jcnr86@netzero.com

In Isaiah 40:15, Isaiah compares God with all the nations of the world, all peoples of all ages put together. “No, for all the nations of the world are nothing in comparison with him. They are but a drop in the bucket, dust on the scales. He picks up the islands as though they had no weight at all.” Could you imagine an army assembled in all its pomp and ceremony that consisted of every man who ever lived, all arrayed in battle armor, with all the great leaders of history to lead their units into battle? Can you picture in your mind the vastness of such an army? The deafening sound of horses as they run to battle? And despite all this, they “are as a drop in a bucket.” or “dust on the scales.” Insignificant in comparison with God!

God expects each person to recognize Him in His creation (Romans 1:20-21). He sarcastically rebukes sinful people for not recognizing His creative work. He asks (Isaiah 40:21), “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?” God then tells (Isaiah 40:22-24) them what they should already know. They should have bowed before God in humility as they pondered the greatness of the universe around them. They should have acknowledged their own vulnerability before a world and a God bigger than them (verse 22). They should have noticed how all the mighty men eventually are weakened by age or defeated by an enemy (verse 23). Their time of glory is temporary and fleeting. And their passing affects the activities of the world little (verse 24a). And even in their strength, their prime, the mighty are but dust in the palm of God’s hand, easily blown away (verse 24b).

Humility recognizes that we are but men and women, subject to death and dying. Even if we are great in comparison with our fellow members of the human race, we are insignificant in comparison with God. How ridiculous it is for mere humans to shake their fists at God! But God has done so much more for us than Creation. Greater than the act of Creation was the suffering and death of the Son of God at Calvary. The very being who provoked the angels to shield their faces (Isaiah 6) because of His holy glory, removed his kingly robe, descended the heavenly throne and put on swaddling clothes and a crown of thorns. Humility does not shake a fist at such a being. When God is seen for who He truly is all rebellion seems to be silly, or even evil!

Copyright 2005 by James W. Skeen