a transcript of His mind. What they are He is; they are the history of Himself. Conclusion — What an argument is" here for an entire surrender to, and a thorough acquiescence in, the Divine will. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? |
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