The Strand Study Bible

ISAIAH ISAIAH Man has a purpose, and that purpose is to assist Almighty God in returning the universe back to its original order via our obedience. Discover God’s purpose for your life and life for you will have purpose. 6:3 a In light of verse 8, the statement “ HOLY , HOLY , HOLY ” must be in reference to the Triune Godhead (Rev 4:8, Gen 1:1 b, 26 a , Deut 6:4 and Rom 1:20 a ): GOD the FATHER - Jn 17:11 GOD the SON - Mk 1:23-24 and Acts 4:27 GOD the HOLY SPIRIT - Mk 13:11, Lk 11:13, Acts 10:22, Titus 3:5 and I Jn 1:20 6:3 b One of the titles that GOD THE FATHER uses for Himself is “ LORD OF HOSTS .” This title is used 62 times in the book of Isaiah and 285 times overall throughout the Old Testament. 6:3 c “ Glory ” is always the outward manifestation of something awesome and beautiful ( Deut 5:24 and I Chro 29:13 ). In the case of God (vs 3), His glory is the outward manifestation of His holiness, which deals with His four natural attributes, His seven moral attributes, and those who are yielded to His SPIRIT . NOTE – Holiness, by definition, is a separation from that which is “common” (man) or “unclean” (man’s old nature). There are three aspects of God’s holiness, i.e., three features of separation from what is “common” or “unclean,” that separates God from man: 1. God’s deity (Exo 15:11), which deals with God’s four natural attributes The first aspect of God’s holiness is found in His four natural attributes that separate Him from that which is “common” (man): (1) His omniscience (all-knowing – Psa 139: 1- 6 ); (2) His omnipresence (ever-present – Psa 139:7 -12); (3) His omnipotence (all- powerful – Psa 139:13 -18); and (4) His eternal immutability (the fact that He never changes – Mal 3:6 ) Fact: Whenever you witness the holiness of God through one of God’s four natural attributes, you experience the revealed glory of God. At this point, your heart can’t help but “shout out” to God in praise for His glory. 2. God’s decency (Isa 6:1-5), which deals with God’s seven moral attributes The second aspect of God’s holiness is found in His seven moral attributes that separate Him from that which is “unclean” (man’s old nature): (1) Righteousness/justice ( Psa 89:16 , Heb 1:8-9 and Rom 14:17 ) (See also - Gen 18:25 and Psa 145:17); (2) Faithfulness ( Psa 89:1 , Rev 19:11 and Jn 15:26 ); (3) Kindness ( Psa 89:33 , Jn 14:6-11 and Gal 5:22 ); (4) Holiness (self-affirming purity - Psa 89:35 , Mk 1:24 and Mt 1:18 ) (See also - Isa 6:3 and Acts 4:27 ); (5) Mercy ( Psa 89:1 , Titus 1:4 and Jn 14:16 ); (6) Love ( Psa 89:33 , II Cor 5:14 and Gal 5:22 ); and (7) Truth ( Psa 89:14 , Jn 14:6 and Jn 15:26 ). Fact: Whenever you witness the holiness of God through one of God’s seven moral attributes, you experience the revealed glory of God. At this point, your heart can’t help but “shout out” to God in praise for His glory, as awe and conviction concerning your own uncleanness sets in (vs. 5). 3. God’s disciplined ones (Isa 57:15 and Lk 14:25-27), which deals with the use of God’s people The third aspect of God’s holiness is His willingness to work in and through His “disciplined ones” via the HOLY SPIRIT ( Heb 12:14b ). While it is true that God alone dwells in the high and holy place, yet He is willing to share that holiness (from which glory proceeds) via the HOLY SPIRIT with those who are willing to discipline themselves via a contrite and humble spirit ( I Chro 29: 1- 13 ). Thus, divine holiness is not exclusive, but God reaches out to attract others to His state and attitude of separation from the world by offering them a discipleship program via the HOLY SPIRIT , which in turn will lead them to be of a contrite and humble spirit ( Lk 14:26c ). Fact: Whenever you witness the holiness of God through one of God’s SPIRIT -filled “disciplined ones” (Gen 41:38-40, Exo 31:1-5 & 35:30-35, Num 11:24-29, Judges 3:9-11 & 6:33-40 & 11:29 & 13:24-25, I Sam 10:5-10 & 16:13, II Chro 15:1 & 24:20 and Isa 11:1-2/Jn 1:32-34 & 3:34 ), you experience the revealed glory of God; for nothing glorious gets done unless it is done through the SPIRIT OF GOD via His natural and/or moral attributes (Zech 4:6). John Piper once said: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. 1 NOTE – The more willing (satisfied) we are to yield to the SPIRIT OF GOD within us the more God’s moral and natural attributes will shine through us for all the world to see. 6:9 Isaiah’s ministry would be much like Ezekiel’s ministry (Ezk 2:3-8) –his message, for the most part, would fall upon “deaf ears” ( Hear ye indeed, but understand not ). 6:13 Like the teil tree and the oak tree, which are capable of reproducing from tiny shoots left from their stumps, so Israel, though devastated and reduced as a nation by other nations (II Ki 17:6 & 18:10,11 and II Ki 25), would return to the land of Israel as a tiny remnant (Ezra 1:1-5 & 2:64-65). 7:1 Ahaz , king of southern Judah, began his co-reign with his father, Jotham, in 741 BC. Nine years later in 732 BC Ahaz began to reign alone. Ahaz’s sixteen-year reign lasted from 732-717 BC (II Ki 16:1-2). According to II Kings 15:36-38, Syria (Aram) and Northern Israel (Ephraim) had formed an alliance against Assyria (the “up and coming” new world power) and wanted Southern Judah to join their alliance. When Judah, under the godly leadership of Jotham (II Ki 15:32-38), refused, the Syrian-Samarian alliance attacked her in the days of Jotham’s son (Ahaz), two years after the death of Jotham (Isa 7:1-2). The Lord allowed the attack upon Southern Judah by Syria and Northern Israel because of King Ahaz’s wickedness (II Chro 28:1-8 and II Ki 16:1-6). 1055

1 John Piper quote available online at http;//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Piper_(theologian)