Isaiah 40:1-31
God's Immense Transcendence
1 Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”
9 You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,
or instruct the Lord as his counselor?
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge,
or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
18 With whom, then, will you compare God?
To what image will you liken him?
19 As for an idol, a metalworker casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
20 A person too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot;
they look for a skilled worker
to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
I wonder often why God hides from me, because I would like to feel His Presence as Job did, without the suffering...And, of course, I do not want the pain or death if I were to look upon Him...This "hiddenness of God" in modern times profoundly touches upon one of the most complex and deeply personal theological inquiries...It's a question that has resonated with believers and skeptics alike throughout history, and my longing for a more overt manifestation of God's Presence in this "godless, mean, and wicked world" is a sentiment shared by many...Indeed, Scripture itself acknowledges this aspect of God's Nature, as the prophet Isaiah declares, "Truly you are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, my Savior" (Isaiah 45:15)....This verse explicitly names God as one who conceals Himself, setting a Biblical precedent for this profound mystery...
Adding to this understanding of God's hidden nature is the powerful declaration in Isaiah 40:21-24: "Do you not know?...Have you not heard?...Has it not been told you from the beginning?...Have you not understood since the earth was founded?...He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers...He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in...He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing...No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff."...While not explicitly using the word "hiddenness," this passage speaks to God's hiddenness through His Immense Transcendence and Incomprehensibility...His absolute greatness and His position "Above" the earth make Him not immediately visible or fully graspable by our limited human senses and understanding...He is "hidden" in His Divine Majesty, operating on a scale and with a power so immense that His workings are not always apparent or understandable to our limited, earthly perspective...
We can point to instances in Biblical history where God seemed to be "hidden."...The 400 years of silence before He delivered His people from Egyptian bondage is a stark example of a period where His direct intervention was not overtly visible...Similarly, it has been approximately 2,000 years since Jesus Christ walked the earth in physical form, leading many to ponder His current perceived absence...This "hiddenness" in modern times is a significant aspect of contemporary faith...The Bible consistently speaks to God's unseen and often unsearchable nature...John 1:18 states, "No one has ever seen God," and 1 Timothy 6:16 describes Him as dwelling in "Unapproachable Light, whom no one has seen or can see."...These verses emphasize that God's very essence transcends direct human perception, existing beyond the limitations of our physical senses...The Psalmist often laments this hiddenness, crying out, "Why, LORD, do you stand far off?...Why do you hide Yourself in times of trouble?" (Psalm 10:1)...Similarly, we hear the heartfelt plea, "How long, LORD?...Will you forget me forever?...How long will You hide Your Face from me?" (Psalm 13:1), and "Why, LORD, do you reject me and hide Your Face from me?" (Psalm 88:14)...These laments reveal a consistent human experience of God's apparent distance, even for those who earnestly seek Him...
Theological perspectives offer various reasons for this Divine hiddenness...Some theologians propose it as an act of Divine Mercy, allowing for genuine free will...If God's Presence were overtly undeniable in every moment, human choice—to love, to obey, to seek—might be coerced rather than freely given...This hiddenness, in a sense, creates the space for authentic relationship and individual seeking, where faith becomes a conscious, heartfelt decision rather than a compelled response...Others view it as a crucible for faith, a way to test and strengthen belief...Just as gold is refined by fire, faith is often deepened through periods of spiritual longing and reliance on the unseen...The prophet Isaiah speaks of waiting for the LORD who is hiding His Face from His people, yet declares, "I will put my trust in Him" (Isaiah 8:17)...This demonstrates that even in hiddenness, God calls for trust...It can also be seen as a means to foster human growth and compassion; in the absence of constant Divine intervention, humanity is challenged to develop its own moral faculties, empathy, and responsibility towards one another...As Job laments the difficulty of perceiving God's Presence, "But if I go to the east, He is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find Him...When He acts in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south, I cannot detect Him" (Job 23:8-9), yet this very searching cultivates deeper reliance and a more profound understanding of God's mysterious ways...Paul himself marvels at the unsearchable nature of God's wisdom, exclaiming, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!...How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)...
After reading God's hidden nature maybe my desire for a "somewhat Mysterious Appearance" from God is a very human and understandable longing, especially in a world that often feels devoid of Divine Influence...Even with such an appearance, not everyone would believe...Indeed, throughout Scripture, even direct miracles and overt manifestations of God's power were met with skepticism, denial, or hardened hearts...The Pharisees, for example, witnessed Jesus' miracles firsthand but still demanded more signs, demonstrating that a lack of belief often stems from a deeper spiritual resistance rather than a mere lack of evidence...This highlights the fundamental role of faith – a willingness to believe and trust even when comprehensive, undeniable physical evidence is not present...As Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."...This also touches on the idea that "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever" (Deuteronomy 29:29), implying that some aspects of God's plan and being are intentionally veiled from human understanding...
It is also crucial to acknowledge the pervasive arguments for God's continued Presence, even in His hiddenness...Many point to His ongoing presence through:
Creation: The intricate design, vastness, and beauty of the natural world are seen by many as a continuous testament to a Divine Creator.,,The very laws of physics, the precision of the cosmos, and the complexity of life itself speak of an intelligent design...The world seems to be full of mathematical equations and physics that some can understand and see...As Psalm 19:1 declares, "The heavens declare the Glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."...Furthermore, Romans 1:20 states, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."...This suggests that God's Presence is continuously revealed, though not always in a way that compels belief from those unwilling to see...
Scripture: The Bible is presented as God's written Revelation, a living and active word (Hebrews 4:12) that continues to speak to and transform lives across generations...It's a historical record of God's actions, His character, and His plan for humanity, offering guidance and insight even in the absence of a direct physical appearance...Psalm 119:105 affirms, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path," indicating God's guidance even when He is not overtly seen...
The Lives of Believers: The transformed lives of individuals who encounter God, the profound changes in character, purpose, and love that are evident in genuine faith, are considered by many to be powerful, living evidence of His Active Presence...The Holy Spirit's work within believers is a continuous manifestation of God's indwelling, a Divine Presence that is felt and experienced, even if unseen...John 14:17 speaks of the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot accept, "because it neither sees Him nor knows Him...But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you."...
Answered Prayer: Many experience God's Presence and intervention through answered prayers, which, while often subtle and sometimes requiring discernment, are deeply personal and confirm His attentiveness and care...This is a direct, albeit often private, interaction with the Divine...
The argument one can raise – that even with partial evidence, some would still choose not to believe – is a critical one...This underscores that faith is not merely the acceptance of empirical data, but a response of the heart and will...God's desire seems to be for a relationship built on trust and love, rather than forced conviction...If He were to make a "Mysterious Appearance" that was still open to interpretation or denial, as I might suggest, it would still require an act of faith to acknowledge Him...
My longing to see Him, even if it requires faith to confirm His identity, is a deeply spiritual yearning...I seek and I want to see Him...It speaks to the human desire for tangible connection with the Divine...Many people maybe able to experience this tension between intellectual understanding and still want a heartfelt desire for more direct experience...While some may be fully satisfied with the evidence in Nature and the Bible, others constantly seek and pray for a more palpable sense of God's presence in their daily lives, perhaps in ways that defy purely rational explanation but resonate deeply with their spirit...
Ultimately, the question of God's hiddenness invites us to lean into the mystery of His Nature...He is both transcendent (beyond our full comprehension) and immanent (present with us)...His ways are not always our ways, and His timing is not ours...Yet, the Biblical narrative consistently affirms His active involvement, His unwavering LOVE, and His Ultimate Plan for Revelation—culminating in the return of Jesus Christ, when He will no longer be hidden, and "every eye will see Him" (Revelation 1:7)...Until then, we are called to seek Him diligently (Jeremiah 29:13), to trust Him implicitly, and to live by faith, even in the midst of His Divine Mystery...