The cost of flying high: vigilance

High? You bet it is!  To the moon... well, not a chance!!!  Its just photographic trickery, but it is nice to think about such things!!!  This picture reminds me of the song Frank Sinatra sang a long time ago.... "Fly me to the moon".  Filled with metaphors and allusions to love it is an interesting exercise into saying one thing and meaning another.  As a Christian I am also reminded of heaven and marvel at what it must be like there.  And so we come to Paul's second letter to the Corinthians...

WEB: II Corinthians Chapter 12

[1] It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. [2] I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven. [3] I know such a man (whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don’t know; God knows), [4] how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. [5] On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses. [6] For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me. [7] By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. [8] Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. [9] He has said to me, "“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”" Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Three heavens?  The early Christians thought of heaven as first, the air around us; that which we can see as far as the clouds.  Second, the stars in the sky and lastly, that abode beyond the stars where God is.  The first two I understand easily, but the last one is a bit more difficult.  Paul was a bit overwhelmed by the vision, so it must have been magnificent.  So wonderful in fact that he was given a "thorn in the flesh" in order that he would not be "exalted excessively".   I guess I will never truly understand what Paul say (until I actually see him) but I do understand a little about the "thorn in the flesh" business.  Sometimes, the closer you get to God, the more Satan works on you.  Its as if the higher you fly to God, the more you are in Satan's cross-hairs.  I guess everything has its price, even growing closer to the Almighty.  As for me, I intend to fly as high as I can, (even to the moon, if you will) but I also intend to be watchful because my soul is at stake.

Mar. 28 Leviticus 11, 12

Mar. 28

Leviticus 11, 12

Lev 11:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them,

Lev 11:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'These are the living things which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.

Lev 11:3 Whatever parts the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat.

Lev 11:4 " 'Nevertheless these you shall not eat of those that chew the cud, or of those who part the hoof: the camel, because he chews the cud but doesn't have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you.

Lev 11:5 The coney, because he chews the cud but doesn't have a parted hoof, he is unclean to you.

Lev 11:6 The hare, because she chews the cud but doesn't part the hoof, she is unclean to you.

Lev 11:7 The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you.

Lev 11:8 Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you.

Lev 11:9 " 'These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that you may eat.

Lev 11:10 All that don't have fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of all the living creatures that are in the waters, they are an abomination to you,

Lev 11:11 and you detest them. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses.

Lev 11:12 Whatever has no fins nor scales in the waters, that is an abomination to you.

Lev 11:13 " 'These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the vulture, and the black vulture,

Lev 11:14 and the red kite, any kind of black kite,

Lev 11:15 any kind of raven,

Lev 11:16 the horned owl, the screech owl, and the gull, any kind of hawk,

Lev 11:17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl,

Lev 11:18 the white owl, the desert owl, the osprey,

Lev 11:19 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe, and the bat.

Lev 11:20 " 'All flying insects that walk on all fours are an abomination to you.

Lev 11:21 Yet you may eat these: of all winged creeping things that go on all fours, which have legs above their feet, with which to hop on the earth.

Lev 11:22 Even of these you may eat: any kind of locust, any kind of katydid, any kind of cricket, and any kind of grasshopper.

Lev 11:23 But all winged creeping things which have four feet, are an abomination to you.

Lev 11:24 " 'By these you will become unclean: whoever touches the carcass of them shall be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:25 Whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:26 " 'Every animal which parts the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor chews the cud, is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean.

Lev 11:27 Whatever goes on its paws, among all animals that go on all fours, they are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:28 He who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you.

Lev 11:29 " 'These are they which are unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard,

Lev 11:30 the gecko, and the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink, and the chameleon.

Lev 11:31 These are they which are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead, shall be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:32 On whatever any of them falls when they are dead, it shall be unclean; whether it is any vessel of wood, or clothing, or skin, or sack, whatever vessel it is, with which any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it will be clean.

Lev 11:33 Every earthen vessel, into which any of them falls, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break it.

Lev 11:34 All food which may be eaten, that on which water comes, shall be unclean; and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.

Lev 11:35 Everything whereupon part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether oven, or range for pots, it shall be broken in pieces: they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.

Lev 11:36 Nevertheless a spring or a cistern in which water is a gathered shall be clean: but that which touches their carcass shall be unclean.

Lev 11:37 If part of their carcass falls on any sowing seed which is to be sown, it is clean.

Lev 11:38 But if water is put on the seed, and part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

Lev 11:39 " 'If any animal, of which you may eat, dies; he who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:40 He who eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening. He also who carries its carcass shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening.

Lev 11:41 " 'Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth is an abomination. It shall not be eaten.

Lev 11:42 Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, even all creeping things that creep on the earth, them you shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

Lev 11:43 You shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creeps, neither shall you make yourselves unclean with them, that you should be defiled thereby.

Lev 11:44 For I am Yahweh your God. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am holy: neither shall you defile yourselves with any kind of creeping thing that moves on the earth.

Lev 11:45 For I am Yahweh who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

Lev 11:46 " 'This is the law of the animal, and of the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters, and of every creature that creeps on the earth,

Lev 11:47 to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten.' "

Lev 12:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Lev 12:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'If a woman conceives, and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her monthly period she shall be unclean.

Lev 12:3 In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Lev 12:4 She shall continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any holy thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed.

Lev 12:5 But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her period; and she shall continue in the blood of purification sixty-six days.

Lev 12:6 " 'When the days of her purification are completed, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the door of the Tent of Meeting, a year old lamb for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering:

Lev 12:7 and he shall offer it before Yahweh, and make atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the fountain of her blood. " 'This is the law for her who bears, whether a male or a female.

Lev 12:8 If she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.' "

"THE BOOK OF ISAIAH" Isaiah's Vision Of The Holy God (6) by Mark Copeland

 "THE BOOK OF ISAIAH"

                  Isaiah's Vision Of The Holy God (6)

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS SECTION

1) To examine Isaiah's vision of God sitting on His throne

2) To consider how God hardens the hearts of those who refuse to hear

3) To note that desolation and captivity would be themes of Isaiah's
   prophecy

SUMMARY

The sixth chapter contains Isaiah's Vision Of The Holy God.  It is
commonly thought the vision served as his commission to be a prophet of
God and thus marks the beginning of his ministry.  Others believe it
came to him after years of preaching and was designed to deepen his
spirituality (ISBE).  If it occurred at the beginning of his ministry,
Isaiah may have delayed its mention to stress his message rather than
himself as prophet.

The significance of the vision merits careful examination.  The first
section can be described as The Prophet's Vision, in which Isaiah
describes the revelation of the Lord of hosts exalted in the temple and
praised by seraphim (6:1-4).  The second section depicts The Prophet's
Reaction as his consciousness of guilt fills him with despair in what he
has seen (6:5).  In the third section, we read of The Prophet's
Absolution in which he is purged from his sin (6:6-7).  The final
section reveals The Prophet's Commission as Isaiah first accepts the
call for service and then told what the Lord would have him say to the
people.  The prospect for success appears dim for he is being sent to a
hardhearted people, but the vision closes on a promising note regarding
the holy seed (6:8-13).  What is noteworthy is that the apostle John
says that in this vision Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus Christ (Jn
12:37-41)!

OUTLINE

I. THE PROPHET'S VISION - REVELATION (6:1-4)

   A. THE DATE OF THE VISION...
      1. In the year King Uzziah died - 6:1a
      2. This would be about 740-739 B.C.
         a. Many believe this vision was the prophet's first call to
            preach
         b. If so, then Isaiah's ministry spanned nearly 50 years

   B. THE LORD IN THE VISION...
      1. Sitting on a throne, high and lifted up - 6:1b
      2. The train of His robe filling the temple (Solomon's temple?)
         - 6:1c

   C. THE SERAPHIM IN THE VISION...
      1. Their position - 6:2a
         a. Standing above the throne - cf. NKJV, KJV
         b. Or above the Lord - cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV
         c. Or around Him - cf. the Septuagint
      2. Their wings - 6:2b
         a. Each had six wings
         b. Two covered their faces, two covered their feet, with two
            they flew
         c. Not to be confused with 'cherubim' (cf. Eze 10:1-22)
            1) Cherubim were below the throne; seraphim were above it
            2) Cherubim primarily provided transportation; seraphim
               offered praise
            3) "The most that can be said with certainty about the
               seraphim is that they were a separate group of attendants
               who praised God at His throne" - ISBE (revised)
      3. Their praise - 6:3
         a. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is
            full of His glory!"
         b. "The threefold recital of 'holy' probably indicates the
            absolute holiness of Him who sits on the throne" - Hailey

   D. THE AUDIOVISUALS IN THE VISION...
      1. The posts of the door shaken by the voice of the seraphim
         - 6:4a
      2. The house was filled with smoke - 6:4b
         a. The smoke may have been part of the 'Shekinah' or
            'glory-cloud'
         b. Which was often a manifestation of the presence of God - cf.
            Exo 40:34-38; 1Ki 8:10-11; Eze 10:4; Re 15:8

II. THE PROPHET'S REACTION - PROSTRATION (6:5)

   A. HIS DESPAIR...
      1. "Woe is me, for I am undone!" - 6:5a
      2. Compare with others who had similar visions
         a. Ezekiel (fell on his face) - Ezek 1:28
         b. Daniel (lost all strength, face on the ground) - Dan 10:5-10
         c. John (fell as dead) - Re 1:17

   B. HIS CONSCIOUSNESS OF GUILT...
      1. "Because I am a man of unclean lips" - 6:5b
      2. "And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" - 6:5c
      3. "This expression evidently denotes that he was a 'sinner,' and
         especially that he was unworthy either to join in the praise of
         a God so holy, or to deliver a message in his name." - Barnes

   C. HIS REASON FOR HIS DESPAIR...
      1. "For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts" - 6:5d
      2. Perhaps he was mindful of Exo 33:20 ("for no man shall see Me,
         and live")
      3. How do we reconcile other statements like it? - cf. Jn 1:18;
         6:46; 1Ti 6:16; 1Jn 4:12
         a. What Isaiah saw was just a 'vision'
         b. Yet it appeared to him as real, and he reacted accordingly

III. THE PROPHET'S ABSOLUTION - PURIFICATION (6:6-7)

   A. APPROACHED BY A SERAPHIM...
      1. One of the seraphim flew to him - 6:6a
      2. In his hand a live coal taken with tongs from the altar - 6:6b
      3. If this was in the literal temple, then the altar was likely
         the 'altar of incense'

   B. PURGED OF HIS SIN...
      1. The seraphim touch Isaiah's mouth with the coal - 6:7a
      2. His iniquity is declared taken away and his sin purged - 6:7b
      3. He could now offer acceptable service to the Lord - cf. Ps 51:
         12-15

IV. THE PROPHET'S COMMISSION - CONSECRATION (6:8-13)

   A. THE LORD'S QUESTION AND ISAIAH'S RESPONSE...
      1. "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" - 6:8a
         a. The 'Us' may reflect the triune nature of the Godhead
         b. Compare Gen 1:26; Jn 1:1; 12:39-41
      2. "Here am I! Send me." - 6:8b
         a. Free from guilt, Isaiah has no fear in serving the Lord
         b. If we really believe our sins are forgiven, would we
            hesitate to go and do whatever or wherever the Lord would
            have us?

   B. THE COMMISSION GIVEN TO ISAIAH...
      1. The charge - 6:9-10
         a. What to tell the people
            1) "Keep on hearing, but do not understand;"
            2) "Keep on seeing, but do not perceive."
         b. What effect this will have on the people
            1) "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears
               heavy, And shut their eyes;"
            2) "Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears,
               And understand with their heart, And return and be
               healed."
         c. Isaiah was to preach, but God knew their hearts would only
            harden
            1) Jesus dealt with people who had similar hearts - cf. Mt
               13:13-15
            2) Then why preach?
               a) So those with hardened hearts will know on the day of
                  judgment just how hard their hearts really were!
               b) As we shall see, there is always a 'remnant' who will
                  accept the word
      2. The term - 6:11-12
         a. Isaiah asks "How long?" - 6:11a
         b. The Lord's response 6:11a-12
            1) "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant"
            2) "The houses are without a man, The land is utterly
               desolate,"
            3) "The Lord has removed men far away, And the forsaken
               places are many in the midst of the land."
         c. I.e., until the day of judgment has come and passed; in
            Isaiah's day, until cities are destroyed and people taken
            captive
      3. The remnant and holy seed - 6:13
         a. A remnant shall return and be for consuming, like the stump
            of a tree cut down
         b. The stump shall contain the holy seed (the faithful remnant)
            - cf. Ro 11:5

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION

1) What vision does the sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah contain?
   - Isaiah's Vision Of The Holy God

2) What purpose did the vision serve?  What does it tell us about
   Isaiah's ministry? (6:1)
   - To call Isaiah and commission him as a prophet of God
   - That his ministry began in the year King Uzziah died

3) What did Isaiah see? Where was it? (6:1)
   - The Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; in the temple

4) What stood above or around the Lord? What did one say to another?
   (6:2-3)
   - Seraphim, each with six wings
   - "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of
     His glory!"

5) What sounds and sights accompanied the voice of the one who cried
   out? (6:4)
   - The posts of the door were shaken; the house was filled with smoke

6) What was Isaiah's reaction?  Why did he feel this way? (6:5)
   - "Woe is me, for I am undone!"
   - He was a man of unclean lips (i.e., a sinner), living in the midst
     of others like him

7) How was Isaiah assured that his sin was purged? (6:6-7)
   - A seraphim took a live coal and touched his mouth with it, telling
     him that his iniquity was removed

8) What did Isaiah hear the Lord say?  How did he respond? (6:8)
   - "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?"; "Here am I! Send me."

9) What was Isaiah to tell the people? What was he to do by such
   preaching? (6:9)
   - Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not
     perceive.
   - Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut
     their eyes

10) How long was Isaiah to proclaim his message? (6:11-12)
   - Until the land was desolate and the Lord has removed people far
     away

11) What small ray of hope was revealed to Isaiah in this vision? (6:13)
   - A tenth (remnant) shall remain in the land, though for burning; the
     holy seed will be in the stump