God invites His people to renewed awe, calling them to lean on the eternal Creator rather than their own resources.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” (v.21)
Isaiah, an 8th-century BC prophet who ministered in the kingdom of Judah (roughly 740-681 BC), poses these thought-provoking questions to remind God’s covenant people of a truth they should already know but have forgotten. By saying, “Do you not know? Have you not heard?” (v.21), he underscores that knowledge of the Lord’s supremacy has been proclaimed repeatedly, dating back to the earliest days of creation. These questions emphasize that God’s identity and greatness are not hidden mysteries; they are evidenced in the steadfast order of the cosmos (Genesis 1:1). Through this rhetorical approach, Isaiah confronts his audience to reflect on their limited perspective and repent from any spiritual neglect that leads them to doubt God’s sustaining power.
The phrase, “Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?” (v.21), highlights the historical testimony of God’s work in the world. The people of Judah had witnessed God’s mighty deeds through their ancestors, such as the miraculous deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 14:13-14) and the establishment of His covenant at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:5). Isaiah reminds them that the foundations of the earth itself reveal the Sovereign One who shaped and upholds it (Job 38:4). This is a truth echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus is identified as the One through whom all things were made (John 1:3). Created order and recorded history both testify to the living God, urging His people to trust Him rather than rely on idols or human might.
By calling His people to remember what has been declared “from the foundations of the earth” (v.21), Isaiah invites them to dwell on the majesty and enduring character of the Lord. He alone stands above all human limitations (Isaiah 40:28), and His purposes will not be thwarted. Believers can draw confidence from recognizing that the same God who laid Earth’s foundation gives strength to the weary and hope to the brokenhearted. This passage also foreshadows the Gospel message—that faith is anchored in the unchanging nature of God, revealed through Jesus Christ. When we remember who He is, our faith grows more steadfast, leading us to worship and obedience.
Set to dark mode
Isaiah 40:21 meaning
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?” (v.21)
Isaiah, an 8th-century BC prophet who ministered in the kingdom of Judah (roughly 740-681 BC), poses these thought-provoking questions to remind God’s covenant people of a truth they should already know but have forgotten. By saying, “Do you not know? Have you not heard?” (v.21), he underscores that knowledge of the Lord’s supremacy has been proclaimed repeatedly, dating back to the earliest days of creation. These questions emphasize that God’s identity and greatness are not hidden mysteries; they are evidenced in the steadfast order of the cosmos (Genesis 1:1). Through this rhetorical approach, Isaiah confronts his audience to reflect on their limited perspective and repent from any spiritual neglect that leads them to doubt God’s sustaining power.
The phrase, “Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?” (v.21), highlights the historical testimony of God’s work in the world. The people of Judah had witnessed God’s mighty deeds through their ancestors, such as the miraculous deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 14:13-14) and the establishment of His covenant at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:5). Isaiah reminds them that the foundations of the earth itself reveal the Sovereign One who shaped and upholds it (Job 38:4). This is a truth echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus is identified as the One through whom all things were made (John 1:3). Created order and recorded history both testify to the living God, urging His people to trust Him rather than rely on idols or human might.
By calling His people to remember what has been declared “from the foundations of the earth” (v.21), Isaiah invites them to dwell on the majesty and enduring character of the Lord. He alone stands above all human limitations (Isaiah 40:28), and His purposes will not be thwarted. Believers can draw confidence from recognizing that the same God who laid Earth’s foundation gives strength to the weary and hope to the brokenhearted. This passage also foreshadows the Gospel message—that faith is anchored in the unchanging nature of God, revealed through Jesus Christ. When we remember who He is, our faith grows more steadfast, leading us to worship and obedience.