Bible Study for Today

Describe Isaiah’s vision of heaven.

In Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah says that he “saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up.” The prophet became unconscious of the outside world and with his inner eye saw what God revealed to him. This experience recalls the experience of John’s prophetic vision in Revelation 4:1–11. The throne was greatly elevated, emphasizing the Most High God. His “train” refers to the hem or fringe of the Lord’s glorious robe that filled the temple. Though Isaiah may have been at the earthly temple, this describes a vision which transcends the earthly. The throne of God is in the heavenly temple (Rev. 4:1–6; 5:1–7; 11:19; 15:5–8).

The seraphim above the throne (v. 2) are an order of angelic creatures who bear a similarity to the 4 living creatures of Revelation 4:6, which in turn resemble the cherubim of Ezekiel 10:1ff. “Six wings.” Two wings covered the faces of the seraphim because they dared not gaze directly at God’s glory. Two covered their feet, acknowledging their lowliness even though engaged in divine service. With two they flew in serving the One on the throne. Thus, 4 wings related to worship, emphasizing the priority of praise.

“One cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy’ ” (v. 3). The seraphs were speaking to each other in antiphonal praise. The primary thrust of the 3-fold repetition of God’s holiness is to emphasize God’s separateness from and independence of His fallen creation, though it implies secondarily that God is 3 Persons. The earth is the worldwide display of His immeasurable glory, perfections, and attributes as seen in creation (Rom. 1:20). Fallen man has nevertheless refused to glorify Him as God (Rom. 1:23). “And the posts of the door were shaken…smoke” (v. 4). The shaking and smoke symbolize God’s holiness as it relates to His wrath and judgment (Ex. 19:16–20; Rev. 15:8).

Isaiah’s vision made him painfully aware of his sin and broke him; in this way God has prepared him for his cleansing and his commission. “Woe is me…I am a man of unclean lips” (v. 5). If the lips are unclean, so is the heart. This vision of God’s holiness vividly reminded the prophet of his own unworthiness which deserved judgment. Job (Job 42:6) and Peter (Luke 5:8) came to the same realization about themselves when confronted with the presence of the Lord (Ezek. 1:28–2:7; Rev. 1:17). The hot coal taken from the altar of incense in heaven (Rev. 8:3–5) is emblematic of God’s purifying work (v. 6). Repentance is painful. Spiritual cleansing for special service to the Lord, not salvation, is in view (v. 8).

Reading for Today:

Isaiah 5:1–6:13Psalm 105:23-36Proverbs 24:28-291 Corinthians 15:29-58

Notes:

Isaiah 5:2 good grapes,…wild grapes. The owner made every conceivable provision for the vine’s productivity and protection, illustrating the Lord’s purely gracious choice of Israel. Justifiably, He expected a good yield from His investment, but the vine’s produce was “sour berries,” inedible and fit only for dumping.

1 Corinthians 15:29 This difficult verse has numerous possible interpretations. Other Scripture passages, however, clarify certain things which it does not mean. It does not teach, for example, that a dead person can be saved by another person’s being baptized on his behalf, because baptism never has a part in a person’s salvation (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 3:28; 4:3; 6:3, 4). A reasonable view seems to be that “they…who are baptized” refers to living believers who give outward testimony to their faith in baptism by water because they were first drawn to Christ by the exemplary lives, faithful influence, and witness of believers who had subsequently died. Paul’s point is that, if there is no resurrection and no life after death, then why are people coming to Christ to follow the hope of those who have died?

1 Corinthians 15:42b–44 Focusing directly on the resurrection body, Paul gives 4 sets of contrasts to show how the new body will differ from the present one (v. 54; Phil. 3:20, 21):1) no more sickness and death (“corruption”); 2) no more shame because of sin (“dishonor”); 3) no more frailty in temptation (“weakness”); and 4) no more limits to the time/space sphere (“natural”).

1 Corinthians 15:52 twinkling of an eye. This was Paul’s way of showing how brief the “moment” will be. The Greek word for “twinkling” refers to any rapid movement. Since the eye can move more rapidly than any other part of our visible bodies, it seems to well illustrate the sudden transformation of raptured believers. trumpet will sound. To herald the end of the church era, when all believers will be removed from the earth at the rapture (1 Thess. 4:16). dead…raised. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, they are first and the living saints follow.