Have you not known?

Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. – Isaiah 40v21-23

This is the first of two ‘have you not knowns’ in just a few verses here in Isaiah. These passages are kindly, lovely reminders from God for a people who may have forgotten about Him.

‘Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has is not been told you from the beginning?’

‘God sits above the circle of the earth. All of its inhabitants are like grasshoppers…’

I know the Bible uses grasshoppers in this for illustrative purposes. I think we would understand it a little better if we used ‘ants’ instead.

Imagine a bright summer day (I know it is hard to imagine here, but try really hard). Maybe you are out for a picnic or a day with the family.  Think about what it is like when you come across a bunch of ants busy at work. They have their jobs and goals and task before them and they work like crazy to accomplish those jobs.

What does it take for us to control their work? A swipe of the foot and it is all done. We control their destiny. We are in charge.

We need to remember that man has not more control over what is going on than those ants. God can step and alter the course anytime He wants. He is still on His throne and He is still in control.

Why does He not act then to stop all the bad stuff that happens? I don’t know, but then again I am not God.

Our confidence comes in faith that He is what He says He is. He is love. He is good. He cares for us. And in all that He is in control. He does know what we are going through.