Isaiah 40:12-17

Passage: Isaiah 40:12-17
The Greatness of God.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand
and marked off the heavens with a span,
enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD,
or what man shows him his counsel?
14 Whom did he consult,
and who made him understand?
Who taught him the path of justice,
and taught him knowledge,
and showed him the way of understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
and are accounted as the dust on the scales;
behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
16 Lebanon would not suffice for fuel,
nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
17 All the nations are as nothing before him,
they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

Journal: There is nothing that Charles Darwin and his pep squad can muster that diminishes the wonderful truth of God's creative power. The very first verse of the Bible extols the creative genius of Christ. [Genesis 1:1 -- "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."] Let's not take this for granted, for He creates something out of nothing. If you give a builder some building materials, the builder can build a house. Now have the builder build the house with no building materials. It is truly mind boggling to consider the power of God. And here, in these verses of Isaiah 40, it is that very power that is on display.

First, the point is made that God, and God alone, is able to create. [v.12 -- "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?"] This is the omnipotence of God.

Second, the point is made that man has no participation in the process; that is man is created, in part, to marvel at creation itself. Man, as part of creation, has taken absolutely no active role in creation. The "understanding" of man is limited to the knowledge that God has endowed upon man. [v.13-14 -- "Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?"] This is the omniscience of God.

Thus, the natural consequence of God's active role in creation [that is, His omnipotence and omniscience on display], and man's lack of participation in creation, is that man is entirely subordinate to God. [v. 15; 17 -- "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales . . . All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness."] Look down at your hands. Could they hold the oceans of the world in their "hollow?" The power of God is greater than we can fathom, and yet should be at the center of our worship of His glory.