Sep 3, 2017
by: Jack Lash Series: God's Holy Book | Category: Scripture | Scripture: Isaiah 66:1–2
- Explanation of Isaiah 66:1–2
A. Verse one and two are parallel to one another
1. Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
2. The second half either means:
a. Why do I need your measly little temple when I have heaven as my chair and earth as my footstool?
b. Where is my home? Where do I find rest?
B. Either way, in verse 2 He is saying, “I have made all the heaven and earth. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”
1. Though I made all things, there are some things which most capture my attention.
C. “this is the one to whom I will look” Look: esteem, regard, pay attention to, look for
1. We know that “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” – Proverbs 15:3
2. God sees all, but He notices some more than others, He is impressed by some.
a. Of all the things God created, what are the things which are most precious in the eyes of God?
3. Who are those God esteems according to Isaiah?
4. First, let’s think about who the world esteems:
a. The strong, the athletic, the cool, the beautiful, the happy, the funny, the smart, the rich, the powerful? No.
(1) Luke 16:15 “For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
b. Our group: Americans?
(1) 1776: “They say that God in heaven is everybody’s God. I’ll admit that God in heaven is everybody’s God. But I tell you, John, with pride, God leans a little on the side of the Lees, the Lees of old Virginia.”
D. Humble = poor, as in poor in spirit
1. “The humble are, socially, those who are at the bottom of life’s heap, dominated by stronger forces and interests; religiously, they are those who willingly take the lowest place before God.” – Motyer
2. Those who know that in themselves they’re wretched, blind, poverty-stricken, pitiable & naked. – Revelation 3:17 “You say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.”
3. “Whoever humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt.18:4)
E. Contrite in spirit = broken
1. “They mourn the many evils they have committed. They see that their sin is hateful to God; and they have felt the bitterness of it in their own consciences. They loathe themselves for all their abominations.” — Charles Simeon
2. Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
F. Trembles at my word
1. 2Kings 22:11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
2. Moses hearing God’s voice and removing his shoes
3. Ezra 9:4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. Cf. 10:3
4. “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42).
5. 1Thessalonians 2:13 “We also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”
G. This, then, is what looms large before the Lord’s gaze: our lowliness before him in worship, our self-awareness and our painstaking sensitivity to his word. – Motyer
H. In this passage, these things are not being contrasted with atheism but with religiosity. Often the religious ones are the most proud and hypocritical.
1. But the Lord doesn’t have esteem for them. In fact, He despises the proud. And He gives grace to the humble. And here, the humble are those who tremble at God’s word.
II. What does it mean to have a humble, broken, trembling heart before God’s word in terms of our relationship with the Bible?
A. It means giving it attention.
1. You can’t tremble at God’s word if you’re never at God’s word.
2. Place of priority in your life
3. Schedule, budget, thoughts
4. Psalm 1:2 “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.”
B. Listening intently.
1. Asking questions, seeking understanding
2. Wanting to make sure to get it right.
3. Not regarding your own opinion.
C. It means listening to the threatenings of God like Josiah who tore his robes, but trembling isn’t only out of fear. It can be out of respect, like if you met your favorite celebrity. Or it could be out of handling something precious. Imagine handling the Hope Diamond.
1. Is there something so precious that you would tremble if you ever had a chance to handle it, or someone so special or so admired that you would tremble to meet him/her? How about your favorite singer singing your favorite song to you personally?
2. It means giving attention to the promises of God in His word with eagerness & wonder.
D. It means savoring it. Rejoicing in it. Enjoying it. It means weeping tears over it.
E. Even though everyone else around them laughs and mocks the words of God as old-fashioned and ridiculous, they would rather lose every friend in the world rather than lose connection with their Friend in heaven.
F. It means attending to the word of God preached.
1. To take it to heart
2. Carefully considering the passage and its application
3. But also carefully considering the reasoning of the explanation of the passage.
4. Praying for the preacher — for your own sake
5. Giving him feedback to help him more faithfully teach and proclaim the word.
6. “Beware of sitting back in church and rating the service, evaluating how it suits you.” – Ortlund
III. What does it mean that God looks upon such as these? He “looks to” these, in a far different manner from others. This implies:
A. Approval
1. In spite of what some say, Jesus didn’t come to help mankind feel better about itself.
2. Jesus rarely – if ever – expressed approval of His disciples.
3. But He did express approval of some others. Jesus was impressed by faith:
a. Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.”
b. Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
c. Including the prodigal son, the rejoicing over the lost being found
d. The thief on the cross: “This very day you will be with Me in paradise.” Why?
(1) Recognized his sin
(2) Recognized Jesus his only hope for salvation
(3) I’m sure he trembled at these words of Jesus
e. Though so exalted in himself, Jesus did not fail to notice people like this.
4. And so it is with us today, who are humble and contrite and who tremble at His word. God sees.
a. You don’t have to be conspicuous — Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus
B. Care
1. Wherever they go, his eye is upon them for good.
2. He watches over them to deliver them from danger.
3. He watches over them to comfort them in trouble.
4. He watches over them to meet their needs.
5. He watches over them to lead them to happiness and glory.
C. Delight
1. There are none on earth so pleasing to God as broken-hearted sinners. Their sighs and groans are music to his ears. Their tears he treasures up as His precious possession.
2. He dwells with them as His dearest friends. He rejoices over them and sings over them as a people in whom He greatly delights.
3. While on earth He saves them by the unceasing exercise of his power.
4. And He prepares a place for them in eternity where they will receive His rich inheritance.
5. Now someone might say, “Wouldn’t God be even more pleased with someone who wasn’t a sinner at all?” And the answer would be YES. However, only One like that has ever lived, and God said of Him, “This is My Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” (Matt.3:17, 17:5)
6. And ultimately the reason God can be pleased with broken-hearted sinners today is because He sees them in His perfectly righteous Son, because in coming to Him, they are united with Him and just as He takes on their sin, they take on His righteousness.
IV. Unfortunately, there are not many on this earth who are humble, contrite in spirit and who tremble at God’s word.
A. Most are like Psalm 32:9 “Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.”
1. They won’t listen to God’s word, so He has to use 2x4's.
B. But the fact that there are few does not make them any less the objects of God’s love and esteem.
1. Even if there was only one person like this in the whole world, God would notice that person. And nothing could distract God’s attention away from that one, not all the problems of the world, not all the splendor of heaven, not all the worship of the angels! And if that person was despised by the entire human race, yet God’s love for that one would not be diminished but increased. And He would make sure that that person would not go without any good thing in this life or in eternity.
C. Why such affection? Because they get it. They get the greatness of their sin, and the highness of God, and the awesomeness of the word of God. So few get it, but they do!