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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 40:18–26. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The prophet here reproves those, 1. Who represented God by creatures, and so changed his truth into a lie and his glory into shame, who made images and then said that they resembled God, and paid their homage to them accordingly. 2. Who put creatures in the place of God, who feared them more than God, as if they were a match for him, or loved them more than God, as if they were fit to be rivals with him. Twice the challenge is here made, To whom will you liken God? Isa 40:18, and again Isa 40:25. The Holy One himself says, To whom will you liken me? This shows the folly and absurdity, (1.) Of corporal idolatry, making visible images of him who is invisible, imagining the image to be animated by the deity, and the deity to be presentiated by the image, which, as it was an instance of the corruption of the human nature, so it was an intolerable injury to the honour of the divine nature. (2.) Of spiritual idolatry, making creatures equal with God in our affections. Proud people make themselves equal with God; covetous people make their money equal with God; and whatever we esteem or love, fear or hope in, more than God, that creature we equal with God, which is the highest affront imaginable to him who is God over all. Now, to show the absurdity of this,
I.The prophet describes idols as despicable things and worthy of the greatest contempt (Isa 40:19, Isa 40:20):
"Look upon the better sort of them, which rich people set up, and worship; they are made of some base metal, cast into what shape the founder pleases, and that is gilded, or overlaid with plates of gold, that it may pass for a golden image. It is a creature; for the workman made it; therefore it is not God, Hos 8:6. It depended upon his will whether it should be a god at all, and of what shape it should be. It is a cheat; for it is gold on the outside, but within it is lead or copper, in this indeed representing the deities, that they were not what they seemed to be, and deceived their admirers. How despicable then are the worst sort of them - the poor men's gods! He that is so impoverished that he has scarcely a sacrifice to offer to his god when he has made him will yet not be without an enshrined deity of his own; and, though he cannot procure one of brass or stone, he will have a wooden one rather than none, and for that purpose chooses a tree that will not soon rot, and of that he will have his graven image made. Both agree to have their image well fastened, that they may not be robbed of it. The better sort have silver chains to fix theirs with; and, though it be but a wooden image, care is taken that it shall not be moved." Let us pause a little and see,
1.How these idolaters shame themselves, and what a reproach they put upon their own reason, in dreaming that gods of their own making (Nehushtans, pieces of brass or logs of wood) should be able to do them any kindness. Thus vain were they in their imaginations; and how was their foolish heart darkened!
2.See how these idolaters shame us, who worship the only living and true God. They spared no cost upon their idols; we grudge that as waste which is spent in the service of our God. They took care that their idols should not be moved; we wilfully provoke our God to depart from us.
II.He describes God as infinitely great, and worthy of the highest veneration; so that between him and idols, whatever competition there may be, there is no comparison. To prove the greatness of God he appeals,
1.To what they had heard of him by the hearing of the ear, and the consent of all ages and nations concerning him (Isa 40:21): "Have you not known by the very light of nature? Has it not been told you by your fathers and teachers, according to the constant tradition received from their ancestors and predecessors, even from the beginning?" (Those notices of God are as ancient as the world.) "Have you not understood it as always acknowledged from the foundation of the earth, that God is a great God, and a great King above all gods?" It has been a truth universally admitted that there is an infinite Being who is the fountain of all being. This is understood not only ever since the beginning of the world, but from and by the origin of the universe. It is founded upon the foundation of the earth. The invisible things of God are clearly seen from the creation of the world, Rom 1:20. Thou mayest not only ask thy father, and he shall tell thee this, and thy elders (Deu 32:7); but ask those that go by the way (Job 21:29), ask the first man you meet, and he will say the same. Some read it, Will you not know? Will you not hear it? For those that are ignorant of this are willingly ignorant; the light shines in their faces, but they shut their eyes against it. Now that which is here said of God is,
(1.)That he has the command of all the creatures. The heaven and the earth themselves are under his management: He sits upon the circle, or globe, of the earth, Isa 40:22. He that has the special residence of his glory in the upper world maintains a dominion over this lower world, gives law to it, and directs all the motions of it to his own glory. He sits undisturbed upon the earth, and so establishes it. He is still stretching out the heavens, his power and providence keep them still stretched out, and will do so till the day comes that they shall be rolled together like a scroll. He spreads them out as easily as we draw a curtain to and fro, opening these curtains in the morning and drawing them close again at night. And the heaven is to this earth as a tent to dwell in; it is a canopy drawn over our heads, et quod tegit omnia coelum - and it encircles all. - Ovid. See Psa 104:2.
(2.)That the children of men, even the greatest and mightiest, are as nothing before him. The numerous inhabitants of this earth are in his eye as grasshoppers in ours, so little and inconsiderable, of such small value, of such little use, and so easily crushed. Proud men's lifting up themselves is but like the grasshopper's leap; in an instant they must stoop down to the earth again. If the spies thought themselves grasshoppers before the sons of Anak (Num 13:33), what are we before the great God? Grasshoppers live but awhile, and live carelessly, not like the ant; so do the most of men.
(3.)That those who appear and act against him, how formidable soever they may be to their fellow-creatures, will certainly be humble and brought down by the mighty hand of God, Isa 40:23, Isa 40:24. Princes and judges, who have great authority, and abuse it to the support of oppression and injustice, make nothing of those about them; as for all their enemies they puff at them (Psa 10:5; Psa 12:5); but, when the great God takes them to task, he brings them to nothing; he humbles them, and tames them, and makes them as vanity, little regarded, neither feared nor loved. He makes them utterly unable to stand before his judgments, which shall either,
[1.]Prevent their settlement in their authority: They shall not be planted; they shall not be sown; and those are the two ways of propagating plants, either by seed or slips. Nay, if they should gain a little interest, and so be planted or sown, yet their stock shall not take root in the earth, they shall not continue long in power. Eliphaz saw the foolish taking root, but suddenly cursed their habitation. And then how soon is the fig-tree withered away! Or,
[2.]He will blast them when they think they are settled. He does but blow upon them, and then they shall wither, and come to nothing, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. For God's wrath, though it seem at first to blow slightly upon them, will soon become a mighty whirlwind. When God judges he will overcome. Those that will not bow before him cannot stand before him.
2.He appeals to what their eyes saw of him (Isa 40:26): "Lift up your eyes on high; be not always poring on this earth" (O curvae in terras animae et coelestium inanes! - Degenerate minds, that can bend so towards the earth, having nothing celestial in them!), "but sometimes look up" (Os homini sublime dedit, coelumque tueri jussit - Heaven gave to man an erect countenance, and bade him gaze on the stars); "behold the glorious lights of heaven, consider who has created them. They neither made nor marshalled themselves; doubtless, therefore, there is a God that gave them their being, power, and motion." What we see of the creature should lead us to the Creator. The idolaters, when they lifted up their eyes and beheld the hosts of heaven, being wholly immerged in sense, looked no further, but worshipped them, Deu 4:19; Job 31:26. Therefore the prophet here directs us to make use of our reason as well as our senses, and to consider who created them, and to pay our homage to him. Give him the glory of his sovereignty over them - He brings out their host by number, as a general draws out the squadrons and battalions of his army; of the knowledge he has of them - He calls them all by names, proper names, according as their place and influence are (Psa 147:4); and of the use he makes of them; when he calls them out to any service, so obsequious are they that, by the greatness of his might, not one of them fails, but, as when the stars in their courses fought against Sisera, every one does that to which he is appointed. To make these creatures therefore rivals with God, which are such ready servants to him, is an injury to them as well as an affront to him.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Vers. 21 seqq.) Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been announced to you from the beginning? Have you not understood the foundations of the earth? He sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like locusts. He spreads out the heavens like nothing, and expands them as a tent to dwell in. He makes secret things known as if they were not. He has made the rulers of the earth as nothing. They are not planted, nor are they sown, nor do their roots take hold in the earth. He blows on them and they wither, and the whirlwind carries them away like stubble. And to whom have you compared me and made me equal? says the Lord. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things: he who brings out their host by number, and calls them all by name. Because of his great power and strength, and because his power has no end. LXX: Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not understood the foundation of the earth? He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He who sets the heavens like a tent and stretches them like a dwelling place. He who makes princes rule for nothing, and reduces the earth to nothing. For they shall not be planted, nor shall they be sown, nor shall their root be established in the earth. He blows upon them, and they wither, and the storm carries them away like straw. So now to whom will you compare me? Or how am I equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who leads according to his ordered number, he will call all by name, from much glory and in the strength of fortitude: nothing escapes you. From the beginning, he said, I have taught you by the natural law, and afterwards I have testified through the written law of Moses, what idols are nothing, and that the Creator of the world himself is God, who has founded such a great mass of land upon the seas, and has placed it upon the rivers: so that the heaviest element hangs by the will of God upon the thin waters, who sits as a king upon the circumference of the earth: from which some contend that it is like a dot and a globe, and its inhabitants like locusts. For if we consider the various nations in the whole world, from the Ocean to the Ocean, that is, from the Indian sea to the British, and from the Atlantic to the harshness of the North, where the waters freeze and beautiful amber grows, we see that the entire human race dwells in the middle like locusts. So why does the earth and ash boast? Because the heavens, indeed, as I will use the authority of the Scriptures, are stretched out like a chamber; or, as it is contained in Hebrew, like a tent, of which we have spoken above: for which the LXX interpreted it as saliva there: and one word now translated as spit, now as chamber, that is, a vault; and its width extends above them like a tent and a canopy, so as to cover people like a roof and make them dwell as if in a very large house. Why should we be surprised if the small bodies of humans are considered like locusts and tiny creatures? Again, in this place, they argue that the semicircle is close to the earth (or rather, the heavens), and they claim that the sky is similar to a sphere. They use the term 'arch' because the middle part of the sphere covers the earth: when in Hebrew, we read not 'arch' but 'dust', that is, very fine powder. For the saliva that is thrown onto the ground and mixes with the dust and disappears, shows that the magnitude of all bodies should be regarded as nothing. But he who stretched out the heavens and spread them out, so that either above could dwell the multitude of angels, or below could dwell human beings, and as if he created a great house for reasonable creatures, he himself established princes according to the quality of the times, whether as secret scrutineers, so that they may be as if they are not; and he made judges of the earth as if they were nothing. For this reason, the Seventy translated it, but they translated the earth as if it were nothing; indeed, in the beginning of Genesis where it is written, 'But the earth was invisible and unfinished' (Gen. 1:1), others translated it as, 'But the earth was empty and nothing.' How many kings, both Greek and Barbarian, does Roman history narrate! Where is that countless army of Xerxes? Where is the multitude of Israel in the desert? Where is the incredible power of kings? What about the ancient ones? Let present examples teach us, that princes are considered as nothing, and rulers of the earth as empty. Those princes and rulers of the earth (or, as others suspect, of heaven) are neither satisfied, nor established, nor firmly rooted, and by the sudden command of God they are taken away and perish, as straw is carried away by the whirlwind and storm; according to what is written: 'I passed by, and he was not there; I sought him, and his place was not found' (Ps. XXXVI, 36). So with such great power and majesty of the Creator, how can you compare God to the likeness of a creature? And do you not rather understand the Creator from the magnitude of the creatures? If you do not believe in words, believe at least in your own eyes; and consider the power of the Lord from the service of the heavens and all the elements. He summons their army, that is, the heavens, in number; and he calls them all by name, and it is understood, the stars. Of which it is also sung in the Psalms: He counts the multitude of the stars: and he calls them all by name (Ps. 46:4). Whether we interpret the hosts of heaven as the army of angels and all the heavenly hosts of which Daniel speaks: Thousands of thousands ministered to Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him (Dan. VII, 10). Hence the Lord of hosts is called, which in our language is called the Lord of armies and forces, or powers. He brings forth his host according to the number of the heavens: so that the sun, and the moon, and the other stars, which Abraham could not number, are numbered by Him, and serve the assigned function (Gen. XV): while the same course of the heavens is completed by the sun in one year, by the morning star and the evening star in two years, by the moon in each month, and all the stars follow their appointed times, and some of them are called wandering, and we see their movements with our eyes, not with our minds, nor do we understand them as much as we marvel at them. For the magnitude of God's strength makes all things serve in its own order. Whether according to the Seventy, by the multitude of his glory and the power of his virtue, nothing can escape him; but he knows all the ways, plans, and courses of the Creator by his majesty.
The divinely inspired Scripture was not silent. For the knowledge of the truth from above was veiled through the patriarchs, through the law and the prophets. But this was not the case when the only-begotten Word of God came among us as a man to illuminate those on the earth. This was the last days when the leader of those who oppose spiritual deception came. It was the first of the attacks on idolatry. For the choir of the saints never stops attacking such deception, showing how loathsome it is while at the same time making known the [true] Maker and Lord of the universe.
From the beginning, [Isaiah] says, have I not taught you the weakness of the idols? Do you not know who it is who set the earth on its foundations with a view to assuring its stability?
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Summary
Isaiah 40:21 presents a series of profound rhetorical questions, challenging the audience to acknowledge the self-evident and ancient truths concerning God's incomparable nature, eternal wisdom, and sovereign power as the Creator. These questions serve as a powerful indictment against spiritual forgetfulness or willful ignorance, urging the people to recall what has been perpetually known, heard, and understood about the Lord since the very dawn of creation, thereby contrasting His enduring majesty with the fleeting nature of humanity and the futility of idols.
Context
Literary Context
Isaiah 40 marks a significant turning point in the book, transitioning from prophecies of judgment (Isaiah 1-39) to messages of comfort, hope, and restoration for Israel, often referred to as the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66). The chapter opens with the tender command to "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people," found in Isaiah 40:1, setting a tone of divine compassion amidst the promise of return from Babylonian exile. Prior to verse 21, the prophet vividly contrasts the transient nature of human glory with the eternal Word of God, as articulated in Isaiah 40:6-8. This is followed by a scathing critique of idolatry, highlighting the absurdity of fashioning gods from wood and gold, a theme powerfully developed in Isaiah 40:18-20. Verse 21, therefore, serves as a rhetorical crescendo, asserting that the true God's majesty and wisdom should be inherently obvious and universally recognized, having been proclaimed and demonstrated since the very inception of the world.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies in Isaiah 40-66 are primarily addressed to a people facing or enduring the Babylonian exile (c. 586-539 BC). This period was marked by profound national despair, theological questioning, and the temptation to assimilate into the dominant polytheistic culture of Babylon. The exiles were surrounded by magnificent temples dedicated to various deities like Marduk, Nebo, and Ishtar, whose power and presence seemed overwhelming. In this context, Isaiah's message aimed to re-establish the supremacy of Yahweh, the God of Israel, above all other gods and empires. The rhetorical questions in verse 21 directly confront the potential for doubt and the allure of idolatry by reminding the people of foundational truths about God that predate any human empire or false god, truths that were part of their ancient covenantal heritage and universally evident in creation.
Key Themes
Isaiah 40:21 profoundly contributes to several overarching themes within the chapter and the broader book. Firstly, it underscores God's Eternal Wisdom and Knowledge, emphasizing that the understanding of His supremacy is not a new revelation but an ancient, foundational truth accessible to all. The repeated interrogatives challenge any notion of ignorance regarding God's enduring nature and power. Secondly, the verse highlights The Creator's Sovereignty and Incomparability. The phrase "from the foundations of the earth" directly points to God's unparalleled role as the original architect and sustainer of the cosmos, contrasting sharply with any human-made deity or fleeting earthly power. This theme is further developed in subsequent verses, where God's unwearying strength and unsearchable understanding are proclaimed in Isaiah 40:28. Lastly, the rhetorical questions function as a Call to Remembrance and Understanding, serving as a divine indictment against spiritual forgetfulness or willful ignorance. It is an invitation for the people to reflect deeply on what they already know, or should know, about the God who created everything and who alone is worthy of trust and worship, echoing the universal revelation of God's attributes through creation as described in Romans 1:20.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root signifies to know, properly to ascertain by seeing, but extends to a great variety of senses including observation, care, recognition, comprehension, and even instruction. In Isaiah 40:21, it implies a deep, experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual assent, suggesting that the truths about God's eternal nature should be profoundly ingrained and recognized by His people.
This primitive root means to hear intelligently, often with the implication of attention, obedience, or perception. Here, it refers to the oral tradition and prophetic declarations that have consistently communicated God's truth throughout generations. The question "have ye not heard?" challenges any claim of ignorance due to lack of proclamation.
This feminine noun, derived from a root meaning "to found," refers to a foundation or basis. In the context of "foundations of the earth," it powerfully evokes the very act of creation, indicating the primordial establishment of the world. It signifies that God's character and power have been evident and proclaimed through His works since the world's inception, making His truth as ancient and fundamental as existence itself.
Verse Breakdown
"Have ye not known?"
This initial rhetorical question challenges the audience's fundamental understanding. It implies that the truth about God's supremacy and eternal nature is not new or obscure but should be deeply familiar and recognized within their collective consciousness and historical memory, demanding an acknowledgment of inherent divine revelation.
"have ye not heard?"
Following "known," this question emphasizes the auditory reception of truth. It refers to the continuous transmission of divine revelation through oral tradition, prophetic teaching, and the recounting of God's mighty acts throughout Israel's history. It suggests that the knowledge of God has been consistently proclaimed and is therefore accessible, negating any excuse of ignorance due to lack of verbal instruction.
"hath it not been told you from the beginning?"
This clause expands on the previous two, stressing the antiquity and unbroken continuity of this divine communication. "From the beginning" (Hebrew: rôʼsh) points to the earliest times, implying that God's self-revelation is as old as humanity itself, a truth handed down through generations from the very dawn of time, establishing its timeless validity.
"have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?"
This culminating question grounds the previous inquiries in the ultimate act of creation. "From the foundations of the earth" (Hebrew: miyyisoday ha'arets) refers to the moment the world was established. It asserts that God's power, wisdom, and eternal nature are not merely subjects of ancient teaching but are visibly and undeniably manifest in the created order itself, providing a universal and perpetual testimony to His existence and attributes that transcends human history.
Literary Devices
Isaiah 40:21 is rich with literary devices that amplify its rhetorical power. The most prominent is the use of Rhetorical Questions. The prophet poses four successive questions, not seeking information, but rather to provoke profound thought, challenge assumptions, and underscore the self-evident nature of God's truth. These questions create a sense of indictment, implying that the audience's failure to acknowledge God's greatness is due to willful ignorance or spiritual amnesia rather than a genuine lack of information. This effect is further enhanced by the Repetition of the interrogative phrase "Have ye not," which reinforces the insistence on the accessibility and long-standing nature of this knowledge. The verse also employs Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where each question reiterates and builds upon the same core idea—the enduring and accessible knowledge of God. The progression from "known" to "heard" to "told from the beginning" and finally to "understood from the foundations of the earth" demonstrates a widening scope, moving from personal cognition to communal tradition and culminating in the universal testimony of creation. An implied Merism can also be observed in "from the beginning" and "from the foundations of the earth," which together encompass the entirety of time and existence, suggesting that God's truth has been present and evident throughout all history and in all of creation.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Isaiah 40:21 stands as a powerful declaration of God's transcendence, eternality, and His self-revelation through both word and creation. Theologically, it asserts that knowledge of God is not an esoteric mystery but a foundational truth that has been consistently revealed and is inherently discernible. It challenges anthropocentric views by contrasting humanity's fleeting nature with God's enduring power, wisdom, and sovereignty as the uncreated Creator. This verse underscores the theme of general revelation, where God's invisible attributes are clearly seen in the things that are made, leaving humanity without excuse. It calls for a profound awe and worship of the God who laid the earth's foundations, whose understanding is unsearchable, and who alone is worthy of trust and devotion, particularly in times of doubt or idolatrous temptation.
Reflection and Application
Isaiah 40:21 serves as a timeless call to remember and re-engage with the foundational truths of our faith. In a world saturated with information and competing narratives, it challenges us to pause and reflect on what we truly "know" and "understand" about God. Are we living as if God's wisdom is ancient and unshakeable, or are we swayed by the fleeting ideologies and anxieties of the present moment? This verse urges us to cultivate a deep awareness of God's continuous self-revelation, not only through Scripture but also through the magnificent testimony of His creation. It invites us to trust in His infinite understanding, especially when our own paths seem unclear or when the world's problems appear insurmountable. By returning to these foundational truths, we are empowered to reject the idols of our age—whether they be wealth, power, self-reliance, or humanistic philosophies—and to live in profound awe and worship of the God who has always been, who has always spoken, and whose truth remains firm from the foundations of the earth to eternity.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the rhetorical questions in Isaiah 40:21?
The rhetorical questions ("Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?") are not posed to elicit new information, but rather to challenge the audience's spiritual amnesia and underscore the self-evident nature of God's truth. They serve as a divine indictment, implying that the people's failure to acknowledge God's incomparable power and wisdom is due to willful ignorance or forgetfulness, rather than a lack of revelation. The questions compel reflection on what has always been known and understood about the Creator.
How does "from the foundations of the earth" relate to God's revelation?
The phrase "from the foundations of the earth" emphasizes that God's power, wisdom, and eternal nature are not merely subjects of ancient teaching but are visibly and undeniably manifest in the created order itself. This points to the concept of general revelation, where God's attributes are clearly seen and understood through the design and existence of the cosmos, as described in Romans 1:20. It signifies that creation itself has always borne witness to its Maker, providing a universal and perpetual testimony to His existence and attributes from the very beginning of time.
What is the "beginning" referred to in this verse?
The "beginning" (Hebrew: rôʼsh) refers to the earliest times, implying the dawn of human history and the initial stages of God's interaction and revelation to humanity. It suggests that the truths about God's nature and His covenantal relationship with His people have been communicated and passed down through generations from the very outset. This includes the foundational narratives of creation, the patriarchs, and the giving of the Law, all of which established the unique identity and power of Yahweh, beginning with the account in Genesis 1:1.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Isaiah 40:21, with its profound questions about God's eternal knowledge and wisdom evident from creation, finds its ultimate fulfillment and clearest answer in Jesus Christ. He is the very Word of God through whom all things were made, as affirmed in John 1:3, the one who was "from the beginning" with God, as declared in John 1:1. The wisdom that was "told... from the beginning" and "understood from the foundations of the earth" is perfectly embodied in Christ, who is the wisdom of God personified, as articulated in 1 Corinthians 1:24. In Him, the invisible God is made visible, as stated in Colossians 1:15, and the profound truths about the Creator, which humanity was always meant to know and understand, are fully revealed. Jesus is not merely a messenger of this ancient wisdom but its very source and embodiment. Therefore, to truly "know," "hear," and "understand" the God of creation is to know, hear, and understand Jesus, for "in Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," as we read in Colossians 2:3. He is the ultimate answer to Isaiah's rhetorical questions, the definitive revelation of the God who laid the earth's foundations.