Isaiah 40:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To whom can we compare the Lord, and what likeness can we assign to Him? Is it a crafted image from a carpenter or a product of a metalworker's art, shaped from precious metals for the purpose of admiration? (Isaiah 40:18-19). God has never commanded the creation of His likeness or image. Moses instructs, as recorded in numerous passages, ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee an idol, nor any likeness, which is in the heavens above, or which is in the earth beneath’ (Exodus 20:4). In the beginning, no one envisioned God, and none could fully grasp His understanding. An image is derived from that which succumbs to decay and is ultimately destroyed, serving to preserve at least a memory of its former reality. Yet who can formulate an image of the living and incorruptible God?

The prophetic message has revealed to us the mission of the Only Begotten in human form, and expressed amazement at the unfathomable wisdom through which our salvation comes. Acknowledging Him as the true and rightful Sovereign, we are blessed by His grace and gathered like sheep under His care, as a compassionate shepherd tends to His flock. For He gave His life for His sheep. In striving to grasp the fullness of His thoughts, we recognize Him as the highest and most surpassing wisdom. This wisdom is reflected in His interaction with Gentiles or those who worship creation instead of the Creator (Rom. 1:25), moving them away from ancient, rootless errors to a deeper understanding.

To whom can you compare God, and what likeness will you create for Him? Did not the craftsman forge the idol, and the goldsmith set it with gold, while the silversmith equips it with silver plates? The skilled artisan has selected wood that is robust and imperishable, carefully ensuring that the idol remains steady and does not sway. In showcasing God's magnificence and revealing a portion of His might, he has summoned the nations and the islands as if they were a mere drop from a bucket or a speck on the scales—mere dust—and dismissed sacrificial practices, explaining that all nations are as insignificant before Him, counted as naught.

The futility of sacrifices The prophet instructs that all forms of blood offerings and sacrifices no longer hold value before God. Even if a person were to offer every animal from the earth or if every Lebanese individual were to present a burnt offering of all they possess, it would still fall short of God's glory. He declares, All nations are as nothing, and they are accounted for less than nothing (Is 40:17, LXX). What is this strong attachment to the allure of idolatry that God does not recognize?

The Jewish people residing among the Babylonian Gentiles could be influenced by their practices towards idolatry, acting in opposition to the second commandment of the Decalogue, which prohibits the creation and reverence of images of the Divine, as well as worshiping before them. This behavior echoes the actions of their forebears who worshipped the golden calf at Sinai or followed the falsehood of Jeroboam in recognizing these idols as representations of the true God. The prophet cautions the Babylonian exiles against the sin of idolatry, targeting those who are guilty, and condemns them for the arrogance and ignorance displayed in their attempts to portray the incomprehensible God and in their worship of an image as though it were God. The Apostle Paul offered a similar warning to the Athenians when he encountered a shrine dedicated to an unknown God as he walked through the streets of Athens (Acts 17:29).