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“TheHolinessOfGod”Isaiah6:1-13

MessagebyMichaelJ.Barnard August14,2016TeachingAim:ToexploreIsaiah’smagnificentvisionoftheholinessofGod.TounderstandthatGodisholyandwearenot,atonementisrequiredinorderforustostandinthepresenceofaholyGod.ToseetheholinessofChristinanewlightandtounderstandthatIsaiahsawthepre-incarnateJesusinallofHisgloryinthisheavenlyvision.

DIGGINGDEEPERINTOGOD’SWORD(BIBLESTUDY)PartI:Isaiah’svisionoftheheavenlythroneroom(Isa.6:1-7)

1. Theyearwas740B.C.andKingUzziahhadjustdied,Israelwasinanationalcrisis(vs.1).Uzziahhadbeenarighteouskingthroughoutmostofhisreign,butalife-changingsinchangedallofthattowardtheendofhislife,whatwasit?(See2Chron.26:16-21)WhatothernameisKingUzziahknownbyintheBible?(See2Kin.14:21;2Chron.26:1)WhatamazingeventtookplaceasIsaiahhumblypouredouthisheartinprayertotheLord(vs.1)?

2. WhatisthesignificanceofGod’sthronebeing“highandliftedup”(vs.1)?WhatifanysignificanceistheretothelengthofGod’srobeasdescribedinverse1b?Howdoesthisdescriptionrelatetoearthlymonarchstoday?Whatmessageisbeinggiven?

3. SeraphimareakindofangelicbeingmentionedonlyhereintheBible(vs.2).WhatwastheiruniquerolebeforethethroneofGodandwhyweretheycreatedwithsixwings?WhatotherangeliccreaturesintheBiblelooksomewhatsimilartoSeraphim?(SeeGen.3:24;Ezek.1:5,11,10:1;Rev.4:6-9)

4. WhatcanwelearnaboutGodfrom“TheSongoftheSeraphim”(vs.3)?Isthereanysignificanceinthetriplerepetitionoftheword“holy”?Ifso,whatisit?WhataresomewaysthatyouseeGod’sgloryrevealedtousincreationtoday?

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5. Oneofthemostcommonreasonspeopledon’tgotochurchtodayisbecausetheyfinditboring.Doyoufindchurchboring?Ifso,why?WorshipingthelivingGodshouldnotbeboringinanyway.HowdotheinanimateobjectsoftheheavenlytemplerespondtothepresenceofGod(vs.4)?AreyoumovedwheneveryouworshipGod?Whyorwhynot?DoyoutaketimetoprepareyourheartforworshipbeforecomingtochurchonSundays?Ifso,whatdisciplinesdoyouuse?WhatwasthesmokesymbolicofinIsaiah’svision?(SeeExod.19:16-20)

6. IsaiahwasaprophetandcounselortofourofJudah’skings:Uzziah,Jotham,Ahaz,andHezekiah.Isaiahwasastatesmanandperhapsthemostrighteousmanaliveatthetime.WhatwasIsaiah’sevaluationofhimselfaftergettingaglimpseoftheholinessofGod(vs.5)?HowshouldwerespondtoGod’sholinesstoday?Why?(SeeRom.3:10-12,23)

7. Accordingtoverse5,whatdidIsaiahrealizewasaproblemareainhislife?Doyouhaveasimilarproblem?WhataresomeoftheareasinyourownlifethatyouneedtocorrectandgetrightwithGod?WhywasIsaiahsofrightenedthathislipswereuncleanandhiseyeshadseentheKing,theLORDofhosts?(SeeExod.33:20;Jam.2:10)

8. TheOldTestamentusestheEnglishword“LORD”incapitalletterstotranslate“theNameofGod”(vs.5).Whatnamedoes“LORD”represent?(SeeExod.3:1-14)Likewise,theOldTestamentusestheEnglishword“Lord”inlowercaseletterstotranslate“theTitleofGod”(vs.1).WhatnameandtitledoestheEnglishword“Lord”standfor?(SeeCommentaries)WhatcanwelearnaboutJesusfromthetranslationofthesetwowords?

9. Whatcanwelearnaboutthecoal’stemperaturebythefactthattheangelhadtousetongs(vs.6)?WhatwasthesignificanceoftheSeraphimsearingthelipsofIsaiahwithahotcoal(vs.7)?Whatisthemeaningoftheword“atonement”andwhyisitnecessaryforsintobedealtwith?(SeeDictionary)HowdoesthispurgingactoftheSeraphimtietogetherwiththeatoningworkofJesusChrist?(SeeMark10:45;Eph.5:2;Heb.9:12-15)

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PartII:Isaiah’scalltoministry(Isa.6:8-13)1. OnlyafterIsaiah’ssinswereatonedfordidGodspeak(vs.8).WhatquestiondidGodaskto

thoseinHispresence?WhoisGodspeakingtowhenHerefersto“Us”inverse8?(SeeGen.1:26;3:22;11:7)AsanexpressionofhisworshipanddevotiontoGod,howdidIsaiahrespondtoGod’srequest?AreyouwillingtorespondtothecallofGodinyourownlife,whateverthatmightbe?AreyouwillingtogoanywhereanddoanythingtheLordasksyouto?Whyorwhynot?

2. WhatunusualmissiondidGodgivetotheprophetIsaiahinverses9and10?WhatdoesitmeanforGodtobring“judicialhardening”onIsrael?Howdoes“judicialhardening”applytothesinofindividualstoday?Accordingtoverses9and10,whatwouldbetheresultofIsaiah’sfaithfulpreachingministry?

3. WhatistheLord’sresponsetoIsaiah’sconcernaboutthe“judicialhardening”ofIsraelinverse11?Theprophecyinverses11-13didfinditsfulfillmentinthe70-yearBabylonianCaptivityinwhichonlyasmallremnantsurvivedandreturnedtotheland.Whatisthe“holyseed”referredtoinverse13?(SeeIsa.7:14;Matt.1:21)Howwasthisprophecyultimatelyfulfilled?

PartIII:TheexplanationofIsaiah’svision(John12:37-41)

1. AccordingtoJohn12:37,howdidthenationofIsraelrespondtotheirMessiah?HowdidthisresponseleadtoGod’s“judicialhardening”asmentionedinIsa.53:1andIsa.6:10(vv.38-40)?

2. WhatstunninginterpretationdoestheApostleJohngiveustoIsaiah’svisioninJohn12:41?WhatdowelearnabouttheidentityofJesusChristfromthispassage?DoesthisrevelationchangeyourviewofJesusinanyway?Ifso,how?

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3. WhenJesusprayedHisHighPriestlyprayeronthenightbeforethecrucifixion,whatspecificrequestdidHemaketotheFather?(SeeJohn17:5)HowdoesthisrequesttiedirectlytothegloryofGodasseeninIsaiah6?

4. Howcanthecontinualrejectionofthegospelmessageleadtoa“judicialhardening”inpeople’sheartstoday?Whatistheonlywaytosalvationtoday?(SeeEph.2:8-9;John3:16;Acts4:12;Rom.3:23;5:8-9;6:23;Acts16:31)HaveyoureceivedJesusChristasyourSaviorandLord?Ifnot,whynotdosorightnowinprayer?

MINER’SCORNER~Mannatoliveby!

• SometimesGodrevealshimselfmostclearlytousintimesofcrisis!• Theprimarymeaningofholinessis“separateness”,meaning“thereisnootherlikeGod”;He

isOneofakindandsetapartfromeverythingHecreated.Inasecondarysense,holinessreferstopurity,especiallyGod’spurity!

• IsaiahrealizedhisownunworthinessafterseeingtheholinessofGodinhisvision!• WetooshouldbedriventoJesusChristwhenweunderstandthatGodisholyandweare

not;Jesusistheonlywaytosalvation!• OursinmustbeatonedforbeforewecancomeintoGod’spresenceandbeusedbyHim;

JesushasalreadydonethisforusonthecrosswhenwereceiveHimbygracethroughfaith!• ContinuedrejectionofGodcanleadtothe“judicialhardening”ofaperson’sheart!• TheApostleJohnrevealedthatIsaiah’svisioninchapter6wasavisionofthepre-incarnate

ChristinallofHisglory!