Isaiah 40:12-17 - Homilies By W. Clarkson

The greatness of God and the littleness of man.

These most eloquent words, so impressive as they stand that it seems undesirable to touch them in the way of analyzing them, may speak to us of—

I. THE IMMEASURABLE GREATNESS OF GOD .

1 . His Divine majesty. All that is most vast and powerful in the universe—the sea, the heavens, the land, the mountains, etc.—is small and slight indeed when compared with him; his surroundings, his possessions, all bespeak his unapproachable majesty.

2 . His Divine power. Such is his boundless strength that he can hold up the waters in the hollow of his hand, can "take up the isles as a very little thing." What cannot he accomplish to whom this is easy?

3 . His Divine knowledge. Power rests on knowledge; God is able to do all things because he knows all things. He can tell what is the measure of "the dust of the earth." He cannot be taught anything by any being, for all knowledge is his already ( Isaiah 40:13 , Isaiah 40:14 ); greatest things and least, the weight of the mountains, the number of the grains of dust, etc; are known to him.

4 . His Divine wisdom. "Who hath taught him in the path of judgment?' ( Isaiah 40:14 ). Perfect wisdom, the secret of right action, of the direction of greatest affairs, of prevision and provision, of ruling and overruling, is at his command. His wisdom is incapable of increase; it is absolutely complete.

II. HUMAN LITTLENESS . "The nations are as a drop of a bucket" ( Isaiah 40:15 ). We note, as corresponding with God's greatness:

1 . Our insignificance. We may find ourselves mean and humble enough when compared with our fellow-men; most certainly we do when we bring ourselves, our circumstances, our authority, into comparison with him.

2 . Our impotence. How very little can the strongest and most influential men effect! how much less those whose lives are spent in lowly spheres!

3 . Our ignorance. We want men to direct our spirit, to counsel us, to teach us knowledge. There are few men from whom we have not something to learn. We need to be acquiring knowledge, not in the time specially devoted to study, but all day long and all life through.

4 . Our foolishness. We do not know how to conduct our own affairs wisely, and are continually making larger or smaller mistakes: how much more so in our conduct of other men's affairs! Therefore we do well: