The Eagle Christian

Text:  Isaiah 40:31:  But those who wait on 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.  

Preliminary

     All of us want special attention from God at one time or another - and that seems fair to me; He is our Heavenly Father.

The Bible encourages us to call on God when we need him. (Jeremiah 33:3).  John’s prayer for Christians must have echoed God’s desire for us to “prosper in all things and be in health, just as our souls prosper.” (3 John 1:2). However, despite the claims of prosperity preachers, God may not intend for you to become rich. Just expect to prosper, materially and health-wise, when you are sound spiritually.

God’s promises are true. He performs according to His word. But some promises are conditional. As Jesus said, in Matthew 6:33, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Jesus also said; “Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30).

Let’s make that personal. You can find rest for your soul, in the midst of extremely difficult situations, when you have taken up Christ’s yoke, especially if you did so before the difficult time began. Taking up Christ’s yoke isn’t easy. It involves forsaking your desires in favor of His. It requires you to seek His will and to perform it consistently.

Text again, Isaiah 40:31.   “But those who wait on 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. That promise is conditional. It is for those who “wait on the Lord.” Let me read it again: “Those who wait on 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.”

I.  Introduction:

    The 40th chapter of Isaiah appears to be a prophecy in two parts, or for two separate times in history.  Earlier chapters foretold the captivity of Judah in Babylon. God warned them, over and over, to expect that kind of punishment for their sins. As we know from Jeremiah’s writings, the punishment did come eventually. Invading armies killed many people while others starved. Only a few were moved forcibly to Babylon.

Comfort

Although Isaiah Forty begins with prophecy concerning an event the Jewish captives in Babylon would not live to see, it should have brought them some comfort. For the most part, they did not enjoy their stay in that foreign land. Psalms 137:1-6 notes their grief on at least one occasion, saying, “By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion.” (Verse 1).

Those Jews had good reason to mourn; most of them would die in Babylon. But God knew where they were and who belonged to Him. A faithful remnant would survive to go home again. In the mean time, Isaiah instructed them to obey God and trust His promises. God could, and would, enable the submitted ones to endure their ordeal, one day at a time. Those who waited on the Lord would renew their strength. They would mount up with wings like eagles. They would run and not be weary. They would walk and not faint.

A parallel

Isaiah, Chapter 40, began with a promise of a redeemer for us as well as for the Jews. Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary would pay for our sin too. (Verses 1 – 5). We who have been redeemed from sin’s penalty have not been delivered from sin’s presence. We are captives in a sinful world where we need God’s help to survive. Isaiah 40:31 is as relevant for us now as it was for the Jews in Isaiah’s time. We who wait on the Lord shall renew our strength. We shall mount up with wings like eagles. We shall run and not be weary. We shall walk and not faint.

Context

     With that idea in mind, let’s look at the text again in context, i.e. verses 27 through 31 of Isaiah, Chapter 40. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, and my just claim is passed over by my God”?  Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the LORD, The creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. There is no searching of His understanding.  He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall; But those who wait upon 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."

Our current world situation is grim at best. And we have no hope of improvement before Christ returns. However, He will perform His promises. We can trust Him to keep us in all our ways. (Proverbs 3:6). He was faithful to the Jews who relied on Him in Babylon. He is faithful to Christians who rely on Him today. He does not grow weary. He does not lack understanding. He knows our needs and He gives power to the weak. He also  “knows our frame” and  “remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14).

      As Jeremiah said, using the same word for wait as was used in Isaiah 40:31, The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.” (Lamentations 3:24-25). In other words, God is familiar with our problems.  It isn't possible for us to experience a difficulty He cannot understand or a problem He cannot control.       He wants us to trust Him while He works things out for our ultimate good, whether He delivers us from our problems or merely keeps us as we go through them. Those who wait on Him, rather than rushing off on their own, will receive whatever strength they require to be over comers. As Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”

II.  Wait: 

What does the word "wait" mean to you?  What do you think of when you hear it?      Do you think of sitting around waiting for someone to show up; such as the mail carrier who may finally deliver something you've long expected?  Some of us are prompted to consider the extra baggage we carry around on our midriffs?  Others picture people waiting on tables in a restaurant.  Perhaps “wait” reminds you of Jesus at the Last Supper, where He wrapped a towel around himself and knelt before His disciples to wash their feet?  In my opinion, this use of the word “wait” has less to do with our awaiting for something we need, even when God promised it, than with Him awaiting our decision to serve Him regardless of what happens next.

Waiting

The word "wait" appears several times in the KJV Old Testament, but it isn't always derived from the same word. In fact, 22 different Hebrew or Aramaic words were translated to "wait," and they don't all mean the same thing. One of them, the Hebrew word “chakah,” was used in Habakkuk 3:3 to mean, “await.” “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.’”  

The word translated to "wait" in Isaiah 40:31, Lamentations 3:25, and Psalm 27:14 was "qavah" (Kaw-vaw). Although “Qavah” means "to wait upon” it also means, "to bind together (by twisting).” So it actually refers to the attitude, or the mind set of the one who waits.

Those who "wait upon" the Lord, as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and David pictured it, would willfully bind themselves to God's will, confidently expecting His plan to produce the best result. While they waited they might do some serving, possibly wrapping a towel around them and getting down on their knees to wash some feet, as Jesus did.

The real point, of course, encourages us to bind ourselves to God’s will, being willing to accept His plan for our lives and eager to do whatever He commands, regardless of circumstance. As you probably know, that kind of commitment is easier to make than to keep. Our resolve must be genuine. We must be serious about it. All subsequent choices must be guided by it.

A reward for “waiting”

     Another Scriptural example, that indicates waiting on the Lord requires us to be bound to His will, is found in Psalm 37:9-11, where "Qavah" is also translated to "wait." Verse 9 says, “For evildoers shall be cut off:  but those who wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth. And Verse 11 adds: "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Do you want to inherit the earth? Do you want an abundance of peace? Then wait on the Lord. Involve your self in a firm commitment to obey Him, continually and always. Psalm 37:9 & 11 does equate the "meek" with those who "wait on the Lord," being bound to His will.  Both shall inherit the earth; both shall inherit an abundance of peace.

Meek

     What does the word “meek” mean to you? I hope you don’t think it means “timid.” Two men are described as "meek" in the Bible, one in the Old Testament and one in the New. I imagine you know who they are? Moses and Jesus. Neither man was timid.

The NKJV calls Moses "humble" in Numbers 12:3.  The KJV calls him meek" in the same passage, saying,  "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth." The word translated there to "meek" or to "humble," depending on the version you use, came from a Hebrew root word "anah." It implies "submission" or "a self-afflicted type of humbleness before God alone."

Moses

     Moses was submissive to God; he was not "meek," in the sense we usually attach to that word. He was neither timid nor mild-mannered. In fact, he was violent on occasion. Chapter Three of Exodus says he killed an Egyptian and left the country to escape punishment. He did not regret this act of defending his countrymen; He only refused to die for it. 

Jesus

     Jesus called Himself "meek.” He said, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29). Jesus was meek only in relation to God. He always did what the Father told Him to do.  He was not hesitant or wishy-washy in His dealings with men. Perhaps you can recall an occasion where Jesus chased the merchants out of the Temple? John 2:13-17 indicates He took time to make the “whip of cords” he used to empathize His zeal.

Moses was meek, Jesus was meek, and the meek, those who wait upon the Lord, being willfully bound to do His will, shall inherit the earth. That promise does not apply to Christians who ignore God’s directions in order to do things their own way.

Sermon on the Mount

     Jesus quoted from Psalm 37:11 in the Sermon On The Mount when He said, "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth."  (Mat. 5:5). When He said, "the meek shall find rest for their souls," (Mat. 11:29), He came close to quoting Psalm 37:11 again, where it says the meek "shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."      Perhaps Jesus could have said something like this in Matthew. 11:29: "Take my yoke upon you (bind yourself to do God's will as I have done), and learn of me (through my example), for I am meek and lowly in heart (I obey God's will in all things, regardless of my own desires): and if you do this, you shall find rest for your souls (and you shall inherit the earth)."  (Paraphrase by DEB).

Not marking time

     "Waiting on the Lord" does not apply to marking off time until God is ready to act.  He doesn't need to catch up with us; the "waiting" is for our benefit. When change is required we are the ones in need of it, perhaps to make us willing to allow God's will to be performed in or through us.

The English language word "waiting" can be equated with the act of serving.  Waiters serve you in restaurants. They take your order, or ask what you want and get it for you. Waiting on the Lord requires us to discover God’s will with the intention of performing it (whether or not we like it).

     The word "wait," as it was used in Isa. 40:31, relates to a self-afflicted humbleness which allows God to rule a man's life. It does not apply to sitting around waiting for Jesus to come back.  It does not apply to waiting for Him to supply our needs. It involves giving ourselves in service to Him. Perhaps Isaiah 40:31 could be translated like this:  "But those who hope in the Lord, who determine to obey Him as His will is revealed to them, will become strengthened while they wait.  Eventually they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not become faint."

III.  Eagles:

       The Bible mentions this bird thirty-two times. Of 59 different species only two are found in North America: the Golden Eagle and the Bald Eagle.

       A.      Habits

            1.      The Golden Eagle and the Bald Eagle nest in very high trees, although the Golden sometimes builds nests on high crags. Job referred to eagles that nested on crags. He asked: “Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high? It dwells on the rock and the stronghold” (Job 39:27).

King David of Israel said, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.” (2 Samuel 22:2).  In Psalm 61:2 he called Him “the rock that is higher than I.”   Jesus Christ, The Rock Of Ages, is available as our safe refuge, our rock of assurance, our rock of safety.  We can rely on Him with confidence, trusting Him as Paul did when he asked: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?   As it is written:  "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."   Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:35-39).

          2. Eagles rise above storms, taking advantage of the winds to soar high in the heavens, above fog, mist, clouds and enemies.              Isaiah compares men who “wait on the Lord” to eagles in that respect. God provides escape from intolerable situations until the storms pass over.

Our God is bigger than any circumstance. David knew this when the Amalekites burned his home in Ziklag and captured his family.  David was no better off than his troops. Their losses were no greater than his. But they blamed him for the catastrophe and threatened to kill him.

What did David do?  1 Sam. 30:4-6 says he wept for a time like the others, until they had no more power to weep. But, when he remembered who he was in God's sight, he encouraged, or strengthened, himself in the Lord.  His relationship with God did not depend on circumstances. He knew God had not deserted him and didn't intend to. He trusted God and decided to act accordingly.  Like an eagle, David received strength to go on with his life. He resumed command of his army, defeated the Amalekites, and recovered more than had been lost.

     3.           Eagles don’t waste strength fighting with superior enemies. They simply soar out of reach, putting them selves between the enemy and the sun. So keep close to God. The light of His presence can blind your enemies when they would do you harm.

4.   Eagles care for their young. 

Deut. 32:11 describes it:  “As an eagle stirs up its nest, Hovers over its young, Spreading out its wings, taking them up, Carrying them on its wings.” That's the way an eagle teaches her young to fly.  She doesn’t stir up (or destroy) her nest. She “rouses her nestlings,” encouraging them to leave. She does push them out eventually but she doesn't abandon them. She catches them on her out-spread wings as often as necessary, repeating the procedure until they have learned to fly. 

Example

I once heard a news item on the radio at Rapid City (probably a Paul Harvey story). It told of the concern of a mother bird trying to dislodge her offspring from the nest. This bird was upset and very noisy. Her little ones were getting too fat for the opening in their birdhouse.  When she fed them she stayed close to the opening, hoping to entice them out. The racket persisted for several days. She calmed down only after the chicks finally squeezed out of the nest.

Exodus 19:4 records God’s reminder of His care for the Hebrews when Egypt and Amalek confronted them. He said, "I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself." Unfortunately, those Hebrews were not humbly committed to serving God. Most of them did not survive the wilderness wanderings.  Even so, we might limit God's ability to  "bear us up” (KJV).  His help is available on His terms.

B.   The Eagle’s Heritage.

1.     Eagles have good eyes. They see remarkably well at great distances. Christians have even better spiritual sight, or insight.  Spiritual sight shows sin as God sees it, with all its ugliness and despair.  Spiritual eyes see goodness, love, and truth more precious than worldly wealth. Spiritual eyes see people as God sees them, duty as He sees it, and His will for our lives, including opportunities for service.

2.  The eagle must be free. 

Eagles don’t live in communities. They pair off.  Each pair finds a place alone where they can hunt and feed separately. Man is more sociable than the eagle but he likes to be independent. All of us want to do our own thing, and we will stand alone at the judgment.  Freedom can be lost, or traded for something worthless. Sin destroys men who pick it up.  An eagle provided an example.  This bird swooped down and picked up a snake. But the eagle did not get a good hold on the snake and was bitten repeatedly. After the poison entered its bloodstream it dropped dead. 

       3.              Eagles cannot digest everything they eat (including bones and hair). Those items accumulate in the craw, impairing the bird’s ability for free flight. Eventually that mess must be expelled (or cast). I’ve been told the process appears to involve the eagle hitting its beak against a rock until the substance is gone. Can you see a parallel?  Man has a substance in him that hinders his spiritual ability to fly. It must be knocked out of him before he can dwell in spiritual high places with the Creator. Self-will must be contained; surrendered to God, subordinated to His will, before we can soar to the heights He planned for us.

The Stone

     Jesus of Nazareth described Himself as the stone which the builders rejected. (Matthew 21:42).  Perhaps he referred to man's self-will, indicating it had to go, when He said;  "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (Mat. 21:44). Men who don’t fall on the rock for deliverance, as God intends, will eventually be crushed by the rock as it falls on them.

4.      Eagles live about 40 years in the wild (possibly to 100 in captivity). It isn't easy to tell how old one is by looking. Each year the eagle sheds some of his feathers for new ones.  When he is old enough he receives a complete new set.  God promises to renew our youth, spiritually at least, when we wait on Him. The Apostle Paul said: "Therefore we do not lose heart.  Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." (2 Cor. 4:16).

Our lives

     The life that really counts, your spiritual life, is eternal.  It will never perish. You will live forever, somewhere, in one state or another. I'm planning to spend eternity with Jesus Christ (because of His righteousness, not mine). Meanwhile, I’m trying to please Him by surrendering my will to His.  That requires me to consider His desires in all of my choices. Self must take second place, day in and day out. As you might imagine, my spiritual prosperity is directly proportional to my submission of self to God. 

You?

Are you looking forward to meeting Jesus someday? The best way to get ready for spending eternity with Him is by submitting to His will each time you have a choice to make.  Spend time with Him. Seek Him, in prayer and through Bible study.  And praise Him.  God "inhabits the praises of His people" (Psalm 22:3). 

Renew

     Isaiah 40:31 says those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength.  One meaning of the word "renew" is "exchange." As you bask in God's presence, praising Him, warming under the rays of the Son of Righteousness, your weakness is exchanged for His strength. If a load of sin hinders you remember this:  You were made for the heights but you can find your place there only through surrendering to the Lord. Self has to get out of the way. Sin must be abandoned. Your beak must be drained of attitudes that keep you from altitudes where God wants you to dwell.

A word of caution:  You can be like the eagle when you wait for God but you might have to wait with a towel in your hands.  You are a servant, of God, and to people who need to hear and see your witness of Him.  Bind your will to His. Let Him determine your destiny. Follow Him moment by moment. He knows the way because He is the way. (John 14:6).

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David E. Beneze, Canon City, CO, 1 July 2003. See page 235 of Pastors Annual for 1978.  . Latest revision 03/09/2007.