Have You Not Heard?

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who has understood the mind of the Lord, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding? Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:12-14, 21-22, 25-26,28–29, NIV 1984).

My Musings – This is a pretty powerful discourse. “To whom will [we] compare [Him, who is [His] equal?” The absurdity of these questions was intentional. Who, indeed! Yet there are many who would venture to instruct Him in what they believe is “the right way…the path of understanding.” Preposterous! Can we “[measure] the waters” or “[mark] off the heavens?” We think we understand so much, but clearly not “the mind of the Lord?” Such arrogance! “His understanding no one can fathom.” “Can the pot say of the potter, ‘He knows nothing’?” (Isaiah 29:16, NIV 1984). Yet we do it every time we question His goodness, love, fairness, power, sovereignty, motives, or authority.

My Advice – “While Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you authority to do this?’ Jesus replied, ‘I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!’ They discussed it among themselves and said, ‘If we say, from heaven, he will ask, then why didn’t you believe him? But if we say, from men…. ‘ (they feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) So, they answered Jesus, ‘We don’t know.’ Jesus said, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.'” (Mark 11:27–33, NIV 1984).

Would we be so bold as to question God? Then be prepared to be questioned by Him. “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.” (Job 38:2–3, NIV 1984). I suspect we would not have much of an answer. But if we really had faith in Him, we would not be questioning Him is the first place.