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Expanded Comments | Additional Comments |
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| 1 In the year of the death of king Uzziah, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. |
In the year – When Isaiah was commissioned to announce the fall of Israel. R2379:2
I saw Isaiah, representing the living saints. R530:4*
The vision was given to Isaiah to encourage him and to lead him to volunteer to be the bearer of a new and difficult message. R2371:1
Present Truth, now provided by our present Lord, affords his faithful a waking vision of the Lord's glory never conceived of before through the eye of faith. R2372:4
The Lord – Adonai, Jesus, "The Messenger of the Covenant." (Mal. 3:1) E48
Upon a throne – Representing the majesty of God, his greatness and glory. R2371:1
The vision is a prophecy of the future establishment of the Kingdom of God during the Millennium. R2371:2
Instead of the Holy and Most Holy and their furnishings. R4787:2
High and lifted up – The representative of Jehovah might well be saluted with praise in the name of the Father whom he represented. E48
In the light of his glory, the majesty and tinsel grandeur of earthly kings will be veriest dross. R2371:2
His train – Of followers. R4787:2
The temple – The Christ. T70
The Temple at Jerusalem, otherwise called the house of Jehovah, was the scene of the vision. R4787:2
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The Lord – Adonai, Christ.
Sitting upon a throne – He has come to reign.
Train – This word (Strong's 7757) in every other case is used as Hem or skirt. The thought here seems to be that the full number of the body of Christ has been completed. In other words, we are looking from 1881 forward.
Filled the temple – "Ye are the temple of the living God." (2 Cor. 6:16) This seems to support the use of the word hem (train) in this verse as indicating 1881. |
| 2 Seraphim were standing above him: each had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he flew. |
The seraphims – Supporting, or carrying the throne or chariot of Jehovah, as in Ezek. 1:5-16 and Ezek. 10:1-21. R529:6*
On either side of him, as representing the divine attributes, stood the four seraphim. R4787:2
Always connected with the immediate presence or Throne of God. R529:6*
Fundamental attributes of God: Power, Wisdom, Justice and Love. R529:6*, R2372:4
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Seraphims – The four attributes of God. This becomes evident both by their description and by what they say.
Each one had six wings – The same as the four "beasts" or "living creatures" of Rev. 4:8 which picture the four attributes of God.
Apparently in the original Hebrew text the phrase "six wings" is actually doubled, i.e., "six wings six wings."
With twain he covered – Covering with wings reminds us of the protection from the Father and the Son indicated in scripture. See Ruth 2:12; Psa. 17:8; 36:7; 91:4; Matt. 23:37; Luke 13:34.
His face – His favor. This is hidden from man (covered) to such an extent that many look at Jehovah as being a cruel God and they look to His Son as being the one who is on their side, intervening with God and assuaging His wrath against man. These do not see the true loving God that the Lord's people are privileged to see, thus His face is hidden from them.
With twain he covered his feet – Two possibilities here (both could be true).1) The feet members of the body of Christ are protected. 2) All the members are protected, as new creatures, in order to walk the narrow way (indicated by the 'feet').
This could also indicate that the 'feet' members are hidden (covered) from man.
Another possibility is that the feet is representative of the fact that God has, through His son, opened a new and living way in which the followers of Jesus can walk the narrow way - indicated by the feet. As these feet are covered by two wings it indicates these are hidden from sight. Even so the New Creation walking the narrow way are hidden from the sight of the world.
With twain he did fly – (Possibly) Old and New Testaments. God's word. |
| 3 And one called to the other and said, Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! |
Cried unto another – Two of the seraphim. R4787:2
Holy, holy, holy – Repeating the word has an intensifying effect, signifying superlatively holy, most holy. R2371:2
Indicating that all of God's attributes are in perfect harmony. R530:4*, R2372:4
Is the LORD – Jehovah, represented by "The Messenger." E48
The whole earth – Had Israel accepted Jesus as the King of glory at his first advent, the Kingdom would have been established forthwith with them. R4787:2
Full of his glory – "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord." (Hab. 2:14) B99
Only from the prophetic standpoint, for it has never yet been true. The earth is now full of sin, violence and every evil work. R2371:2
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One cried unto another – This would seem to be two of God's attributes. We may not be to sure here but one logical conclusion seems to be that these are the attributes of love and power. This is arrived at by the fact that the attributes shown in the ark of the covenant that are represented by the two cherubim (who also have wings) are love and power.
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts – This is exactly what the 4 living creatures of Rev. 4:6-8 say. This confirms that the seraphim here represent the 4 attributes of God.
This three-fold expression gives extreme force to their declaration of the true character of God's holiness. This holiness is manifest by the complete cooperative work of His 4 attributes of justice, wisdom, love and power.
The whole earth – Organized society under religious restraint. See R498
Is full of his glory – It is full of his glory because Christ has returned. There is nothing here that says the whole earth recognizes this fact. The glory of the Lord is (primarily) The Truth, i.e., that which gives God the glory, or that which reveals His glory. Nothing does this like Present Truth. |
| 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. |
The posts of the door – The Jewish nation, the doorway to this glory. R4787:3
Moved – The shaking of anything, in a typical sense, represents its instability, its removal. The Jewish nation was removed from its favored position. R4787:3
Indicating the unreadiness of the world to receive the message. R4787:3
Filled with smoke – An obscuring haze filled the Temple, dimming the glory indicating an unpreparedness for the glory of the Lord. R4787:2
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The posts of the door moved – This indicates the entrance into the temple has moved. St. Paul declares that when something is so shaken it signifies the removal of that thing (Heb. 12:27). The door to the (nominal) temple, that which had been up to that time, the "gateway to God" has been be moved.
Prior to this time one could come to God through the nominal temple, but no more. For one to come to God they must go to where He has put His spirit. The Truth (power of spirit-begettal - James 1:18) no longer eminates from the nominal temple.
The voice of him that cried – Note here it is the voice of him, not them. In this context, who cried? It was one seraphim crying to another.
The house – The nominal temple, the nominal church.
Filled with smoke – From the Glory of God, the truth. The old saying is a good fit here, "Where there's smoke there's fire." The old order of things (and especially the religious element) is being burned up. The resulting smoke causes much confusion. This is easily understood when we realize that it is the spread of Present Truth that causes the keepers of the old doctrinal errors to have to try to come up with new ways to keep their patrons from leaving. As they attempt to combat the truth, the confusion (smoke) of error becomes more and more manifest. |
| 5 And I said, Woe unto me! for I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts. |
Woe is me! – Lamenting his own unholiness, imperfection and unworthiness. R2371:3
Those who see the divine glories, majesty and perfection most distinctly feel their own blemishes, shortcomings and unworthiness more than do others. R2371:3
Whoever has a deep humility of heart, knowing of his own demerits and of God's perfection, can be blessed in the divine service. R2371:3
I am undone – This was the effect of Jesus' teaching upon the holy ones of Israel who received his message. They humbled themselves before the Lord, acknowledging their unfitness to be teachers. R4787:5
Of unclean lips – The Jewish nation, and all others, were imperfect; and any message they would carry would be imperfect. R4787:5
Have seen the King – Jehovah, represented by the "Messenger." (Mal. 3:1) E48
Jehovah, the King above all kings, ultimately to be revealed to the whole world. R2371:1
Just such a view and message is now granted to the Lord's servants who see the divine character of wisdom, justice, love and power as never before. R2372:4
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Then said I – Isaiah here pictures the Lord's people. When the saints see what is going on (as described in vs. 1-4) they realize the magnificance of the plan of God. What follows is the characteristic reaction of all the Lord's people when they come to this realization.
Mine eyes – Which are able to see with the eye of faith.
Have seen the king – Our Lord at His Second Advent. |
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| 6 And one of the seraphim flew unto me, and he had in his hand a glowing coal, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; |
A live coal – Enkindling the Gospel age invitation, "Present your bodies living sacrifices." (Rom. 12:1) R4787:6
The altar – Of sacrifice. R4787:6
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One of the seraphims – One of the Four attributes of God (see Additional Comments vs. 3), i.e., Justice (as in Rev. 15:7,8; Eze. 10:14.) |
| 7 and he made it touch my mouth, and said, Behold, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin expiated. |
Touched thy lips – You, Isaiah, shall be granted powers of speech and words beyond your natural ability, inspired by the Lord. R2371:4
Some today have the opportunity of being mouthpieces of God by being touched with an antitypical coal-the consecration of the great sacrifice. R2372:4
When the hot coal touches our lips, we are ready to answer, "Send me." R530:4*
The saintly ones during this Gospel age have had the required blessing upon their lips. R4787:5
Iniquity is taken away – The message of Rom. 12:1 has not only taught a cleansing from sin, but a service to God. R4787:6
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| 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? And I said, Here am I; send me. |
Voice of the Lord – Adonai, the "Messenger," Christ. (Mal. 3:1) E48
Whom shall I send – God has sent the invitation to sacrifice to all who have an ear to hear. R4787:6
Here am I – The sanctified, typical of God's holy people. R4787:6
Send me – All soldiers of the cross must be volunteers-none will be drafted. R2371:5
These pray that the Lord will grant them a privilege of doing all that their talents will fit them to do in his service. R2371:5
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| 9 And he said, Go; and thou shalt say unto this people, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive. |
And he said – Quoted by the Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul as further applicable to Israel at the first advent to the sending of salvation to the Gentiles. (Matt. 13:13-17; John 1:12; Acts 28:16-31; Rom 11:5-11) R2371:6, R1435:3*, R1742:1
Since natural Israel is a type of nominal spiritual Israel, we find a somewhat similar message due to the spiritual house now in the end of this age. R2371:6
Understand not – The message of this Isaiah class would be unpopular, resented, not favorably received. R2372:1, R4787:6
"That seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand." (Mark 4:12) R1742:1
For delivering this message, tradition says Isaiah was sawn asunder. R2371:6
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| 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and healed. |
Make the heart – "Declare fat the heart of this people, its ears heavy, its eyes dazzled, etc." (Young's translation) R530:5*
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| 11 And I said, Lord, how long? And he said, Until the cities be wasted, without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land become an utter desolation, |
How long? – Israel's experiences are used as the measuring line to show when the completion of the Church will be accomplished. R4787:6
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| 12 and Jehovah have removed men far away, and the solitude be great in the midst of the land. |
Removed men – Not long after, the ten tribes were carried away into captivity; Judah's share in the captivity coming about 150 years later. R2371:6
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| 13 But a tenth part shall still be therein, and it shall return and be eaten; as the terebinth and as the oak whose trunk remaineth after the felling: the holy seed shall be the trunk thereof. |
Holy seed – The Ancient Worthies, the earthly representatives of Messiah's Kingdom. R4788:1[R4787]
To these princes will be gathered the faithful, loyal, holy of the Jews. R4788:1
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