A Strong God Who Tenderly Cares for His Sheep

12, 13. (a) Why can the promise of restoration be trusted? (b) What good news is there for the Jewish exiles, and why can they have confidence?

¹² Isaiah gives a second reason why the promise of restoration can be trusted. The One who makes the promise is a strong God who tenderly cares for his people. Isaiah continues: “Make your way up even onto a high mountain, you woman bringing good news for Zion. Raise your voice even with power, you woman bringing good news for Jerusalem. Raise it. Do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah: ‘Here is your God.’ Look! The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself will come even as a strong one [“even with strength,” footnote], and his arm will be ruling for him. Look! His reward is with him, and the wage he pays is before him. Like a shepherd he will shepherd his own drove. With his arm he will collect together the lambs; and in his bosom he will carry them. Those giving suck he will conduct with care.”​—Isaiah 40:9-11.

¹³ In Bible times it was the custom for women to celebrate victories, crying out or singing the good news of battles won or of coming relief. (1 Samuel 18:6, 7; Psalm 68:11) Isaiah prophetically indicates that there is good news for the Jewish exiles, news that can be fearlessly shouted, even from the mountaintops​—Jehovah will lead his people back to their beloved Jerusalem! They can have confidence, for Jehovah will come “even with strength.” Nothing, therefore, can prevent him from fulfilling his promise.

14. (a) How does Isaiah illustrate the tender way in which Jehovah will lead his people? (b) What example illustrates how shepherds tenderly care for their sheep? (See box on page 405.)

¹⁴ There is, however, a gentle side to this strong God. Isaiah warmly describes how Jehovah will lead his people back to their homeland. Jehovah is like a loving shepherd who collects his lambs together and carries them in his “bosom.” The word “bosom” here evidently refers to the upper folds of the garment. This is where shepherds sometimes carry newborn lambs that cannot keep pace with the flock. (2 Samuel 12:3) Such a touching scene from pastoral life no doubt reassures Jehovah’s exiled people of his loving concern for them. Surely such a strong yet tender God can be trusted to fulfill what he has promised them!

All-Powerful, All-Wise

17, 18. (a) Why can the Jewish exiles have confidence in the promise of restoration? (b) What awe-inspiring questions does Isaiah raise?

¹⁷ The Jewish exiles can have confidence in the promise of restoration because God is all-powerful and all-wise. Says Isaiah: “Who has measured the waters in the mere hollow of his hand, and taken the proportions of the heavens themselves with a mere span and included in a measure the dust of the earth, or weighed with an indicator the mountains, and the hills in the scales? Who has taken the proportions of the spirit of Jehovah, and who as his man of counsel can make him know anything? With whom did he consult together that one might make him understand, or who teaches him in the path of justice, or teaches him knowledge, or makes him know the very way of real understanding?”​—Isaiah 40:12-14.

¹⁸ These are awe-inspiring questions for the Jewish exiles to ponder. Can mere humans turn back the tide of the mighty seas? Of course not! Yet, to Jehovah, the seas that cover the earth are like a drop of water in the palm of his hand.b Can puny men measure the vast, starry heavens or weigh earth’s mountains and hills? No. Yet, Jehovah measures the heavens as easily as a man might measure an object with a span​—the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger when the hand is spread out. God can, in effect, weigh mountains and hills in a pair of scales. Can even the wisest humans advise God what to do under present circumstances or tell him what to do in the future? Certainly not!

19, 20. To emphasize the greatness of Jehovah, Isaiah uses what graphic word pictures?

¹⁹ What about the mighty nations of the earth​—can they resist God as he fulfills his word of promise? Isaiah answers by describing the nations as follows: “Look! The nations are as a drop from a bucket; and as the film of dust on the scales they have been accounted. Look! He lifts the islands themselves as mere fine dust. Even Lebanon is not sufficient for keeping a fire burning, and its wild animals are not sufficient for a burnt offering. All the nations are as something nonexistent in front of him; as nothing and an unreality they have been accounted to him.”​—Isaiah 40:15-17.

²⁰ To Jehovah, entire nations are as a drop of water falling from a bucket. They are no more than the fine dust that accumulates on a scale, without effect.c Suppose that someone were to construct a huge altar and use as firewood for the altar all the trees that covered the mountains of Lebanon. Then suppose that he were to offer as sacrifices all the animals that roamed on those mountains. Even such an offering would not be worthy of Jehovah. As if the imagery used thus far were not sufficient, Isaiah resorts to an even stronger statement​—all the nations are as “less than nothing” in Jehovah’s eyes.​—Isaiah 40:17, New Revised Standard Version.

21, 22. (a) How does Isaiah emphasize that Jehovah is incomparable? (b) Isaiah’s vivid descriptions lead us to what conclusion? (c) The prophet Isaiah records what scientifically sound statement? (See box on page 412.)

²¹ To emphasize further that Jehovah is beyond compare, Isaiah proceeds to show the folly of those who make idols out of gold, silver, or wood. How foolish to think that any such idol could be a fitting representation of the “One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth” and who holds sway over its inhabitants!​—Read Isaiah 40:18-24.

²² All these vivid descriptions lead us to one conclusion​—nothing can prevent the all-powerful, all-wise, and incomparable Jehovah from fulfilling his promise. How Isaiah’s words must have comforted and strengthened the Jewish exiles in Babylon who longed to return to their homeland! Today we too can have confidence that Jehovah’s promises for our future will become a reality.

“Who Has Created These Things?”

23. For what reason can the Jewish exiles take heart, and what does Jehovah now stress about himself?

²³ There is yet another reason why the Jewish exiles can take heart. The One who promises deliverance is the Creator of all things and the Source of all dynamic energy. To stress his astounding capacity, Jehovah calls attention to his ability manifest in creation: “‘To whom can you people liken me so that I should be made his equal?’ says the Holy One. ‘Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing.’”​—Isaiah 40:25, 26.

24. Speaking for himself, how does Jehovah show that he is without equal?

²⁴ The Holy One of Israel is speaking for himself. To show that he is without equal, Jehovah directs attention to the stars of the heavens. Like a military commander able to marshal his troops, Jehovah is in command of the stars. If he were to muster them, ‘not one of them would be missing.’ Though the number of the stars is great, he calls each one by name, either an individual name or a namelike designation. Like obedient soldiers, they keep their place and observe proper order, for their Leader has an abundance of “dynamic energy” and is “vigorous in power.” Therefore, the Jewish exiles have reason for confidence. The Creator, who commands the stars, has the power to support his servants.

25. How may we respond to the divine invitation recorded at Isaiah 40:26, and with what effect?

²⁵ Who of us can resist the divine invitation recorded at Isaiah 40:26: “Raise your eyes high up and see”? The discoveries of modern-day astronomers have shown that the starry heavens are even more awe-inspiring than they appeared to be in Isaiah’s day. Astronomers who peer into the heavens with their powerful telescopes estimate that the observable universe contains as many as 125 billion galaxies. Why, just one of these​—the Milky Way galaxy—​contains, according to some estimates, over 100 billion stars! Such knowledge should awaken in our hearts reverence for our Creator and complete trust in his word of promise.

26, 27. How are the feelings of the exiles in Babylon described, and what things should they know?

²⁶ Knowing that the years in captivity will dampen the spirits of the Jewish exiles, Jehovah inspires Isaiah to record in advance these words of reassurance: “For what reason do you say, O Jacob, and do you speak out, O Israel, ‘My way has been concealed from Jehovah, and justice to me eludes my God himself’? Have you not come to know or have you not heard? Jehovah, the Creator of the extremities of the earth, is a God to time indefinite. He does not tire out or grow weary. There is no searching out of his understanding.”​—Isaiah 40:27, 28.d

²⁷ Isaiah records Jehovah’s words describing the feelings of the exiles in Babylon, hundreds of miles from their homeland. Some think that their “way”​—the hard course of their life—​is unseen or unknown by their God. They think that Jehovah is indifferent to the injustices they suffer. They are reminded of things that they should know, if not from personal experience, then at least from information that has been handed down. Jehovah is able and willing to deliver his people. He is the eternal God and the Creator of the entire earth. Hence, he still possesses the power he displayed in creation, and not even mighty Babylon is beyond his reach. Such a God cannot grow tired and fail his people. They ought not to expect to be able fully to grasp Jehovah’s doings, for his understanding​—or insight, discernment, and perception—​is beyond their comprehension.

28, 29. (a) How does Jehovah remind his people that he will come to the aid of weary ones? (b) What illustration is used to show how Jehovah empowers his servants?

²⁸ Through Isaiah, Jehovah continues with encouragement for the despondent exiles: “He is giving to the tired one power; and to the one without dynamic energy he makes full might abound. Boys will both tire out and grow weary, and young men themselves will without fail stumble, but those who are hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”​—Isaiah 40:29-31.

²⁹ When speaking of the need to give to the tired one power, Jehovah may have in mind the arduous journey that the exiles will have to make in order to return home. Jehovah reminds his people that it is characteristic of him to come to the aid of weary ones who look to him for support. Even the most vibrant of humans​—“boys” and “young men”—​may be worn down by fatigue and stumble from exhaustion. Yet, Jehovah promises to give power​—unwearied power to run and to walk—​to those who are trusting in him. The seemingly effortless flight of the eagle, a powerful bird that can soar for hours at a time, is used to illustrate how Jehovah empowers his servants.e With prospects of such divine support, the Jewish exiles have no cause for despair.