The fortieth chapter of Isaiah is among the most eloquent and stirring of all the Messianic passages of the Old Testament. Many of the chapter’s phrases and prophecies form the theme of Handel’s famous oratorio, Messiah. The tenor solo, “Comfort Ye My People”; the chorus, “And the Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed”; and the alto solo, “He Shall Feed His Flock Like a Shepherd” are all drawn from Isaiah 40.

This particular Old Testament chapter sets forth in bold contrast the infinite nature of God to the finite nature of man. Let’s consider a few of the encouraging glimpses of God’s infinity that are proclaimed in Isaiah 40.

God’s glory is infinite. Man’s glory is finite.

“Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (vv. 4–5).

The prophet continued the contrast, “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (vv. 6–8).

Ancient kings, emperors, and pharaohs have all vied with each other to create some kind of lasting glory. While all the temples and monuments of antiquity are crumbling into dust, the Word of our God stands forever. The glory of the Lord does not fade like the glory of the grass and the flower. Even the most magnificent pyramid is dark, empty, and eroding under the forces of time. By contrast, God’s infinite glory never fades.

God’s dominion is infinite. Man’s dominion is finite.

“O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him” (vv. 9–10).

What is the work of the Lord? “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” (vv. 11–12).

The kings of Egypt tried to extend their dominions into Asia and Europe. Yet, no matter how earnest their exploits, their tombs are now crumbling to dust. The vaunted armies of Babylon are gone, and so are their former glories. The legions of Rome that once stalked over the Mediterranean at will are no more, and the ruins of Rome stand as a shattered remnant of a once glamorous past. The mighty Aztecs and Incas of the Americas have left only rubble to tell of their limited, momentary accomplishments. The great rulers of China are silent, along with their motionless terra-cotta armies.

In contrast, God’s dominion extends from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. His dominion embraces the old as well as the young. The palm of His hand can hold the oceans of the globe and when He spreads out His fingers, He measures the universe! The most far-flung galaxies of distant space are all under the infinite control of His arm.

God’s knowledge is infinite. Man’s knowledge is finite.

“Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” (vv. 13–14).

God’s knowledge is unlimited and infinite. He has no counselor. Meanwhile, man’s knowledge is limited and finite. In fact, there is no knowledge apart from God!

God’s creative power is infinite. Man’s creative power is finite.

“Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? (vv. 15–18).

The prophecy continues, “The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved” (vv. 19–20).

Then the proclamation of God’s infinity is announced! “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? It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” (vv. 21–22).

Either man makes his little puny gods or God makes man. The reason that man prefers a god he can fashion is that he vainly wants to control his god. By contrast, an infinite Creator has the authority to control and command His creation.

There are many wonders in these verses. One example is the “circle of the earth,” which describes the globe with perfect clarity, long before Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Indeed, God’s creative power is infinite and knows no boundaries!

God’s strength is infinite. Man’s strength is finite.

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (vv. 28–31).

The prophet Isaiah draws a sharp contrast between the everlasting, almighty Lord and the young, mighty man. When we are depending upon our own limited strength, we will “utterly fall.” But when we depend upon His infinite strength, we will “mount up with wings as eagles”!