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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/david-oliver/hast-thou-heard/
Verse 21 of Isaiah 40. And Isaiah 40 verse 24 at this point. Not one is lacking or missing or failing. Great chapter. Isaiah 40. Beginning of the second half of Isaiah's prophecy. The New Testament half in some sense.
But it does begin with what sounds like the ministry of John the Baptist but really is a ministry that awaits a coming Elijah. And we're really looking on to what God is going to accomplish when the message will be given.
Behold your king and a nation will be brought to the place prepared by the hand of God to receive, to welcome their king and he shall rule as a shepherd. And in all the tenderness he will meet fully the need of his people.
The prophet then talks about the preeminence of the God who is their God at the present time as Isaiah is writing. So different from all the idols and the idol makers and all of that. There is a God that is their God who is so different from all of that.
And now I think if we can just transport ourselves ahead in time we're actually reading the last part of this chapter through the eyes of believers in a tribulation time. The prophecy is the king is going to come and this God is the God who has declared is the God who transcends all others.
And there is nothing too hard for that God. But these people are passing through tribulation and they're passing through all kinds of difficulties. Men are rising in all the greatness and pomp and pride of men in that tribulation time.
And you know the setting and the story. And two sets of questions now are being asked in the section that we have read. Have you not known, have you not heard? Verse 21. Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? And then verse 28. 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?
Have you not understood, even from the beginning, is the first question. That as far as God is concerned, He's the one that has set the skies in their orbit and just arranged the whole thing just as a tent to live in.
A vast tent. We've been reminded of it already. And the vastness of that tent. But God is sovereign. God is supreme. And as far as all the princes of this world are concerned, who are they? Do you have any reflection now?
Are you making the connection that I'm making in my mind? Who are these princes? They won't be stable. All the judges of the earth, they'll be turned over. All these great men, the kings that rise and then the one who is the man of sin that arises.
Don't you know about God? This sovereign God? There's a world marked by instability. We have been reminded of that economically in the past month. And we are reminded in the Word of God, yes, for all the seeming greatness of society and great men, this world is a world marked by instability.
But let me just draw your attention quickly then to the stability that will correct the view of God's people. They get a concerned view when they see men rising. Just remember, those men do not have God to make them stable.
Those men He will overthrow and overthrow and overthrow until He come who's right it is. But now, here is the message that comes to these people. Recognizing that there's a world of instability around them, there is stability when it comes to God.
And here's the message to them then. To whom will you liken this God? There's not an equal to me. All the rising voices of men, the great swelling words, there's no equal to Israel's Holy One. Lift up your eyes and take a look at all these things.
So, here is the power of Israel's God. I'm encouraged in this by what our brother Gordon was dealing with as far as the stars. I want to just follow that line. Because here is God's creative work. Like He spread the canopy of the heavens.
Just put it up like a tent. Now, I'm not all that great at outdoor stuff, but I could put up a tent, a little tent. I could get it right after the third or fourth time. It's not that big a job. But He just did it the first time.
He pitched His tent. And it's the vastness of a universe that men can't measure at this point. Our brother said that the galaxy in which we are has 100 billion stars. I happen to write all this down because I can't remember like you do.
But the sun itself, 150 trillion miles from the center of our galaxy. And we're just one of a small group of 19 galaxies. Just a small corner. 100 billion stars. The sun, 150 trillion miles from the center.
We're just a small one of 19. And it's estimated there are a billion galaxies. So, just vastness. The mighty power of that God. The number of stars in the galaxies is estimated. Probably greatly underestimated at 100 quintillion.
That's the number you deal with every day. 100 quintillion stars. And as far as God's concerned, how does He handle them? Here's the way the prophet presents God's dealing with the stars. God's a military commander.
And every night as the sun sets, He calls all the stars out. And He says, this is my parade ground. You be over there and you be over there and you be over there. Now, you know the stars are all there to begin with.
But the picture is, God is a military commander. And He brings them out every night. And they all show up in ranks. And there's nobody out of place. Every star is in its proper place. Because there is an almighty God who puts it there.
And He calls them all by name. So, not only do you have His creative work and His commanding word, but you have His compassionate ways. He knows every one of those stars. And He takes the time to name every one of the 100 quintillion.
You couldn't come up with a million names. But He's got a name for every one of them, 100 quintillion of them, and more. But you see, He names them because of an acquaintance with them. Now, do you remember the first time you have somebody naming things as Adam?
And He names the animals. Now, I don't know how He named them or what He named them. But He would take a look at it because Adam was a creature of great capability. He'd take a look at that thing with the big trunk.
And He discerned that thing has a special purpose. It's got a special usefulness. It's not just going to be like your ant. We won't call it ant. We'll call it elephant. We'll call it big nose. Whatever.
But He knew exactly that there's a function for this different from the function of every other one. God says, I know the function of every star. I know it just by name. I have given it a name in keeping with My purpose for that star.
And He is fully aware of each one. 100 quintillion. And He has a purpose, an appointment for every single star. Now, let me ask you this. Because this is why... Just one more thing. His controlling wonder.
This is what it says. Not one of them fails. When He calls them out on His parade ground, nobody has to go back to the barracks to see where star 150 quadrillion is hiding. He didn't come out tonight.
He's sick. Can't make it to the parade ground. No, no. Every one of them is there. By His power, He has named them. And with the greatness of His might, not one faileth. Every single star at every night, by His command, shines in its place, fulfilling its purpose, and not one fails.
So, what? Let me just quote one thing for you. If you haven't gone there, let me quote it for you. And you'll be with me in a moment. Look at the heavens. Count the stars. So shall thy seed be. Genesis 15.
The nation of Israel passing through its time of tribulation in a world marked by great swelling men, great swelling words, but instability. There is a stability that will never fail. There is a God who has sovereign control over what is beyond the power of men to do.
He just calls them all out every night. Tells them where to be. Gives them a name. And not one fails. Now do you see the message to the nation of Israel? The promise was given a long time ago. But God's going to bring out all the stars.
So shall thy seed be. God's going to bring out all the stars. He's going to have them in their proper place. And they're every one going to function completely as He has intended it to be. God will not fail to keep His Word to the nation.
They may wait a long time. They have. And it will be more difficult waiting for seven years than all the centuries past. They'll wait. But just look heavenward. Who made all these things? Who commands?
Who controls? Who fulfills His Word? So, have you not heard? Have you not learned that there's instability as far as man is concerned? Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard? That the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary.
And if you'll just wait on Him, you will faint not. And you will not be weary. So I'm not talking to Israel at the moment. I'm not talking about your concern about getting through the Great Tribulation.
But I am talking about your concern about God fulfilling His Word in your life. I am talking about whether your purpose, just like all those stars, will ever be actually realized. They that wait upon the Lord.
Oh, may God help us just to learn to wait on God. He will fulfill His Word. He commands the stars. He keeps what He promises. And this is your God and my God. And those that wait on Him shall renew their strength.
They shall run, not be weary. They will walk, not faint. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. Get it all straight. Let me say it one more time. See if I can do it right and quick. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
They shall mount up in crisis as eagles. They shall mount up like eagles. They shall run and finish their work and not be weary. They shall walk day by day in communion with God and not faint. That's your God and that's our God.
And He will be with us forever.