(Dallas Theological Seminary. There are many verses in the Bible which teach that God is invisible and cannot be seen. During Uzziahs prosperous 52 year reign (ca. On problem passages he often offers views and reasons, but is brief due to his limitations of space. Men's Acappella. But now Isaiah sees himself, because he sees God. In other words, it is the displaying of God to the world. Third, God said go (Isa 6:9) giving the prophet a mission to fulfill. Pentateuch The throne of God is in the heavenly temple (Rev. (The Commission of Isaiah - Emmaus Journal V4:1, Summer, 95), James Montgomery Boice commenting on John 12:41 writes that, The Gospel of John is a book filled with many extraordinary verses. D. Bock - What Peter does not realize is that admitting ones inability and sin is the best prerequisite for service, since then one can depend on God. After all, God did not have to send Isaiah. I take it that this act of putting the coal on his lips was just an external manifestation of what happened in the inner man. Therefore, since Jn 12:41 refers to Jesus, it makes Him the Author of the judicial hardening of Israel. All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea; His humility and awareness of his sin do not disqualify him from service; they are the prerequisite for service. John now added the explanation that it was Christs glory which Isaiah saw, and it was of Christ that he spoke. Like two sides of the same coin, both are real but can only be viewed and pondered separately. Uzziah was generally a good king (2Ki 15:3, 2Chr 26:8) but was struck with leprosy when he entered the Temple of the LORD (2Ki 15:5, 2Chr 26:16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) which led to his isolation as a leper for about the last 15 years of his life until his death (2Ki 15:7). This verse is further evidence that Isaiah saw an OT Christophany or manifestation of Christ, Who at the end of the age will return to reign as the true and only "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Rev 19:16), Zechariah describes this glorious future day when Jesus the King will reign over all the earth (Maranatha! (Jn 14:6) If you are His child, you can come with boldness to the throne of grace (Heb 4:16-note), but you cannot come to Him on any other basis. During his reign (722 B.C. However, Israel's blindness is not permanent. In fact, almost any one (including believers) upon hearing these words would surely think these do not sound like words from a God of grace and mercy Who is relentlessly seeking to save sinners. Glory also involves honor or position of power. The mission is to catch persons alive. As Harrison suggests (TWOT) the idea of burning suggest as that "These beings were brilliant as flaming fire, symbolic of the purity and power of the heavenly court. As with Moses, the Lord of life and service enables His servants to carry out His commands when they yield themselves to Him and obey. ", Ray Ortlund -As this awareness forms in Isaiah's mind, he blurts out the obvious conclusion: "Woe is me!" His earthly lord and master had died, but what does that matter when the Lord of lords, the Adonai in the heavens, lives and reigns. HOLY, HOLY, HOLY And the LORD will be King over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be the only one, and His name the only one. Here is an example of the great mystery, inscrutable to our finite minds, of God's election versus man's will. Presented here is a verse by verse exposition of the New . As He was unchangeable in His favor to Jacob, so will He be to His believing posterity. What we believe about God is so crucial because everything else in our lives is built on that foundation. To see God is to see ourselves as we really are. Moody Publishers). 15:34, 35; 2 Chr. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of support today? Constable -It is in seeing God for who He is that we can see ourselves for who we are and can, therefore, accurately evaluate our condition (Isaiah - Expository Notes), John Fish explains that Isaiah "does not merely say that he is doomed because of the belief that no man can see God and live (Ex 33:20), but because the vision has revealed the infinite moral contrast between the One on the throne and Isaiah himself. 6:1). Some commentators feel this verb is better translated "I am silenced, still, cannot reply" and thus Young's Literal renders it "I have been silent". As far as we know, Isaiah did not literally proclaim these exact words. Isa 11:11, 12-note). All the saints adore Thee, And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. Although some action heroes show sensitivity, the message of our society is that success demands toughness. His conscience was burdened by a sense of personal weakness and failure. Ezra range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed 46:10). As in Isaiah 6:9 the imperatival forms should be taken as rhetorical and as anticipating the people's response. It is then that the young man experiences one of the most solemn and significant visions of Scripture. In that year (740BC), Isaiah had a vision of the Lord [Adonai] sitting on His throne, lofty and exalted (Isa. Word Biblical Commentary. One of the most stirring portions of Scripture describes this vision. He essentially offered himself as a blank check, to be filled in as God saw fit With Isaiah we see a three-step process: first, acute realization of ones own sinfulness in the light of Gods holiness; second, hearing the gospel that ones sins are forgiven; and finally the response of gratitude, love, and surrender leading to actionFor many of us, such realizations may come in stages as we gradually grow in the Christian life. The beaming forth of Christ's glory in the soul reveals its hidden evil; the knowledge of this evil lays the believer low before God with the confession, "I abhor myself. It is a verse in which John refers to one of the most glorious visions of God ever given to a human beingthe vision received by Isaiah at the beginning of his ministry as a prophet, in which he saw Jehovah sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, with his train filling the templesaying quite naturally, it would seem, that this applies to Jesus. Zoe Kravitz - actress. Minor Prophets As a result "their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Ro 1:21-note). This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. From his viewpoint he was right, and he won the match against them. But not many continue in the chapter to dwell on the specific message Isaiah is told to preach (Isa 6:9,10) because this message shocks us. Lets also remember that God made us holy in Jesus Christ not just to prepare us for heaven in the sweet by-and-by, but so we can live above the pull of sin in the mixed-up here-and-now. For example, nothing in Isaiah reveals the extended period separating the two comings of the Messiah. These numbers are on the rise and account for half the deaths in the state. In other words - heart ears eyes see with their eyes hear with their ears understand with their hearts. Isaiah 6:10b is also clearly sarcastic. His enemies react to His miracles with hatred and reviling; His true disciples, with homage and reverence. Historical Books The coal touched his mouth, corresponding to Isaiahs sense of unclean lips and his imminent prophetic calling. "Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' This well-known passage teaches us a lot about the God we worship and the ministry of worship itself. Colossians The chosen ones are those who have come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ whereby their disposition has been altered and their ears unstopped, and they hear the still small voice (1Ki 19:12KJV) questioning all the time, "Who will go for us?" (See context inNew American Commentary- Isaiah 1-39). Lam 3:22, 23). God in three Persons, blessd Trinity! Rev. This Grace to You article originally appeared here. Pentateuch Drive-through service, cell phones, beepers and other time-saving devices say a lot about a culture that always seems to be in a hurry. Because of their sin which is presented in the first five chapters, they are judged by God. In panic, Ahaz sent to the Assyrian king for help (2 Kin. Poetical Books It can also be represented as a consuming fire (Ex 24:17). Ep 3:8 (61AD) To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ. Isaiah 6:9,10 has been the subject of much debate and speculation because instead of calling his readers to repent and to not harden their hearts, these verses command Isaiah to issue a proclamation which is just the opposite! (Le 27:32-note). 13:14,15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; cf. ), Assyria captured Samaria, capital of the northern kingdom, and carried many of Israels most capable people into captivity (2 Kin. The early church father Jerome likened him to Demosthenes, the legendary Greek orator. (Isaiah 6:3-5 on mp3). He is glorified when He is allowed to be seen as He really is. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. (Isaiah 6 Commentary), Commenting on God's holiness Fish writes that, There is an incomprehensible contrast between what is divine and what is human. That live coal was witness of the fire, ever burning, which was never to go out (Leviticus 6:13). Isaiah saw himself in the light of Jehovahs infinite holiness. The shrinking Jeremiah, ordained from before his birth to be a prophet, answers the call to service by saying, somewhat like Moses: "Ah, Adonai Jehovah! Scripture gives us a number of examples: Abraham (Ge 18:27, 30, 32), Gideon (Jdg 6:21, 22, 23), Manoah and his wife (Jdg 13:20); Job (Job 42:5, 6); Isaiah (Isa 6:5); the apostle John on the isle of Patmos (Rev 1:17). How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his saber clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. 15:5; 2 Chr 26:20, 21). In a vision, Isaiah saw God's holiness and glory, and he was utterly overwhelmed. No man has seen God at any time (John 1:18). In the next chapter we will see the prediction of the birth of Christ, but it is not the incarnation of Christ that saves us, it is His death upon the Cross. by being cut in two with a wooden saw (cf. In that passage Isaiah was saying that sin would yield captivity, but that God would bring a Redeemer (cf Isa 7:14). 4:8). With Isaiahs encouragement, Hezekiah refused to surrender, and when Sennacheribs army fell prey to a sudden disaster, he returned to Nineveh and never threatened Judah again. Pastor John MacArthur. Ecclesiastes There is no record in Scripture of angels singing. More from John MacArthur The Home of a Godly Shepherd John MacArthur, 3 days ago When our heart is "filled" with unconfessed sins, surely our ears are "stopped" to God's still small voice! Maybe at your last backyard barbecue, the wind blew a bit of hot ash from your charcoal grill and singed your skin. It would also deliver some folk from this easy familiarity that they seem to have with Jesus. Compare other allusions to physical manifestations of God's power (Ex 19:18, Acts 4:31). Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, invaded the coastal areas of Israel, marching toward Egypt on Israels southern flank. Many people take the adage the Lord helps those who help themselves to mean that they can never come to the Lord until they have exhausted their own resources. 15:19). Isaiahs preaching was therefore to be a part of the judgment of God resulting in judicial blindness upon the nation. . 16:7) and the Assyrian king gladly responded, sacking Gaza, carrying all of Galilee and Gilead into captivity, and finally capturing Damascus (732 B.C.). (Ibid), Wycliffe Bible Commentary asks "How could the prophet's impure lips repeat that angelic song? The implication is startling: Jesus is Yahweh! As with most of our studies so far this month, we can't summarize everything the Bible teaches about God in a few lines. At that time the divine hardening had run its course and Isaiah is able to issue an ultimatum (Isa 1:19, 20-note, one which Hezekiah apparently took to heart, resulting in the sparing of Jerusalem (see Isa 36-39) and cf. Isaiah 53:10-12. In the case of God, qadosh describes what He is by His intrinsic nature and as regards man, it refers to those that have been brought into the sphere of the sacred (set apart) by God. But it is never meant to be a message of despair to any lost sinner who desires salvation and would like to come to the Savior. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." Raymond Ortlund feels that the burning coal, belongs to the place of sacrifice and atonement and forgiveness. Job was a self-righteous man. Wisdom Literature What filled him with this self-abasement? This has nothing to do with innocent people being kept from salvation. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point Will I sing Halelluja, The Hebrew imperatival forms (Commands) are employed rhetorically and anticipate the response Isaiah will receive. Instead of erasing the prophet with a blast of holiness, God sent an angel to cleanse and forgive Isaiah. It is that good! GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point All that changed, however, when Uzziah died. The early church father Jerome likened him to Demosthenes, the legendary Greek orator. (Lk 5:8) (Isaiah 6 - The Prophet's Cleansing and Commission). (See context in Balancing the Christian Life), I like the way Puritan writer Thomas Watson described God's glory. The nearer we are to the Lord the greater the sense of our utter unworthiness. All high and lofty views of its own false glory annihilated by clear and close views of the true glory of Jesus. 4:10, 11, 12. Praise God for godly music which lifts our souls to the throne room of God in Heaven! To remove the guilt of a wrongdoing (Ex 29:36). 18:4, 22; 2 Chr. Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8. of Scripture. As in the case of Pharaoh, Yahweh's hardening is not arbitrarily imposed on a righteous or even morally neutral object. The Gospels McGee -Isaiah heard God's call for the first time and responded to it, as a cleansed individual will do. And similar to the LORD in Isaiah 6, Jesus (Who in fact I believe is also Jehovah of Isaiah 6) gives Peter, James and John a commission to be "catching men" to which they responded to the Lord's call/commission (much like Isaiah) by leaving everything and following Him. Jotham was a builder and a fighter like his father, but spiritual corruption still existed in the Land (2 Kin. 2 Peter 17:6, 24). A verification email has been sent to the address you provided. Otherwise (06435) (pen) is a conjunction that introduces a negative purpose. FIRST ISAIAH SAW THEN HE WAS CLEANSED They stoop and worship. Are these the very "gates of heaven" which are caused to shake at the sound of the seraphim? Pastor John MacArthur. How easy it must have been to focus ones hopes and trust upon a king like that. Glory is the sparkling of the Deity We may see God's glory blazing in the sun and twinkling in the stars (Ps 19:1) A sight of God's glory humbles. The pattern of literal fulfillment of his already-fulfilled prophecies gives assurance that prophecies of Christs second coming will also see literal fulfillment. Look at the Book. The early church father Jerome likened him to Demosthenes, the legendary Greek orator. The stars vanish when the sun appears. 11:8). This revelation of God as the absolute Lord ruling over the affairs of people caused the prophet to lament over his own sinfulness. Motyer adds that:As we speak of a sum of money as sufficient to cover a debt, so kipper/koper is the payment of whatever divine justice sees as sufficient to cover the sinners debt, the death of the substitute sacrifice on the altar. At the heart of the idea of a Temple is the abiding presence of God. 1939), Lord - Adonai (see discussion of this name), the Lord or the master. The repetition of the word 'holy' speaks of God's perfect holiness His complete purity and separation from anything evil. 1Ti 1:15 (63-66AD) It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Nor is He obligated to offer salvation to everyone forever. When all is said and done, Isaiah might as well preface and conclude every message with these ironic words, which, though imperatival in form, might be paraphrased as follows: "You continually hear, but don't understand; you continually see, but don't perceive. Acts Wisdom Literature Overwhelmed by acute awareness of his own sinfulness This is remarkable considering Isaiah was a member of the religious elite" (Jerry Bridges), I am ruined - KJV "I am undone". This booklet emphasizes the danger of Downey's most recent book . 1Co15:9 (55AD) For I am the least of the apostles, who am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. This Adonai is seated upon a throne too, but high and lifted up, above all earthly lords and monarchs, for this Adonai is also Jehovah of hosts, whose train fills the Temple and whose glory covers the whole earth. (See context in John notes)(Bolding added), Isaiahs sight of Gods glory is described, Isaiah 6:1, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, etc. The evangelist expounds this of Christ, which is an evident proof of the Deity of Christ, that He is Jehovah; for it was Jehovah Whom the prophet there saw (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the New Testament) (Bolding added), Believer's Study Bible (Criswell) writes that, The passage undoubtedly refers to the magnificent vision of Isaiah (cf. What an awesome, even fearful experience for God's prophet! Individual instructors or editors may still require the use of URLs. Fish adds that "Symbolically the fire had a purifying effect, but the cleansing came not from the fire, but from the initiative of the Lord and the fact that a sacrifice for sin had been offered. Pharaoh was called lord (adon) because he was the sovereign over Egypt (Gen. 40:1). 1:13). See a detailed discussion addressing the question "Did created men ever see the uncreated God? UPDATED-ISAIAH: THE PROMISE of the Messiah (MacArthur Bible Studies) - $31.84. As of July 27, there have been 173,995 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,360 deaths in Los Angeles alone. But no humble inquirer after Christ, need to fear this awful doom, which is a spiritual judgment on those who will still hold fast their sins. (Isaiah - Expository Notes). (The Commission of Isaiah - Emmaus Journal V4:1, Summer, 95), Motyer observes that "The two verbs, has touched and is taken away, are co-ordinate perfects, stressing that as soon as the one happened the other happened also. If conscious ignorance shrinks from great learning, poverty from great wealth, obscurity from high rank, human guilt from human purity, well may the consciously sinful soul of man shrink from the near presence of the thrice-holy God. Hymns Project 1 Peter And when they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish; and their nets began to break; and they signaled to their partners in the other boat, for them to come and help them. Isaiah saw the pure holiness of God and heard the pure praise from undefiled lips (Seraphim) and realized that his lips which had been contaminated by sin were not worthy to be instruments of perfect praise to the thrice holy God (cf what God will do for men of impure lips in Zeph 3:9). It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. (Isa 37:31), Grogan -How astounding that God should use the word holy (qadosh) of the remnant of His people when it has been used already in Is 6:3 in relation to His own transcendent being! General Epistles He is bound by His own Word to fulfill the promises He has made to bring them back to Himself and bless them in that future day (55:1012). He was going to use him, and this applies to us also. Guilty, I await His stroke. God is spirit (John 4:24). They talk about Him as if He were a buddy and as if they could speak to Him in any way they please. With two he covered his face. It is interesting to recall that King Uzziah himself (cf Isa 6:1) had been "cut off" (ruined) after becoming leprous (the discipline of the Lord - 2Chr 26:19, 21) and according to the Mosaic law had to cry "Unclean (tame')! (Hab 2:14), TODAY IN THE WORD - In his book Our God Is Awesome, Bible teacher Tony Evans says, Holiness is the centerpiece of Gods attributes. Neither can be discarded. (The Commission of Isaiah - Emmaus Journal V4:1, Summer, 95). Perhaps it is because we never do anything 100% to the glory of God that no work is untainted with sin. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, (Hebrew/Greek Search by English Definition), * 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order', Search verses, phrases, and topics (e.g. And there will be a time of distress(Heb = tsarah; Lxx =thlipsisthe same word used by Jesus in His phrase "The Great Tribulation" [thlipsis megale]) such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time (synonymous time phrases= 1260 days, 42 months, "middle of the week"); and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people (ISRAEL), all these events will be completed.