Sermon Snippet – Eagle Euphony
INTRODUCTION – Isaiah 40:28-31 is a well-known and beloved passage. It closes with the imagery of a soaring eagle: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles” (verse 31a). This memorable word picture provides us with needed encouragement.
1. WE DO NOT LIKE TO WAIT
In Isaiah’s day, the nation of Israel was an agricultural nation. Even the wealthier people were generally connected to and dependent upon successful farming. Waiting for a harvest was a major part of their culture. As mankind has progressed in technology, we have increasingly been separated from the concept of waiting. Today, most people in our country will wait only seconds before scrolling to or clicking onto something different. Our brains are being altered so that impatience and hastiness are becoming normalized. The people of Isaiah’s day were familiar with waiting but still needed to be exhorted to greater patience. How much more we need that continuing education now! Psalm 37:1-9 is one exposition of this subject (note especially verses 7and 9), dealing with the seeming soaring of the wicked. Their wicked ascendancy will end. Their negative example causes God’s people to pause, reflect, cogitate, and trust (verses 3 and 5).
2. WE WILL SOAR
Our soaring will not be the temporary reign of the ungodly of Psalm 37. Rather, our “strength” will not hurt others. We all desire more physical strength – better health – and perhaps God will bless us that way. Perhaps He will not (II Corinthians 12:1-10). We do know that whatever measure of physical strength we enjoy is a gift from God (James 1:17) and should be cherished. The same is true of emotional, relational, vocational, and financial strength. Let us not lose sight, though, that the meaning of “strength” in the context of the book of Isaiah is spiritual. The message is that anyone can continue to mature spiritually, to trust more fully and to live more consistently in the ways presented to us in the Bible. We can soar in the spiritual realm, no matter what our physical limitations may be. We will soar one day, certainly, right into heaven (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
3. WE ARE LEARNING THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONES DOING THE ACTUAL FLYING
Verse 29 tells us that it is God Who “giveth power” and “increaseth strength.” Exodus 19:4 explains the dynamic: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself.” We are not like the mythological Icarus, flying too close to the sun and plummeting to death. No, it is our Lord soaring and carrying us. We are resting on Him and in Him. He can be trusted to keep us from falling (Jude 24-25).
CONCLUSION – How can we be certain that He will always bear us up? John 3:14-15 and 12:32-33 tell us that Jesus was “lifted up,” not to soar through the sky but to die on the Cross, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Peter 2:24a). He has carried our sins away; thus, we can be sure that He will carry us forever. Let us trust in Jesus, God the Son, for His eternal salvation, and let us rest on His “eagles’ wings,” everlastingly secure.