With Wings as Eagles
In Isaiah chapter 40 and verse 31, we read, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” The obvious import and spiritual truth imparted by the passage is that strength and aid would provided to those who fear and follow God. But why is there an illustration about eagles included here? How does such a statement have application in this context? Edward F. Blick suggests:
In addition to the obvious spiritual truth, this Scripture implies a unique quality in the eagle’s wings of being able to fly without becoming weary. That is exactly what we discovered in the wind tunnels of the University of Oklahoma while conducting aerodynamic research on birds during the spring of 1971. The eagle has six slotted feathers at the tip of each wing which curve upward in gliding flight. Our wind tunnel measurements indicated these upward-curved slotted-tip feathers reduce the size of the vortex emanating from each wing tip. This in turn reduces the drag on the wings, thus allowing the eagle to soar large distances in air currents without the need of beating his wings. Thus, 2,700 years after the Scripture in Isaiah was written, science has stumbled onto the same truth. (Correlation of Bible and Science 2-3)
How wonderfully powerful! What makes scientific foreknowledge such a powerful argument for the supernatural origin of the Bible is the fact that mere mortals drawing upon the most advanced “science” of their ancient times could not have produced such a book as this. We would say it this way: If the particular characteristics of the Bible’s treatment of science transcend mere human invention, then the Bible is of divine origin. Considering such examples as this of the eagle, clearly the Bible’s treatment of science does transcend mere human invention.
The Bible is from God! Now . . . let us draw strength from the eternal truths contained therein. Let us mount up with wings as eagles!