“Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.”

                                                                  –  Isaiah 40:26

One of my favorite things to do on a clear night is to venture outside and look up at the stars. For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn to the sensation of being enveloped in the stillness of the night. No busyness, no rush–just the sound of crickets humming and the gentle flicker of the stars illuminating the darkness. For me, the canvas of the night sky is one of God’s most beautiful creations, showing off his creativity and splendor in such a spectacular manner. I truly believe that when we look at the night sky we are meant to be awestruck by the works of God: awestruck by the magnitude of the beauty that surrounds us, taken aback by the glory of the lights, recognizing that there is One who created the heavens and the earth, that we should praise Him.

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Apart from the sheer beauty of the night sky, I love how this verse in Isaiah reveals another reason why the stars exist: to show that God is in control of our lives. Isaiah 40:26 literally commands us to “lift up [our] eyes on high and see”. Practically, I think that means to get up, go outside at night, and take a look at the stars. See their splendor; watch how they glisten and blaze. Trace the constellations and track the Milky Way. Look upon the moon and observe how its luminous beams cover the earth in a dim but peaceful light. Simply go out and look. Do it tonight if you can (weather permitting!)

What will be the result, according to this verse? We will ask ourselves this question: “who created these?” Notice how the scripture reads: first, we “lift [our] eyes on high and see”; second, we ask ourselves who created what we see. It is a simple formula that describes human nature. We observe, then we ask. Here, we find that in the face of majesty, the natural impulse of the human heart is to question who is responsible for it. When we hear a good song, we want to know who wrote it. When we see a beautiful painting, we want to know who painted it. In the same way, when we see the night sky, we want to know who designed it.

“…in the face of majesty, the natural impulse of the human heart is to question who is responsible for it.”

Fortunately for us, we don’t have to search far for this answer: the Bible is marked with countless records of the One who “created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1). The Bible says that “we are without excuse” when it comes to belief in Him, because His “eternal power and divine nature” are so clearly autographed in “the creation of the world, the things that have been made” (Rom. 1:20). Everything you see, from the bustling of the ant to the raging of the sea, is meant to display God’s power and nature. His creation describes who He is. He is the Lord. He is creative. He is good. He is powerful.

Therefore, when we look at the night sky (as this verse tells us to do), we are never left wondering who is responsible for the beauty and splendor of what we see: the answer is right before us. This verse in Isaiah tells us that the One who created the stars of the sky is the very same One who brings them all out “by number, calling them all by name.” Do you hear the power in that statement? The Lord–the One who created the heavens and the earth–calls all the stars by name, knowing their very number. Can you comprehend that? If there’s one thing this verse tells us, it declares that the Creator is in control.

The Sovereignty of God

Think about it this way: if you venture outside on the clearest night, you will see many stars—but you won’t see them all. The expanse of the universe, coupled with the city lights and earth’s atmosphere, all shield our eyes from the vastness that is in the heavens. The human eye can only detect about 5,000 stars on the clearest night; most cosmologists estimate that there are at least 100 billion stars in the observable universe. With some quick calculations, that means the human eye (on its best day) can only perceive 0.000005% of all the stars in the universe. Yet listen to what this verse says: God calls every star “by name.” By the “greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.” He knows every star in the universe, all 100 billion of them, and there is never one missing from His sight.

What can that mean other than the fact that God is in complete control? He is sovereign. If He can manage a universe of billions of gigantic, luminous, cosmic balls of gas and remember their names, surely He is in control of your life. Not surprisingly, this is the theme of the entire 40th chapter of Isaiah: He has measured the depths and heights of the seas and the sky (v. 12), the mountains are “weighed” on scales (v. 12), the nations are “like a drop from a bucket” in His hands (v. 15), the people of the earth are “like grasshoppers” to Him (v. 22). The Lord is absolutely sovereign. He is in control. His greatness is all around, and there is no escaping it. “To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One” (v. 25). In the face of such sovereignty, we are awestruck: there is nothing to do but bow and recognize our place in the universe. In the light of 100 billion stars–and in the presence of the One who is in control of those stars–we are nothing.

“If He can manage a universe of billions of gigantic, luminous, cosmic balls of gas and remember their names, surely He is in control of your life.”

For many of us, this is scary. We are faced with the absolute reality of an all-knowing, all-seeing, powerful God who He perceives from afar every little detail of our lives, searching every corner of our messy hearts. The things we say and do when no one is around, He sees. The thoughts we have towards other people which we believe are safe in our little minds, He knows. We are confronted with our messiness–our sin–and in the face of such holiness, we are scared. Terrified. When Isaiah was faced with this reality, he cried “Woe is me!” (Isaiah 6:5). Like Adam and Even in the garden, our first instinct is to cower away in shame and fear. We aren’t good enough–and we know it. Who are we to even stand in the presence of this mighty God? For many of us (if we admit it), there is a vast disconnect between our humanity and the sovereignty of God. We are more scared of God than we are in love with Him.

The Compassion of a Sovereign God

Yet listen to what else this beautiful chapter of scripture tells us. Right before Isaiah declares the sovereignty and power of God in verses 12-26, he comforts his readers with yet another characteristic of God: His compassion. Verse 11 says:

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

Think about that. The God who created 100 billion stars and calls them by name, the God who knows all of who you are–all your mess, all your dirt, all your guilt and shame–is the same God who is gentle and kind, desiring to “gather” and “carry” you in His arms, tending and caring for you, as a shepherd would tend His sheep. He knows our weakness, He knows our humanity, yet He still loves us. In fact, He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to live in our mess and die a death that we deserved, all that we would be free before our Father, who cares for us. God is sovereign–yes–but He is also compassionate. He is loving. He cares for you. Just as he counts and knows all the stars by name (sovereignty), so the very “hairs of your head are all numbered” (compassion) (Luke 12:7).

So what does all this mean? Follow along with me.

1. Because He is sovereign, He is in complete control of everything. He knows every detail in every situation. He is in control of the stars. He is powerful, able to do anything He pleases. His will cannot be thwarted, His plans cannot be overcome. There is not a stray molecule in the universe that He does not have account of.
2. Because He is compassionate, we can run to Him. He is our Good Shepherd, defending our cause and ensuring our safety. There is never a day He does not fight for us, there is never a moment He does not pursue us, and there is never a trial He does not work for our good. He sees our weakness and is moved. He is a God who cares about our needs and what we’re going through.
3. But combine the two, and because He is compassionate and sovereign, we have a God who is simultaneously in control of our lives and concerned for our hearts. Just as He holds all the stars, He holds every second of our lives. He sees the mess you’re in, and He is working for your sanctification and His glory. He knows the battles you face, and He is fighting for you: no weapon of the enemy shall prevail. His might is insurmountable, and His unfailing love is unshakable. This means we can completely rest in Him. He knows our future, and He has secured it by His power.

What a powerful declaration for the believer to make: “my God is a God who is in complete control of my life, and He is my shepherd; I am His sheep. He is for me, and nothing can deter His will for my life.”

So rest in this today: He is completely sovereign, yet He is graciously compassionate. Through Jesus, who is our Good Shepherd, we are forgiven, taken care of, and secured. To end, I will quote the climax of this beautiful chapter:

“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. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”

-Isaiah 40:28-31

In Christ,

Cole

P.S. Don’t forget to go out and look at the stars.

^“For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 

1 Corinthians 15: 16-19

The cross would be futility and our faith would be absurdity if it wasn’t for the fact of the resurrection’s validity.

 

I think a lot of the times as Christians we focus so much on the cross that we forget about the resurrection. We celebrate it one day out of the year, when, in reality, we should celebrate it every day. Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 15 about how the resurrection of Christ is the hinge-point of Christianity: if Christ has not been raised, then our “faith is futile” and we are still in our sins (v. 17). Anyone can claim to be God and offer the forgiveness of sins, but what makes Christ unique is that he did what no human can do: rise from the dead.

Likewise, the resurrection not only assures us of our salvation and freedom from sin and death—it gives us hope for the life to come. Paul says that “if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (v. 18). Basically, if Christ has not been raised, then the hope of heaven and all the promises that go along with it are lost, and we as Christians are therefore the most miserable, self-righteous band of wretches to walk the earth, believing that we are forgiven and going to heaven when (surprisingly we find out) we aren’t.

All this is to say that the resurrection of Christ was meant to be a historical fact. Not some fancifully made up, metaphorical story to give the disciples “hope,” or a bout of wishful thinking to ease their troubled minds after seeing their Lord brutally crucified—no, it was meant to be a cold, hard fact. The reality of the resurrection was their hope; it gave the early apostles supernatural strength to carry on in the face of endless trials and persecution. It was what enabled them to stand up for their faith as they laid down their lives.

I wonder, Church, do we fix our eyes on the resurrection with enough voracity and intention? Do we take hold of the power that is found in it? Scripture tells us that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is also alive in us (Rom. 8:11). Do you hear the force of that statement? Christ has given us his Spirit, not that we would be timid–but strong, speaking the truth in love with power (2 Tim. 1:7). The resurrection assures of us of our salvation, it allows us to become “new creations” (2 Cor. 5:17), it gives us the hope of heaven, it frees us from the grip of sin and death–

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

This is the power of the resurrection. This is the hope we lay claim to. Therefore sing, dear Christian, because you have the resurrection power of Christ living inside of you; be confident, oh ye of little faith, knowing your hope is not just for this life, but for the life to come; stand firm, then, child of God, and run your race with intensity and fervor. And when all is said and done, and our final resurrection takes place on the day of Christ’s return, I will see you in the kingdom.

In Christ,

-Cole

P.S. Oh, and don’t celebrate Easter for just one day; rather, celebrate Easter every day.