Isaiah 40:14-15

¹⁴ With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge,
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
¹⁵ Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

I noticed this article on Isaiah by Chris Fisher and I wish to comment on it. Let’s quote it:

From The Heavenly Counsellor in Isaiah xl 13-14: A Study of the Sources of the Theology of Deutero-Isaiah (Society for Old Testament Study Monographs):

We therefore suggest that the content of the supposed knowledge taught to Yahweh in these verses is the practical knowledge required to create the world; and we translate them as follows:

Who has understood the mind of Yahweh,
or who was his counsellor, who instructed him?
Whom did he consult for his guidance,
and who taught him the way to achieve order,
And showed him how to exercise creative skill?

https://godisopen.com/2021/09/06/isaiah-4014-15-is-about-practical-knowledge/

The interpretation isn’t completely off. There is a special focus on God being the creator and it is certainly true that nobody has instructed God on how and what to create. The problem is the text is stating that but even more than that. The point is that creation is so beneath God that it isn’t even in a position to inform him. Furthermore, it isn’t merely about the creation of the world but God’s providential and judicial order. The language of מִשְׁפָּט (mishpâṭ-path of justice) is also to state that nobody guides Yahweh’s ethical decisions and this turns to his providential bringing about the redemption of his people. Furthermore, the language of God’s counsel goes also related to providential acts (Isa 46:11). It isn’t apparent that these claims about knowledge can be limited to merely knowledge regarding how to create things. Also, notice the basis for why we can’t inform God. It is because we are created and he is transcendent.

Some (e.g., Whybray) have suggested that v. 12 depicts God as the master workman at his bench crafting the world. This interpretation is probably overliteral. The point seems to be simply that God is infinitely greater than the created world. … Whybray has argued that the author draws on an Israelite belief in a heavenly council for the metaphor in vv. 13–14.46 The non-Israelite religions certainly included such a belief; texts mention the high god being given advice by other members of the pantheon. In most of the pantheons one god was even understood to fulfill a position analogous to the royal counselor in human courts.47 But it is not clear that the Israelites had such a belief. The most apparent references are in narrative settings that do not necessarily constitute statements of belief (1 K. 22:19–23; Job 1:6; Ps. 82) but are descriptive or polemical in nature. Be that as it may, the point here is surely to deny the existence of any counselor, whether human or heavenly.48 The answer to the rhetorical questions in both vv. 13 and 14 is that no one has advised God either in the creation or in the administration of the world.

Oswalt, John N.. The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40–66 (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament) . Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.

Furthermore, Whybray also ignores that this isn’t directly commentating on creation, as Dr. Gary Smith states:

This passage does not expressly deal with God’s creation of the world; it merely deals with his abilities to measure the size of the heavens, the seas, and various parts of the earth that are already in existence. Although no express comparison is made with other gods at this point (40:18-20), these initial claims will later serve as criteria whereby one can compare the God of Israel with the gods of the other nations.

Smith, Gary V.. The New American Commentary – Isaiah 40-66: 15B (Kindle Locations 2819-2822). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

He also further states:

Next the prophet addresses the issue of God’s wisdom. J. Oswalt points to the essence of the implied question: “if we cannot even take the measure of the physical world, how can we take the measure of God?”90 It is preposterous to think that anyone can “measure” (tikkn) the depth and breadth of the “mind”91 of God to understand how it works.92 Although some of the Hebrews in Jerusalem may have questioned what God was doing in Judah at this time, would anyone in the prophet’s audience be so bold as to suggest that they might be able to help God understand the mysteries of this world through their very limited human knowledge?93 Does God need consultants, instructors, or advisors on how to govern the world according to a plan94 that will allow justice to prevail (Ps 119:24)? This theme may be interlinked to Isaiah’s earlier statement in 14:24-27 that claims that God has a “plan” to crush the Assyrians and his promise that he will accomplish what he has planned (28:29).95 God is the one who teaches men knowledge and wisdom (Ps 94:10; 119:66); people cannot teach God anything. God knows how to bring about “just results” on earth without man’s advice or counsel. Although “just results” often refer to the forensic decisions that a judge renders at the end of a trial (50:8; 54:17) or God’s righteous judgment of sinful people (Ps 96:13; 98:9), in this context the term probably has a general application to God’s judgments in making right decisions in running the world (28:8-9; 40:27).96 God’s supreme abilities and wisdom should have given the prophet’s audience a great deal of confidence to put their trust in him. He knows what is right; plus he has the power to establish his just plans on the earth.97

Smith, Gary V.. The New American Commentary – Isaiah 40-66: 15B (Kindle Locations 2823-2838). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.