SOAP Bible Study: Isaiah 40:28–31

In this SOAP Bible Study: Isaiah 40:28–31, we come to one of the most comforting promises in Scripture. Many of us know the words about mounting up with wings like eagles. However, we often read them quickly and miss the depth behind them.

Isaiah 40 speaks into exhaustion. The people of Judah faced exile and loss. They questioned whether God still saw them. They wondered whether He still cared. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord answered their fear with truth about His character.

We all reach moments when strength runs low. We try to press forward, but discouragement creeps in. Therefore, we need more than motivation. We need a clear vision of who God is. Isaiah 40 does not begin with human effort. It begins with the greatness of the Lord.

The SOAP Bible Study Method helps us slow down and observe the text carefully. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. This method trains us to read what God says before we rush to respond. So let us walk through Isaiah 40:28–31 step by step and allow the Lord to renew our understanding.

Scripture

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for 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. (Isaiah 40:28-31, ESV)

This passage comes from a section where the Lord comforts His people. Isaiah speaks to Israel during a season of looming judgment and exile. However, Isaiah 40 shifts the tone. The chapter opens with the Lord commanding comfort for His people.

In verses 28–31, Isaiah reminds Israel who God is. The prophet contrasts God’s strength with human weakness. He describes the Lord as everlasting and unsearchable in understanding. Then he declares that the Lord gives power to the faint and strength to the weak.

We chose this passage because it speaks directly to endurance and spiritual renewal. Isaiah does not offer shallow encouragement. He roots hope in the character of God. Therefore, this text helps us see how faith grows stronger when we remember who the Lord truly is.

Observation

Isaiah begins with two pointed questions. He asks, “Have you not known? Have you not heard?” The prophet calls the people back to truths they already received. He does not introduce new information. He reminds them of what they should remember.

The Lord stands at the center of this passage. Isaiah describes Him as “the everlasting God” and “the Creator of the ends of the earth.” The prophet highlights God’s eternal nature and creative power. While humans grow tired, the Lord does not faint or grow weary.

Isaiah also emphasizes God’s understanding. He says that God’s understanding is unsearchable. Human insight reaches limits. God’s wisdom does not. Therefore, when Israel questions God’s plan, Isaiah points to God’s limitless knowledge.

The passage then shifts from who God is to what God does. The Lord gives power to the faint. He increases strength to those without might. The text presents a clear contrast. Even young men stumble and fall. However, those who wait for the Lord renew their strength.

Isaiah paints vivid images. He speaks of mounting up with wings like eagles. He describes running without weariness and walking without fainting. The imagery moves from soaring to running to walking. The Lord sustains His people in every pace of life.

Within the larger context of Isaiah 40, this promise responds to Israel’s complaint. Earlier in the chapter, the people say that their way is hidden from the Lord. They feel forgotten. Therefore, Isaiah answers their doubt with truth. The Lord sees. The Lord knows. The Lord strengthens.

Application

Isaiah 40:28–31 reshapes how we think about endurance. We often define strength as self-sufficiency. However, this passage defines strength as dependence. The Lord does not call us to manufacture energy. He calls us to wait for Him.

Waiting in Scripture does not mean passive resignation. It means hopeful trust. When we wait for the Lord, we look to Him with expectation. We acknowledge our limits. Then we rely on His character.

This passage corrects false beliefs about God. Sometimes we imagine that God grows tired of us. We assume that He forgets our struggles. Isaiah rejects that idea. The Lord does not faint. He does not grow weary. Therefore, our weakness does not exhaust Him.

The text also shapes our view of weakness. Isaiah does not shame the faint. He does not rebuke the weary. Instead, he declares that the Lord gives them strength. Weakness becomes the place where God works most clearly.

Endurance flows from knowing God. When we remember that He created the ends of the earth, we gain perspective. When we trust His unsearchable understanding, we rest in His wisdom. As we wait for Him, He renews our strength from the inside out.

The promise of soaring like eagles does not guarantee constant spiritual highs. Sometimes we run. Sometimes we walk. However, the Lord sustains every step. He carries us through long seasons, not just brief moments of inspiration.

Prayer

Lord, You are the everlasting God. You created the ends of the earth, and You do not grow weary. We confess that we often feel tired and discouraged. However, we thank You that our weakness does not overwhelm You. Teach us to wait for You with trust. Renew our strength when we feel faint. Help us remember that Your understanding is unsearchable. When we cannot see the way forward, anchor our hearts in who You are. Carry us as we run and as we walk. Shape our endurance through Your grace. We place our hope in You, our faithful and unchanging Lord. Amen

In Closing SOAP Bible Study: Isaiah 40:28-31

In this SOAP Bible Study: Isaiah 40:28–31, we see that endurance begins with a right view of God. Isaiah directs our attention away from ourselves and toward the everlasting Lord. He reminds us that God does not grow tired, and He gives strength to the weak.

As we observed the text, we noticed the contrast between human frailty and divine power. As we applied it, we learned that waiting on the Lord produces renewal. The promise of soaring, running, and walking flows from trust in His character.

The SOAP Bible Study method helps us slow down and absorb these truths. When we move from Scripture to Observation, then to Application and Prayer, we engage God’s Word with care. Therefore, let us continue to return to passages like Isaiah 40. The Lord still renews strength today, and His Word still anchors weary hearts in Christ.