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what did 'mounting up with wings as eagles' mean to an ancient israelite?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Isaiah 40:31

“but those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.”

This passage comes from the prophet Isaiah, specifically from the section often called "Second Isaiah" (chapters 40-55). It was written to Jewish exiles in Babylon, a people who had lost their homeland and their temple, feeling abandoned and without hope, promising restoration and divine strength.

What does it mean for us today to 'wait for Yahweh' in times when our strength feels depleted?

Then — the setting

This passage was written around the 6th century BCE to Jewish exiles in Babylon. For an ancient Israelite, the 'eagle' (נשר, *nesher*) was a powerful symbol. It wasn't just known for its majestic flight but also for its perceived ability to renew its plumage and strength, shedding old feathers for new ones, leading to a belief in its extended lifespan and rejuvenation. The imagery of 'mounting up with wings like eagles' therefore spoke to a profound renewal, a transcending of earthly limitations, and a soaring above their present circumstances of captivity and despair, powered by divine strength.

Across the Testaments

In the Old Testament, the eagle often symbolizes strength, swiftness, divine protection, and even judgment. Here, it promises renewal to a disheartened people. The New Testament picks up the theme of divine strength in human weakness, especially in Paul's letters (e.g., 2 Corinthians 12:9-10), emphasizing that God's power is made perfect when human strength fails. While the New Testament doesn't frequently use the specific eagle imagery, the underlying message of waiting on God for supernatural endurance and empowerment is a continuous thread.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Exodus 19:4
This verse describes God carrying Israel on 'eagle's wings' out of Egypt, associating the eagle with divine rescue and care.
Psalm 103:5
It speaks of God renewing one's youth 'like the eagle's,' linking the imagery to vitality and prolonged life.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul speaks of strength being made perfect in weakness, echoing the idea of renewed strength in dependence on God.

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