09/09/2023—Do You Not Know? Have You Not Heard?
(Isaiah 40—The Greatness of God) (NKJV)
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(Click on Video Thumbnail Below, to Watch on YouTube)
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I’m actually documenting this article (presented to me by Holy Spirit) on Sunday, 09/03/2023, in order to be able to publish its video on Grandma’s Got Grace on 09/09/2023. I was going to do a completely different video for this coming week, but He changed my focus, very early this morning.
I’m now connecting this scripture to one of the scriptures (Psalm 139:1-18, NKJV) that I used in the video 08/23/23—The Beginning, the Middle, and the End (09/22/22) .
Because neither the NKJV nor the AMP version of the Bible will allow me to present (free of charge) more than 25% of my article AS the scripture I’m using (either here on my website, or on YouTube in my video), only a portion of Isaiah 40 will be presented in the article, but the link for the full chapter is in the title here, and in the Description for the YouTube video.
My preference for reading Isaiah 40 is the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible).
However, that version limits its use even more than either the NKJV or the AMP version. If you have any questions about what you see in the NKJV, check out the CJB, using the link shown above.
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God. “Speak [to the heart of] Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, and that her iniquity is pardoned, for she has received from the LORD’s hand, double for all her sins.”
A voice of one is calling out, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness [remove the obstacles]. Make straight and smooth in the desert, a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised, and every mountain and hill be made low; Let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged places a broad valley. [Then] the glory and majesty and splendor of the Lord will be revealed, and all humanity shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.”
In verses 6-8 (NKJV), we see that the voice [of God] says to, “Cry out!” Then the one being spoken to, says (sensibly), “What shall I cry?” During the rest of those three verses, it’s made clear that “all flesh” (which would be talking about those still living according to the world view (walking in the flesh), are as grass, and any loveliness they show forth is compared to the flowers of a field (grass withers, and flowers fade, in the natural), even though Holy Spirit blows through the field. It is indicated, again, that those who currently are only living according to the flesh, will wither like the grass and fade like the flowers. However, it says, “…the Word of our God stands forever,” which brings hope for ALL into play.
In other words, there’s a choice to be made, when reading that scripture, that affects everyone who is living in our entire world. The question is, “Which way would you like to be living your life, here on Earth?”
There’s another place in the Bible that talks about that very question, as well. Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) says, “if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the Euphrates River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
In verse 9 (NKJV), you’ll find the answers to a very interesting question, regarding WHO is supposed to cry out. First of all, you will find out that one of the “town criers” (so to speak) is considered to be the the people of Zion, who are supposed to bring good tidings, high up in the mountains.
(There’s a song about that, from Isaiah 52:7).
“Our God Reigns (How Lovely on the Mountains) – Ingrid Dumosch, at Christ Church in New Malden”
The other “bringer of good tidings” is the people of Jerusalem, who are supposed to give a very important message (“Behold your God!”) to the cities of Judah (which means “praise”).
We, now, as believers in Christ, are a part of those who are to be taking these messages into the world, since Jesus “fulfilled the Law,” bringing together both Jews and Gentiles, by doing what He had to do as the Messiah. He took ALL sin (and the results of sin) upon Himself, died, then went into Hell and grabbed the “keys of death and hell” away from the devil, then resurrected Himself, and exited the tomb, before taking His own (both human and Divine) blood to the Mercy Seat in Heaven. This is what Isaiah 40 is prophetically showing forth, in verses 1-5.
In verses 10-11 (NKJV), we read that “the Lord God” was to be coming with a strong hand, and that His arm would rule for Him (bringing His reward with Him and His work along with Him). Isaiah said that He would feed His flock like a shepherd would, while gathering the lambs TO Himself and carrying them IN Himself, while gently leading the sheep who are ready to birth more sheep.
Verses 12-14 (NKJV) pose some very important questions, which we all should contemplate, such as “Who is it who measured the waters of the sea by scooping some up into the palm of His hand? Who is it who measured the heavens with the width of His own hand? Who is it who calculated and then measured out the dust of the Earth? Who weighed the mountains and hills on a balanced scale? Is there someone or something directing the Spirit of the Lord (other than God Himself)? Does God have some sort of a counselor teaching Him how to do all of these things? Is there someone who could have actually been a counselor to God, or who could instruct Him in all these things? Is there anyone of us who would have BEEN there with Him to teach Him the path of justice? Where did His knowledge come from…someone who hadn’t yet been born? Is there even ONE among us that showed God the way of understanding?
In verses 15-17 (NKJV), there are some rather wry observances, which give us at least SOME of the picture of how BIG God is (in His relationship to everything He created, and that we can see, from our “tiny” world. We are told that “the nations” (ALL of them together) are “as a drop in a bucket” compared to everything that God Himself is. When placed on God’s scales, all of the nations put together are like a small piece of dust in His whole creation! Even the whole of Lebanon would not be sufficient for a sacrificial fire, and all the beasts who live there wouldn’t be sufficient for a burnt offering, in the first place! Again, it is stressed, that ALL nations, when confronted by God Himself, are as NOTHING, compared to God. Actually, they (all put together) are of LESS THAN an actual value (as in they are smaller than any coinage that God could dream up FOR HIMSELF.
This does NOT mean that He just thinks we all are worthless—not worth His attention, etc. It is only a comparison of how HUGE the presence GOD is, compared to how very FEW people live and breathe (because of being in the lineage of Adam and Eve) on the entire Earth.
Verses 18-28 (NKJV) present a few more pertinent questions, and some very important answers to them:
To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness will you compare to Him? The workman molds an image, the goldsmith overspreads it with gold, and the silversmith casts silver chains. Whoever is too impoverished for such an offering, chooses a tree that will not rot. He seeks for himself a skillful workman, to prepare a carved image that will not totter.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is GOD who sits above the circle of the earth (and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers).
It is GOD who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
GOD reduces the princes to nothing.
GOD makes the judges of the earth useless.
Scarcely shall they be planted–scarcely shall they be sown, scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth–when He will also blow on them, and they will wither. [Then] the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. “To whom, then, will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?” asks the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, [and] who brings out the host of stars by number. He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might, and the strength of His power. Not one is missing!
Why [then], do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God?”
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God–the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth–neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
Finally, in verses 29-31 (NKJV), we are told in no uncertain terms, that GOD is the ONE who gives power to the weak. GOD is the ONE who increases strength to those who have no strong power. Even those who are still youthful, from time to time will be weary and even faint. Sometimes even strong young men will totally fail.
However…those who get their focus fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ, will have their strength renewed, so that they can fly INTO the wind, and therefore mount up HIGH, as if they were eagles with their huge, strong wings. Those who focus on the things of God, will be able to RUN with those things, and not be in the least weary! They shall be able to walk out EVERYTHING the Lord has for them, and WILL NOT FAINT!
Here are THREE beautiful songs
that make use of scriptures regarding eagles:
“On Eagles Wings – Chris Rupp Trio”
“Under His Wings (Psalm 91) [Official Lyric Video] – Tom Mottershead”
“CONFESSORI ft DAN VASC – Where the Eagles Fly (Official Music Video)”
These things are REALLY necessary in our world settings in this day and time. The devil THINKS he’s going to defeat the entire world, and therefore get the best of God. ALL HE CAN OFFER, HOWEVER, IS LIES! By focusing on the things of God, and riding the winds with HIM, we will not allow him or his lies to win. My husband the devil), “the ever-loser.” It’s true. He has ALREADY LOST his dominion in this Earth, due to our Messiah and Champion, JESUS!
Here’s one last WONDERFUL song, about that:
“The Champion” (LIVE, by Carman Licciardello) The song was released in 1985.
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“Songs of Hope and Joy” (My YouTube Playlist)
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My Grandma’s Got Grace YouTube Channel
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Powerful Prayers (Listed on My Website)
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Scriptures from the New King James Version (NKJV), ®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson (All Rights Reserved). Less than 500 verses of scripture used by general permission. Quotations do not amount to a complete Bible book, nor are they more than 25% of the total text of this work, which is not to be considered as a biblical commentary or reference work in its entirety.
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