Poetic Devices for God's Glory
by Jonathan Molengraf
I am sure some people read the title and had flashbacks of their high school English teacher belittling them because they could not identify a metaphor. While I am an English teacher, my hope is to not make you feel silly, but show you how these literary features glorify God. Let’s take a look at Isaiah 44:21-22 and see how God’s glory is being shown through a chiasmus and simile.
Chiasmus
Verse 21 employs a chiasmus structure, repeating words in reverse order like a mirror. This device appears throughout scripture, most famously in Matthew 19:30, “ But many who are first will be last, and the last first”. The word “first” we would label A and “last” we would label B. Thus, the structure is ABBA, which creates a reflective effect. Verse 21 does something similar:
A: Remember these things,
B: O Jacob, and Israel,
C: for you are my servant;
D: I formed you;
C: you are my servant;
B: O Israel,
A: you will not be forgotten by me.
The structure is ABCDCBA which emphasizes God’s love for his people. He first instructs us to remember what was previously stated: that idols are worthless. Then concludes by assuring us that He will not forget us—He will remember us. Notice, in the middle of this chiastic structure is the phrase, “I formed you”. This identification highlights how we have always belonged to God. Then the repetition reaffirms that God’s children will always belong to Him. Even if we revert to the folly of idolatry, we will still be His.
Simile
Similes are more familiar to us. I learned them from listening to rap music as a teenager. A simile figuratively compares two unlike things by using “like” or “as”. Verse 22 has two of them, “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud / and your sins like mist”. God removes our sins in the same way a cloud or mist vanishes. Just as a cloud dissipates from the sky, so too does God remove our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our transgressions.
Isaiah ends the verse with, “return to me, for I have redeemed you”. God has made our sins disappear, but that does not mean we should disappear from God. This is a false teaching known as antinomianism, which suggests we have license to live in sin since it has already been paid for. Instead, it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God has a hold on us and all of the world's strongest men could not break His grip. We should not abuse this gift. For we are dead to our sins and should now glorify God as His new creation (Rom. 6:1-2, 1 Cor. 6:20, 2 Cor. 5:17).
Chiasmus
Verse 21 employs a chiasmus structure, repeating words in reverse order like a mirror. This device appears throughout scripture, most famously in Matthew 19:30, “ But many who are first will be last, and the last first”. The word “first” we would label A and “last” we would label B. Thus, the structure is ABBA, which creates a reflective effect. Verse 21 does something similar:
A: Remember these things,
B: O Jacob, and Israel,
C: for you are my servant;
D: I formed you;
C: you are my servant;
B: O Israel,
A: you will not be forgotten by me.
The structure is ABCDCBA which emphasizes God’s love for his people. He first instructs us to remember what was previously stated: that idols are worthless. Then concludes by assuring us that He will not forget us—He will remember us. Notice, in the middle of this chiastic structure is the phrase, “I formed you”. This identification highlights how we have always belonged to God. Then the repetition reaffirms that God’s children will always belong to Him. Even if we revert to the folly of idolatry, we will still be His.
Simile
Similes are more familiar to us. I learned them from listening to rap music as a teenager. A simile figuratively compares two unlike things by using “like” or “as”. Verse 22 has two of them, “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud / and your sins like mist”. God removes our sins in the same way a cloud or mist vanishes. Just as a cloud dissipates from the sky, so too does God remove our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who paid the price for our transgressions.
Isaiah ends the verse with, “return to me, for I have redeemed you”. God has made our sins disappear, but that does not mean we should disappear from God. This is a false teaching known as antinomianism, which suggests we have license to live in sin since it has already been paid for. Instead, it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God has a hold on us and all of the world's strongest men could not break His grip. We should not abuse this gift. For we are dead to our sins and should now glorify God as His new creation (Rom. 6:1-2, 1 Cor. 6:20, 2 Cor. 5:17).
More from the blog:
Watch Out for the Trick Questions
March 31st, 2025
Throughout my years in school, I had many teachers who consistently taught me how to navigate tests and those tricky questions in order to, hopefully, ace them—or at least earn a passing grade. When the class would fail, the teacher would say something along the lines of, “I have taught you everything you need to be successful. You just have to apply the things you have learned.” The first part of...
Is This Your King?
March 27th, 2025
It was 2018. An estranged descendant of an African kingdom challenged the reigning king for the throne by engaging in a fight. The rules were simple: kill your opponent, and the victor would become king. While mercy could be shown, it was something the opposition never knew. The challenger had trained his whole life for this moment. Humiliating the king in front of his own people, he defeated him ...
Jesus, the Scrutinizing Light
March 18th, 2025
When I think of Jesus being “the light” (John 8:12), I honestly tend to only think of him as an illuminating light. What I mean by that is that I tend to only think of him as one who enlightens. And one who imparts wisdom and understanding. As one who strictly makes known the way, the truth, and the life. And if we follow this enlightening light, we will not walk in darkness, but have a greater un...
It's All Love
March 11th, 2025
I lived in my childhood home from my very first memory all the way through graduating high school. I could recreate in great detail every feature of this home; the color of the kitchen island, the design of the wallpaper in the bathroom, I could even tell you what sound the stairs made as you walked up them. But the most unique part of this home was the eclectic decor. I think my parents’ overall ...
Comfort and Affliction
March 3rd, 2025
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)I...
Recent
Archive
2025
February
2024
March
April
September
October
2023
April
May
July
August
October
November
2022
2021
No Comments