1 Samuel (Mt 13:10-17). (quoting Arnold Fruchtenbaum's "The Footsteps of Messiah") the Shechinah Glory is the visible manifestation of the presence of God. Philippians Messages on Isaiah 6 | Desiring God They dare not gaze at the glory of Jehovah! In the majority of cases chatta'ah denotes sins against man, e.g. Joshua That is how great Gods holiness and grace can be. The Bible tells us that no one can see God and live, so awesome is His presence. 40 "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God. Grogan writes that "This verse teaches us that in order to be an effective channel for Gods penetrating word, the power of that word must be felt in the persons own conscience. From the Hebrew root, meaning "existence." (See context inCommentary- Isaiah). Thats exactly what the Bible teaches. Hits like "Hot Stuff" (1979), "Bad Girls" (1979), and "Macarthur Park" (1977) were ubiquitous in the music scene then. (Is 57:15), One of the seraphim - The worshipping one became a ministering one, reminiscent of the writer of Hebrews rhetorical question concerning angelic beings, Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (See context in The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 139), Uzziahs reign was a kind of Victorian era in Jewish history. 'Avon is is a twisting of the standard or deviation from it and thus refers to iniquity, guilt or punishment for guilt. Or to my knees will I fall? For each occasion we must come to the Throne by way of the Cross. It calls from your heart to the heart of God with greater effect than all your uttered pleas. Not just to terminate a thing but carry out to full, to carry through completely.) Vol. A new form appears in the New Testament: the Incarnate Word [John 1:14]. In the setting of death, God prophesies there will be life. The chambers of abomination are all closed until Christ shines in upon the soul. Robed in righteousness, and holy: Hear the Voice of Judgment ring! ISAIAH 6:1-4.I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE 1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. Oh, we are yet strangers to the vision of Christ's glory, if we have not. "Many are called but few are chosen," (Mt 22:14) that is, few prove themselves the chosen ones. Man cannot see God in His essence. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Therefore, Isaiah's preaching was not needed to prevent repentance! 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. Caution is also advisable when one attempts to associate theological significance to the number three (eg, E W Bullinger says that "three denotes divine perfection" but again a "Berean-like" [Acts 17:11] mindset is advisable when evaluating such comments. In Isaiah 6, the curtain is pulled back on the never-ending worship of God that fills heaven. Sin carries with it its own consequences so that rejection of God itself produces insensitivity to God. Isaiah prophesied during the period of the divided kingdom, directing the major thrust of his message to the southern kingdom of Judah. 0:12. Holy, Holy, Holy Is the Lord of Hosts. Rockland/Westchester Journal News. O Lord, he was saying, Lord, you called me to be a fisher of men and I failed. 3One called to another, and said, (1-3) The glorious light of God's Kingdom. Isaiah 58 - Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible - Bible Keaon Koloamatangi 12 . Yet the Lord would preserve a remnant, like the tenth, holy to him. (Preaching the Word Isaiah: God Saves Sinners). The main thought is that of the hardness and blindness of the nation. Now flee (present imperative - Command to make this your habitual practice. From heavy derives the idea of a "weighty" person in society, one who is honorable, impressive, worthy of respect, the meaning in >50% of uses. In sum, Pharaoh hardened his own heart before God hardened it, though the prediction that God would do so preceded Pharaoh's choice. 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). Hezekiah was a man of war and not a prince of peace. Although, one should avoid dogmatic interpretation, it seems to predict that the remnant will pass through another "fire", which could refer to further chastisement. ), Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. He saw Jehovah which is enough to know. As an aside, this surely points to an amazing display of grace from God to man, that the man Isaiah would even be permitted to look upon such a sight without dying (cf Ex 33:20, Jn 1:18, 6:46, 14:9, Col 1:15-note, 1Ti 6:16), Thine angels adore Thee, It was when this passed away into shame and disgrace that Isaiah saw the Eternal King on his throne. When we are willing to depend on Him, He will not put us out of the fishing business, and He will not throw us overboard. New Testament Studies, Books of the Bible Matthew, MacArthur Bible Studies John MacArthur $10.49 $14.99 Save 30% Isaiah 9:1, 6-7 John MacArthur tells the story of "A little girl came home from Sunday-School triumphantly waving a paper. What will my heart feel? Haggai Prophets Isaiah 6:11 THEN I SAID, "LORD, HOW LONG?" In Isaiah 6:10 shamen is translated in the Septuagint withpachuno(from pachus = thick) which means to make fat and is used only in Acts 28:27+and Mt 13:15, both usesin the passive voice (action or effect coming from without from an unmentioned force, in context assumed to be God ="divine passive") figuratively meaning to become dull or calloused. Isaiah 6 is a good representative because it captures the majesty of God's Person, His perfect holiness and overwhelming presence. In fact, over 600 years after Isaiah lived, John heard the same testimony in heaven: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty (Rev. Iniquity (05771)('avon) is a verb with the basic meaning of to bend, twist, distort. They want to drive up to church, grab an hour of worship, and drive off--what Dr. Evans calls "drive-through worship." This is the only way He can be approached. IVP Commentary - The size of the catch tells Simon and his companions that this event has been no accident. 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. This was true in the nations around Israel, as well. Thankfully, through salvation, Jesus Christ clothes us with His holiness so we can stand forgiven and clean in Gods presence. vision, conversion, self-judgment, cleansing, self-surrender, communion, commission, intercession. Luke-Acts John 3:16, Jesus faith love), The Whole Bible Render insensitive - Literally, this reads "Declare fat the heart". Though the closing years of Uzziahs reign were filled with disobedience to God, this Judean monarch, in comparison with many other kings, was still considered godly, for he did right in the sight of the Lord (2Ki 15:3). GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. As of July 27, there have been 173,995 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 4,360 deaths in Los Angeles alone. ', 16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. Too many Christians want to hold on to a "spiritual experience" with the Lord, rather than be prepared to go out to share the Lord with others. Vine feels that "If we are to engage in any particular service for the Lord, we can render it effectively only as we freshly appropriate to ourselves the efficacy of the atoning sacrifice of Christ for the cleansing of our hearts from sin. Apart from the grace and mercy of God, we would all cry "Woe is me" and it behooves each of us to continually keep this attitude so that we might remain humble and yielded to our great and awesome God (cf Dt 7:21, Neh 1:5, 4:14, Ps 99:3-note, Da 9:4-note). Johannine Writings (January 14th Called Of God). Zephaniah We only know God as He has revealed Himself. Vine explains that the stump remains and "has life in it after the cutting off of the branches; it can shoot out into verdure again. All this describes, in a twofold application, the circumstances of the remnant both after the return from captivity and hereafter in the great tribulation. 2 "Speak [ a]kindly to Jerusalem; And call out to her, that her [ b]warfare has ended, That her [ c]guilt has been removed, That she has received of the Lord's hand. Here is an example of the great mystery, inscrutable to our finite minds, of God's election versus man's will. They need to confess the sins in their lives, because their service will be sterile and frustrating until that takes place. The Hebrew word Shechinah, from the root shachan, means to dwell. The Greek word skeinei, which is similar in sound as the Hebrew Shechinah (Greek has no sh sound), means to tabernacle. In the Old Testament, most of these visible manifestations took the form of light, fire, or cloud, or a combination of these. Nothing could be more opposed to this mentality than the awe-inspiring heavenly scene before us today. Kaphar includes the ideas of to forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, reconcile or make reconciliation. It is obvious that the phrase to see God is used in two different senses. The prophets attention was immediately drawn to the throne where God rules in awe-inspiring majesty and holiness. HALLELUJAH! Also the holiness of God consists of His positive attributes which constitute His deity. the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, Who was and Who is and Who is to come. (Re 4:8-note), contrasting with the thrice repetition of six in the number of the Beast in Rev 13:18-note). Peter could not stand the contrast between the purity and power of Christ and his own sinfulness. Removed men far away - This prophecy is spoken in the past tense, as if it had already been fulfilled. (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. Isaiah was a contemporary of Hosea and Micah. Isaiah The Promise of the Messiah by John F. MacArthur 9780310123804 The Septuagint (LXX) translates the Hebrew with the noun doxa [word study], in simple terms means to give a proper opinion or estimate of something and thus the glory of God expresses all that He is in His Being and in His nature, character, power and acts. Holy, holy, holy! In the present context while elevation in regard to rank is certainly intended, it also suggests a more literal meaning, implying Isaiah had to look upwards to see the lofty Lord. The throne of God is in the heavenly temple (Rev. In light of this truth the great saint of yesteryear Andrew Murray prayed, Lord, I gladly accept the arrangement: I am nothingYou are all. But the prophet Isaiah came as close to seeing God as anybody in the biblical record. Sermons from the Book of Isaiah | Grace to You - SermonAudio (The Commission of Isaiah - Emmaus Journal V4:1, Summer, 95), Comment: Considering the current state of the Church in America perhaps it is time for pulpits to preach Isaiah's message that the Church might be awoken from her slumber and her easy compromise with the world ("Why not go to PG-13 movies"? Presented here is a verse by verse exposition of the New . 1:13). I saw the Lord sitting on a throne - How? This verse is a classic example of a chiasmus in which there is an inversion in the second set of phrases of the order of similar words in the first section. General Epistles Sennacheribs effort to take Jerusalem failed, just as Isaiah had said it would (37:6, 7, 3638). Play & praise as you ponder one day seeing Holy Holy Holy 14 "In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING , BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; 15 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR , AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES , OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES , HEAR WITH THEIR EARS , AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN , AND I WOULD HEAL THEM. Lofty (07311) (ruwm) is a primary root which conveys three ideas (1) literal height, (2) height symbolic of notions (glory, exaltation - Ps 34:3 exalt His name), and (3) height symbolic of negative notions (arrogance & pride). For us (cf Ge 1:26, Ge 3:22, Ge 11:7) - First we observe the singular pronoun "I", followed by the plural pronoun "us" which is at least suggestive/supportive of the doctrine of the Trinity (tri-unity) of God. 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. This period of the Day of the Lord corresponds to the last 3.5 years ofDaniel's Seventieth Weekduring which time the Campaign of Armageddon will be waged and be brought to an abrupt termination when the King o kings returns (Rev 19:11-16-note) and defeats all of His and Israel's enemies (Rev 19:17-21-note). Solid Joys. Blue Letter Bible study tools make reading, searching and studying the Bible easy and rewarding. The threat of an Assyrian invasion forced Judah to promise heavy tribute to that eastern power. What an august revelation of the glory of Christ's Godhead was this which broke upon the view of the lowly prophet! In a word, Isaiah 6 shows that unbelief is the result of rejection of the light that is given, and that the rejection of the light in turn, in accord with the sovereign decree of God, gradually makes belief impossible. And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. We are lost in astonishment, and dare not pry into the mystery lest we be blinded by its insufferable glory. I went back to fishing for fishI thought I knew that kind of fishing better, but I find that I dont! Glory(03519)kabod means literally to be heavy or weighty (only rarely used literally), the figurative use ("heavy with sin") being more common. Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point The fishing expedition has brought in its first catch. Today in the Word - Apart from Meyou are nothing. (Jn 15:5). Eugene Rapay. GOD is honored when His truth is preached, no matter what attitude the hearers take toward it, and that Word will not return void, but will accomplish the divine purpose (Is 55:11). (Ibid), Wycliffe Bible Commentary asks "How could the prophet's impure lips repeat that angelic song? Isaiah did the same thing we would have done. Malachi In contrast, slaves had no other option but to obey their master (see, for example, Ge 24:112). (See context The MacArthur Study Bible), In summary, Jesus is the "LORD" Isaiah saw. When the boats come in, the former fishermen leave everything behind and follow Jesus. Jesus calls those who know they need to be humble before his power and presence. He was going to use him, and this applies to us also. Insensitive (08082) (shamen/saman) is a verb which means to be fat or to become fat (Dt 32:15, Neh 9:25, Jer 5:28)and is used figuratively to describe one who is self-satisfied, surfeited, lazy (Neh 9:25) and insensitive to God's plans and unreceptive of His law and will (Dt 32:15). On the surface it seems to indicate Isaiah's hardening ministry will prevent genuine repentance. 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. The representative of the grace of GOD to needy men flew swiftly to tell of His saving favor, based upon the atoning sacrifice. The Scorned Servant of Jehovah, Part 2. It is not a question of God singling out a man and saying, "Now, you go." Perhaps you accidentally stepped on a live coal from your campfire during your last vacation. His humility and awareness of his sin do not disqualify him from service; they are the prerequisite for service. Holy, holy, holy! ", Seraph - 7 OT uses - Nu 21:6, 8; Dt 8:15; Is 6:2, 6; 14:29; 30:6, In Numbers seraph is used of the fiery serpents, And the LORD sent fiery serpents (seraphim) among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. No earthly king could help Judah in that hour. (Isaiah 6:3-5 on mp3). Since God is perfectly holy and heaven is His dwelling place, it follows that heaven must be a holy place where no sin can exist. In the year of King Uzziahs death mine eyes have seen the king. (See context inThe Book of Isaiah, Chapters 139), Warren Wiersbe has an interesting thought on the significance of Isaiah 6, Anyone reading Isaiahs first two messages (Isaiah 1-5) might be inclined to ask, What right does this man have to pronounce judgment on the leaders of our land and the many worshipers in the temple? The answer is in this chapter: Isaiahs account of his call to ministry. Those are the first words spoken by Isaiah himself in his book, and they pronounce a prophetic woe upon himself. 20:12ff. (a) worship God and praise him with the heavenly hosts; (b) repent of daily sins in order to enter the presence of a holy God; (d) speak the message God gives regardless of its popularity or severity; (e) cause some to harden themselves for destruction; or. John Piper That was also the experience of Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the apostle. So why in todays reading does Gods angel touch a burning coal to Isaiahs lips? He foresaw the coming Babylonian captivity of Judah because of this departure from the Lord (39:6, 7). As King He has the right to dictate to His subjects how they are to live; indeed His very own character sets the standard for proper behavior. He does not blind the eyes of those that would fain see, and apart from His interposition, would see. The Master has a right to expect obedience. 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! J Vernon McGee explains that "It is interesting that up to this time Isaiah had never heard the call of God. MacArthur New Testament Commentary Ser. Humility and brokenness arent very popular in our culture. When he had seen God, he could see himself. To see God is to see ourselves as we really are. High on a lofty throne, in splendor bright, (This is discussed in more detail in the comments on Isa 6:9 above). Isa 6:7) and observes that the earlier generations stubbornly hardened their hearts, but Ps 81:11-12, recalling this same period, states that the Lord "gave them over to their stubborn hearts." It is one thing to condemn the saints, it is quite another to take upon ourselves the confession of their sins as ours. The third presidential term of Franklin D. Roosevelt began on January 20, 1941, when he was once again inaugurated as the 32nd president of the United States, and the fourth term of his presidency ended with his death on April 12, 1945. Israel would sprout like the terebinth (an oak-like tree from which, when cut, flows a fragrant, resinous juice) and oak trees. All we have to do is recognize that we are not very good fishermen recognize our failures and faithlessness. Micah This coal came from the altar before Gods throne--the real altar of which the earthly ones were only copies or shadows. 17 "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. David prayed for this end (and so should we considering that it is a prayer for the Lord's return and the real peace of Jerusalem! He was judged with leprosy, from which he never recovered (2 Kin. Pauline Epistles He doesn't saunter into God's presence. God does not need or want servants who think they are doing God a favor. Ezra Although the nation of Israel like a great tree might have been felled (North exiled to Assyria in 722BC, South exiled to Babylon 586BC) and therefore appear to have been completely destroyed, "a tenth" pictured as a "stump" will retain the "holy seed" (cf Isa 4:3-note), which in turn appears to picture faithful Jews who believe in their Messiah (they are part of the believing remnant), the holy seed of Abraham. Updated-Isaiah: The Promise of the Messiah (MacArthur Bible Studies) The description of God leaves no doubt that Isaiah was dealing with the Lord of heaven and earth. You will spend eternity in heaven getting to know God.. The derivative noun 'awon occurs with only the derived, abstract theological notion of the root: "infraction, crooked behavior, perversion, iniquity, etc. The text is silent. Isa 41:8; 43:5; 53:10; 59:21; 65:9; 66:22; 1Ki 19:18; Ro 11:5), but Messiah would be the ultimate holy seed (Heb. The problem with many of us today is that we don't walk in the light of the Word of God. Ironside-The divinely-sent messenger proclaimed the good news of redemption and purification from sin through Him whose one offering was pictured in the sacrifice of the altar. The joyful strain of the trumpet betokens the splendor of his triumph, leading captivity captive, and well might the clarions ring out the tidings of Emmanuels victorious return. He is waiting for us to reply, "Here am I; send me." GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. General Epistles From his viewpoint he was right, and he won the match against them. Titus He saw the angels surrounding the throne who eternally call out the reality of Gods holiness. Isaiahs attitude was brokenness in the blinding light of Gods holiness (Isa 6:5). As Kistemaker says (in his comments on Luke 5:8+) -When one is confronted with Jesus, it is impossible to remain neutral. when the Assyrians devastated the land (a situation presupposed by Isa 1:2-20; see especially Isa 6:4-9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson), Holy, holy, holy - The Seraphic attribution of holy in triplicate is the Hebrew way of denoting "intensity". zera, a collective singular; cf. Major Prophets eBOOK PDF The MacArthur Bible Commentary DOWNLOAD EBOOK - YUMPU For the first time, he sees that he's typical of his generation, whose faith was unthinking and glib. Thank you for registering. 12 "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. I realize that in this context this people represents unbelievers in Judah whose minds have been deceived and whose hearts have become hardened by continual rebellion to God's warnings. Go and tell - Beloved, these two commands should greatly encourage us because they show that although we, like Isaiah, are men and women of unclean lips, the thrice Holy God is ever willing to use vessels who are willing to be used for His holy purposes (cp 2Ti 2:21-note, Jer 15:19). We face the same question because, amazingly, this holy God has said, 'Be holy, because I am holy' (1Pe 1:16). (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments) (Bolding added), Isaiah had seen the Lord of glory, Who is none other than Jesus HimselfJesus is God, yet He is also a distinct part of the mysterious Trinity, and He is also Jesus the Son. Even today while Israel as a nation is blinded (2 Cor. But God's redeeming grace hastened to meet his need, applying to his lips a coal from the incense altar (originally from the altar of blood sacrifice; cf. though the darkness hide Thee, (The Bookends of the Christian Life-recommended read - I have read this one 3-4 times. Unfortunately, as Dr. Tony Evans points out, this "hurry up and get it" mentality has invaded the church. Stated another way, God is telling Isaiah that he would be the instrument of Judah's divinely appointed judicial hardening and spiritual blindness! But now Isaiah sees himself, because he sees God. Ex. Nashville: Thomas Nelson). Now the Evangelist takes for granted, that Isaiah saw the glory of Christ. 4:19). The sight of divine greatness and holiness makes him feel his own littleness and sinfulness. Charles Ryrie says that the glory of God"is the manifestation of any or all of His attributes. It was Jesus Who Moses experienced in the burning bush. Numbers The glory of the Lord reveals His person and dignity, and the proper response to such a revelation is to give God honor or glory (cf Ex 33:18). The nearer we are to the Lord the greater the sense of our utter unworthiness. And the Empty Tomb sings His glories: Justice is assuaged by Grace! Because of their sin which is presented in the first five chapters, they are judged by God. But none is more extraordinary than (and few are equal to) the verse to which we come now. Bible - 18 Ego Eimi (I AM) statements, like John 8:58; Bible - 27 Verses on Yahweh, Elohim(s) and The Gods; Bible - 400 NT Jesus Prophecies copied from OT; Bible - 75 Verses on drinking Wine & Alcohol; Bible - Exodus 3:14 Translations; Bible - King James (KJV) & 37 'Disputed' Verses; Bible - Lost Books of the Bible; Bible - Mark 16:9-20 Text . 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. HOLY, HOLY, HOLY Such must know for themselves the cleansing power of the blood of CHRIST if they would give effective testimony to those still in their sins. The lips are specified because of the fact that he had just seen choirs of holy creatures worshipping with pure lips. Guzik writes that "The remnant will indeed return (Ed: From Babylonian exile back to Judah), but even the remnant will eventually be judged. Since John declares that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus, it is certain that this vision was a Christophany, i.e., a preincarnate appearance of the living Lord. And clouds of smoke enwrapped the throne on high. 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. The effect of this was to confirm them in their sin, and therefore confirm them in their lost estate. All rights reserved.For details about our copyright policy, click here: https://www.gty.org/about#copyright He makes himself as we have said, visible to men, and God in him. The beams and lintels trembled at the cry, John MacArthur writes that "Isaiahs message was to be Gods instrument for hiding the truth from an unreceptive people. 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.). The MacArthur Bible Commentary - John F. MacArthur - Google Books