Isaiah 40:17
All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as nothingness and emptiness.
All the nations
This phrase emphasizes the collective entirety of the world's political and social entities. In the Hebrew text, the word for "nations" is "goyim," which often refers to Gentile nations or those outside of Israel. Historically, this reflects the geopolitical landscape of the ancient Near East, where numerous nations and empires, such as Assyria and Babylon, held significant power. From a conservative Christian perspective, this phrase underscores the sovereignty of God over all earthly powers, reminding believers that no nation, regardless of its might, can stand against the divine will.

are as nothing
The Hebrew word "ayin" is used here, meaning "nothing" or "non-existent." This stark declaration serves to humble the pride of nations and rulers, illustrating their insignificance in comparison to the majesty and authority of God. In the context of Isaiah, this is a powerful reminder to the Israelites that their trust should not be placed in human alliances or power structures but in God alone. For Christians, it reinforces the belief that earthly power is transient and ultimately subject to God's eternal plan.

before Him
This phrase indicates the presence and perspective of God. The Hebrew preposition "le" can be translated as "before" or "in the presence of," suggesting that all things are laid bare before God. It conveys the idea of divine omniscience and omnipresence, where nothing is hidden from God's sight. In a conservative Christian view, this serves as a reminder of God's intimate involvement in the world and His ultimate authority over creation.

He regards them as nothing
The repetition of the concept of "nothing" emphasizes the futility of human pride and power. The Hebrew verb "chashav" means "to regard" or "to consider," indicating a deliberate assessment by God. This phrase highlights the divine perspective that human achievements and power are insignificant when measured against God's eternal purposes. For believers, it is a call to humility and reliance on God's strength rather than human endeavors.

and empty
The word "tohu" in Hebrew, translated as "empty," is the same word used in Genesis 1:2 to describe the earth as "formless and void" before creation. This connection underscores the idea of chaos and lack of substance. In the context of Isaiah, it suggests that without God, nations are devoid of true purpose and stability. From a conservative Christian standpoint, this serves as a reminder that true meaning and order come only through alignment with God's will.

they are regarded by Him
This final phrase reiterates God's perspective on the nations. The verb "chashav" is used again, emphasizing God's active consideration and judgment. It serves as a conclusion to the verse, reinforcing the theme of divine sovereignty and the ultimate futility of human pride. For Christians, it is a call to trust in God's judgment and to seek His guidance in all things, recognizing that His ways are higher than human understanding.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book that bears his name. He prophesied to the Kingdom of Judah during a time of moral and spiritual decline.

2. Nations
In this context, "nations" refers to the various peoples and kingdoms of the earth. The verse emphasizes their insignificance in comparison to God's majesty and power.

3. God
The central figure in this passage, God is portrayed as supreme and sovereign, with all nations being insignificant before Him.

4. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, to whom Isaiah primarily directed his prophecies. Judah was often tempted to rely on alliances with other nations rather than trusting in God.

5. Babylonian Exile
Although not directly mentioned in this verse, the context of Isaiah includes the looming threat of Babylon, which would eventually lead to the exile of Judah.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is supreme over all nations and powers. No earthly authority can compare to His majesty and control.

Human Insignificance
Understand our place in the grand scheme of God's creation. While nations may seem powerful, they are ultimately insignificant without God.

Trust in God Alone
In times of uncertainty or fear, especially regarding national or global events, place your trust in God rather than in human institutions or alliances.

Humility Before God
Approach God with humility, acknowledging that our achievements and power are nothing without His blessing and guidance.

Eternal Perspective
Keep an eternal perspective, focusing on God's kingdom rather than being overly concerned with the rise and fall of earthly nations.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the insignificance of nations before God affect your view of current world events?

2. In what ways can you demonstrate trust in God's sovereignty in your daily life?

3. How does the concept of God's ultimate authority challenge or comfort you in your personal circumstances?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to maintain humility before God, acknowledging His greatness?

5. How can you apply the eternal perspective of God's kingdom to your priorities and decisions today?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Psalm 2
This psalm speaks of the futility of nations plotting against God, reinforcing the idea of God's ultimate authority over all earthly powers.

Daniel 4:35
This verse echoes the theme of God's sovereignty, where it is stated that all the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing in comparison to His will.

Romans 8:31
While not directly about nations, this verse speaks to the power and support of God for those who trust in Him, contrasting human power with divine power.
The Greatness of God and the Littleness of ManW. Clarkson Isaiah 40:12-17
Jehovah IncomparableE. Johnson Isaiah 40:12-18
God in Relation to Earth and OceanT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.Isaiah 40:12-28
God Weighing the MountainsT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.Isaiah 40:12-28
Nature Ministers to the SufferingF. B. Meyer, B. A.Isaiah 40:12-28
The Grandeur of GodJ. Saurin.Isaiah 40:12-28
The Great God in His Relation to Heaven and EarthT. De Witt Talmage, D. D.Isaiah 40:12-28
The Greatness of Israel's GodF. Delitzsch, D. D.Isaiah 40:12-28
The Incomparableness of the Great GodHomilistIsaiah 40:12-28
The Transcendent OneHomilistIsaiah 40:12-28
Why Sayest ThouF. B. Meyer, B. A.Isaiah 40:12-28
The Hopelessness and the Simplicity of Divine ServiceW. Clarkson Isaiah 40:16-26
People
Isaiah, Jacob
Places
Jerusalem, Lebanon, Zion
Topics
Accounted, Cipher, Counted, Emptiness, Esteemed, Less, Meaningless, Nations, Nothing, Nought, Reckoned, Regarded, Value, Vanity, Worthless
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 40:15-17

     4248   islands

Isaiah 40:15-22

     5003   human race, and God

Library
April 18. "They Shall Mount up with Wings" (Isa. Xl. 31).
"They shall mount up with wings" (Isa. xl. 31). "They shall mount up with wings as eagles," is God's preliminary; for the next promise is, "They shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Hours of holy exultation are necessary for hours of patient plodding, waiting and working. Nature has its springs, and so has grace. Let us rejoice in the Lord evermore, and again we say, rejoice. And let us take Him to be our continual joy, whose heart is a fountain of blessedness, and who
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Have Ye Not? Hast Thou Not?'
'Have ye not known, have ye not heard? hath it not been told yon from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?... Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard?'--ISAIAH xl. 21 and 28. The recurrence of the same form of interrogation in these two verses is remarkable. In the first case the plural is used, in the second the singular, and we may reasonably conclude that as Israel is addressed in the latter, the nations outside the sphere illumined by Revelation are appealed
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Unfailing Stabs and Fainting Men
'...For that He is strong in power; not one faileth.... He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.'-- ISAIAH xl. 26 and 29. These two verses set forth two widely different operations of the divine power as exercised in two sadly different fields, the starry heavens and this weary world. They are interlocked, as it were, by the recurrence in the latter of the emphatic words of the former. The one verse says, 'He is strong in power'; the other, 'He giveth
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

O Thou that Bringest Good Tidings
'O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain: O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!'--ISAIAH xl. 9. There is something very grand in these august and mysterious voices which call one to another in the opening verses of this chapter. First, the purged ear of the prophet hears the divine command to him and to his brethren--Comfort Jerusalem with the message of the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Shepherd and the Fold
... Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy holy habitation.' EXODUS XV. 13. What a grand triumphal ode! The picture of Moses and the children of Israel singing, and Miriam and the women answering: a gush of national pride and of worship! We belong to a better time, but still we can feel its grandeur. The deliverance has made the singer look forward to the end, and his confidence in the issue is confirmed. I. The guiding God: or the picture of the leading. The original is 'lead gently.' Cf.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Secret of Immortal Youth
'Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.'--ISAIAH xl. 30, 31. I remember a sunset at sea, where the bosom of each wavelet that fronted the west was aglow with fiery gold, and the back of each turned eastward was cold green; so that, looking on the one hand all was glory, and on the other
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Salvation Published from the Mountains
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid: say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! I t would be improper to propose an alteration, though a slight one, in the reading of a text, without bearing my testimony to the great value of our English version, which I believe, in point of simplicity, strength, and fidelity, is not likely to be excelled by a new translation
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Consolation
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received at the LORD 's hand double for all her sins. T he particulars of the great "mystery of godliness," as enumerated by the Apostle Paul, constitute the grand and inexhaustible theme of the Gospel ministry, "God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Harbinger
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD , make straight in the desert a high-way for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. T he general style of the prophecies is poetical. The inimitable simplicity which characterizes every
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Withering Work of the Spirit
THE passage in Isaiah which I have just read in your hearing may be used as a very eloquent description of our mortality, and if a sermon should be preached from it upon the frailty of human nature, the brevity of life, and the certainty of death, no one could dispute the appropriateness of the text. Yet I venture to question whether such a discourse would strike the central teaching of the prophet. Something more than the decay of our material flesh is intended here; the carnal mind, the flesh in
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

This Sermon was Originally Printed
"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God."--Isaiah 40:1. WHAT A SWEET TITLE: "My people!" What a cheering revelation: "Your God!" How much of meaning is couched in those two words, "My people!" Here is speciality. The whole world is God's; the heaven, even the heaven of heavens are the Lord's and he reigneth among the children of men. But he saith of a certain number, "My people." Of those whom he hath chosen, whom he hath purchased to himself, he saith what he saith not of others. While
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

8Th Day. Reviving Grace.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."--ISAIAH xl. 31. Reviving Grace. "Wilt thou not revive us, O Lord?" My soul! art thou conscious of thy declining state? Is thy walk less with God, thy frame less heavenly? Hast thou less conscious nearness to the mercy-seat,--diminished communion with thy Saviour? Is prayer less a privilege than it has
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

"And the Redeemer Shall Come unto Zion, and unto them that Turn,"
Isaiah lix. 20.--"And the Redeemer shall come unto Zion, and unto them that turn," &c. Doctrines, as things, have their seasons and times. Every thing is beautiful in its season. So there is no word of truth, but it hath a season and time in which it is beautiful. And indeed that is a great part of wisdom, to bring forth everything in its season, to discern when and where, and to whom it is pertinent and edifying, to speak such and such truths. But there is one doctrine that is never out of season,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Hillis -- God the Unwearied Guide
Newell Dwight Hillis was born at Magnolia, Iowa, in 1858. He first became known as a preacher of the first rank during his pastorate over the large Presbyterian church in Evanston, Illinois. This reputation led to his being called to the Central Church, Chicago, in which he succeeded Dr. David Swing, and where from the first he attracted audiences completely filling one of the largest auditoriums in Chicago. In 1899 he was called to Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, to succeed Dr. Lyman Abbott in the pulpit
Various—The World's Great Sermons, Volume 10

Of Loving Jesus Above all Things
Blessed is he who understandeth what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for Jesus' sake. He must give up all that he loveth for his Beloved, for Jesus will be loved alone above all things. The love of created things is deceiving and unstable, but the love of Jesus is faithful and lasting. He who cleaveth to created things will fall with their slipperiness; but he who embraceth Jesus will stand upright for ever. Love Him and hold Him for thy friend, for He will not forsake thee when all
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Prayer and Devotion
"Once as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737, having alighted from my horse in a retired place, as my manner commonly had been to walk for divine contemplation and prayer, I had a view that for me was extraordinary, of the glory of the Son of God. As near as I can judge, this continued about an hour; and kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud.. I felt an ardency of soul to be what I know not otherwise how to express, emptied and annihilated; to love
Edward M. Bounds—The Essentials of Prayer

The God of all Comfort
"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." Among all the names that reveal God, this, the "God of all comfort," seems to me one of the loveliest and the most absolutely comforting. The words all comfort admit of no limitation and no deductions; and one would suppose that,
Hannah Whitall Smith—The God of All Comfort

Appendix xi. On the Prophecy, Is. Xl. 3
ACCORDING to the Synoptic Gospels, the public appearance and preaching of John was the fulfilment of the prediction with which the second part of the prophecies of Isaiah opens, called by the Rabbis, the book of consolations.' After a brief general preface (Is. xl. 1, 2), the words occur which are quoted by St. Matthew and St. Mark (Is. xl. 3), and more fully by St. Luke (Is. xl. 3-5). A more appropriate beginning of the book of consolations' could scarcely be conceived. The quotation of Is. xl.
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Justification.
Among all the doctrines of our holy Christian faith, the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, stands most prominent. Luther calls it: "The doctrine of a standing or a falling church," i.e., as a church holds fast and appropriates this doctrine she remains pure and firm, and as she departs from it, she becomes corrupt and falls. This doctrine was the turning point of the Reformation in the sixteenth century. It was the experience of its necessity and efficacy that made Luther what he was, and
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Humble Worship of Heaven.
1 Father, I long, I faint to see The place of thine abode, I'd leave thy earthly courts and flee Up to thy seat, my God! 2 Here I behold thy distant face, And 'tis a pleasing sight; But to abide in thine embrace Is infinite delight. 3 I'd part with all the joys of sense To gaze upon thy throne; Pleasure springs fresh for ever thence, Unspeakable, unknown. 4 [There all the heavenly hosts are seen, In shining ranks they move, And drink immortal vigour in, With wonder and with love. 5 Then at thy feet
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs

At Rest
Gerhard Ter Steegen Is. xl. 11 O God, a world of empty show, Dark wilds of restless, fruitless quest Lie round me wheresoe'er I go: Within, with Thee, is rest. And sated with the weary sum Of all men think, and hear, and see, O more than mother's heart, I come, A tired child to Thee. Sweet childhood of eternal life! Whilst troubled days and years go by, In stillness hushed from stir and strife, Within Thine Arms I lie. Thine Arms, to whom I turn and cling With thirsting soul that longs for Thee;
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

His Schools and Schoolmasters.
(LUKE 1.) "Oh to have watched thee through the vineyards wander, Pluck the ripe ears, and into evening roam!-- Followed, and known that in the twilight yonder Legions of angels shone about thy home!" F. W. H. MYERS. Home-Life--Preparing for his Life-Work--The Vow of Separation--A Child of the Desert Zacharias and Elisabeth had probably almost ceased to pray for a child, or to urge the matter. It seemed useless to pray further. There had been no heaven-sent sign to assure them that there was any
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

Impiety of Attributing a visible Form to God. --The Setting up of Idols a Defection from the True God.
1. God is opposed to idols, that all may know he is the only fit witness to himself. He expressly forbids any attempt to represent him by a bodily shape. 2. Reasons for this prohibition from Moses, Isaiah, and Paul. The complaint of a heathen. It should put the worshipers of idols to shame. 3. Consideration of an objection taken from various passages in Moses. The Cherubim and Seraphim show that images are not fit to represent divine mysteries. The Cherubim belonged to the tutelage of the Law. 4.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

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