By: Gen. Jim — 6/26/24
One of my favorite Scriptures, actually 3, are found in Isaiah 40:29-31: “He gives power to the faint & strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint & be weary, & the young will fall exhausted; but those who WAIT for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run & not be weary, they shall walk & not faint.” The New Oxford Annotated Bible (NOAB).
The NKJV reads “But those who WAIT on the LORD shall renew their strength,” -verse 31.
The NIV reads “But those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength.’
All 3 Bibles read differently. the NOAB: “those who WAIT for the LORD.” NKJV: “those who WAIT on the LORD.” NIV: “those who HOPE in the LORD.” (other translations may read differently or the same).
If we are to believe “those who WAIT for the LORD,” this implies/expresses confidence that God will not desert His people; a common concept from this period on (see Isa. 49:23; Ps. 25:3; 33:20). The key word of course is WAIT. [Heb. qâvâh; a prim. root; “to expect: – gather (together), look patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon)”]
“For,” “on,” & “upon” can change the meaning of Isa. 40:31. If we wait for the LORD, this implies or could imply waiting in defense of, in favor of, in purpose of, to look for, a need for, at a specified time, a date, etc.
If we use the words wait on, this implies or could imply service, like waiting on tables as a waiter. While we continue to wait on Him in our service (be it military or civilian), we expect to be strengthened for what lies ahead… as we work out our salvation, war for the souls of men & women etc.
If we use the word wait upon, this too can change the meaning. “Upon” means “on one’s person.” It really does not matter if we “wait for,” “wait on,” or “hope in,” the LORD is faithful to renew our strength! Amen.
Isa. 40:28 says, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.”
These lines are central in the poem & announce its theme. The long years of captivity of Israel had been exhausting! The people, even the youth born in captivity had spiritual fatigue, which was noticed by the LORD, for their marching homeward lie ahead. Isa. 40:29 proclaims that the LORD, “the LORD, the Creator… fainteth not, neither is weary” was going to put strength/power upon the faint to move forward.
The weakness/powerlessness of Israel & the strength of the LORD are sharply focused. The word-picture of the eagle’s flight is a TRUTH of the reality & power of faith (see Ps. 103:5 which tells us that the “youth is renewed like eagles.”)
I know when I was about to be released from prison (after 5 years & 9 months), I felt totally powerless, weak & hopeless. While I had kept up my prayer life & Bible study the whole duration, physically & mentally I felt drained. But the LORD did strengthen me to face the outside.
Ps. 103:5, in the LXX, interprets the verb as meaning “shall put forth wings;” the vulgate reads similarly, “assument pennas.” The Targum, on the other hand, appears to read “lift up their wings.” The RSV takes the noun “wings” as an adverbial accusative of instrument or means. The force of the lines lies in the verbs.
The background of Isa. 40 was the realization that Israel’s God was at hand – the victories of the Persians, making possible Israel’s liberation from Babylonian captivity. We know Israel was freed by them (Persians). Isa. 40:1,2 speaks of compassion & urgency. The emphasis upon comfort pervades many of the poems (e.g. 40:13; 51:6,12,19; 52:9; 54:11 etc.). The LORD had pardoned Israel’s sins, hence, they were going home!
That was Israel’s story. Isa. 40:29-31 can rightly be applied to all of us who have been weakened, worn, torn, persecuted & prosecuted in our Christian walk & war. Some trials & tribulations can literally ZAP the spiritual strength out of us. Our physical vitality is affected. We, with His power/strength upon us can start out crawling, then walking, then running, and finally flying…like an eagle.
The inspiration from the Holy Spirit can & will cause us to SOAR like an eagle… by WAITING for, upon the LORD. Our sufficiency is from God, as 2 Cor. 3:5 tells us.
We can be sent to prison (as my wife & I were on “false charges!”) or spend time in a mental elysium (bliss), we must continue to wait upon the LORD/ Lord.
It is a fact that eagles live to be of great age. They molt in their old age, & renews their feathers, & with them their youth.
[see also Isa. 8:17; 25:9; 26:8; 30:18; 33:2; 49:23; 64:4]