Isaiah 40:31 KJV Context
While the book of Isaiah encompasses many themes, including God’s holiness and judgment, the overarching message of this major prophet is salvation—fitting.
Since Isaiah means “the salvation of the Lord” and the book contains perhaps the clearest Old Testament articulations of the gospel.
After the prediction of the Babylonian exile in Isaiah 39, chapter 40 shifts to an emphasis on comforting Israel and providing the hope and encouragement people will need through the coming dark times.
Isaiah 40:31 KJV Meaning
In verse 31, the beautiful promise of the Lord’s sufficiency, of his ability and willingness to be the inexhaustible source of their strength, is made to those who rely on him.
People who wait for him will make it to the end. They will run but not tire, equipped to keep up the pace indefinitely; they will continue walking as long as required and will not be overcome by circumstances.
The choice of the eagle to illustrate is particularly apt because to complete any endurance challenge, unflagging strength—not speed or showmanship—is what’s needed.
So while there are birds that fly faster and soar higher than eagles, no other bird of prey is stronger or more powerful than certain eagle species, which have unmatched wing strength.
Isaiah 40:31 KJV Application
As we go through life, whether in a smooth patch or a rough one, it can be tempting to try to make our own way, to handle things ourselves, and expect God to bless these self-directed efforts.
But that approach is contrary to his instructions. We are to trust in God and his ways, not devise our own solutions with our limited perspective and finite resources.
When we trust the Lord and wait on him, seek him in prayer, and search his Word, allowing him to move in our circumstances instead of trying to wrest control, we are supplied with his sustaining strength.
If, however, we act as the youth and young men in the preceding verse 30, we can expect to grow weary and faint, to utterly fail.
Why? Because we are trusting in our own strengths and abilities, which ultimately prove insufficient.
It isn’t always easy to wait, but if we can discipline ourselves to do so, we will soar, knowing that it is the Lord who keeps us aloft.
“Lord, my every desire is in front of you; my sighing is not hidden from you.”