Isaiah 57:15 - The God The Heavens Can't Contain Dwells In Every Humble Heart.
Isa. 57:15; The God The Heavens Can't Contain Dwells In Every
Humble And Repentant Heart.
Isa 57:15 (KJV) For thus saith the high and lofty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy
place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive
the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite
ones.
Isa 57:15 (NIV) For this is what the high and lofty One says--
he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and
holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to
revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Isa 57:15 (TEV) "I am the high and holy God, who lives forever.
I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who
are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and
hope.
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
This verse presents the classic statement in Scripture of the
two dwelling places of God. [Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
Where does God live? The Bible often describes heaven as God's
home (Matt. 6:9). It also speaks of God living among or within his
people (John 1:14). Here Isaiah combines both ideas in a beautiful way:
God lives in heaven, but he also lives with humble people to give
them hope and confidence. [Quest SB]
WORD STUDY WITH COMMENTARY
The High And Lofty One:
The most high and the most exalted being in the universe.
(Barnes' Notes)
There is no creature like him, nor any to be compared with him.
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Inhabits Eternity:
Literally, "dwells forever." These sublime words characterize
God as the Eternal One. [SDA Commentary]
He dwells in eternity-where time is unknown. (Barnes' Notes)
High And Holy Place:
That is, the highest heaven. [SDA Commentary]
Contrite And Humble:
Contrition and humility--the spirit of sincere repentance for
sin, coupled with a sense of one's inability, of oneself, to earn
salvation - are the two essential qualifications for acceptance with God.
Contrition prepares the way for justification, as humility does for
sanctification. God can do little for the man who does not feel a keen sense of
his own need and who does not reach out for power from above. [SDA
Commentary]
Contriteness or sadness over one's spiritual state is a mark of
one who seeks God's face. Such contriteness will be honored by God's
comforting presence. [Disciple SB]
God, although high and exalted, stoops to be with the lowly.
Lowly here is not a social attribute, such as poverty. It is an inner
attitude of humility, of simple trust in and responsiveness to God. If
this is our attitude, God will stoop to be with us, always. [Victor
Bible Reader's Companion]
To Revive the Spirit:
Literally, 'to make alive.' (Barnes' Notes)
To restore life to that which is spiritually dead (lit., cause
to live). [Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
He will give them reviving joys and hopes sufficient to
counterbalance all the griefs and fears that break their spirits. He dwells
with them, and his presence is reviving. (Matthew Henry's
Commentary)
The life in which the fear of the Lord is cherished will not be
a life of sadness and gloom. It is the absence of Christ that
makes the countenance sad, and the life a pilgrimage of sighs. Those
who are filled with self-esteem and self-love do not feel the need
of a living, personal union with Christ. The heart that has not
fallen on the Rock is proud of its wholeness. Men want a dignified
religion. They desire to walk in a path wide enough to take in their own
attributes. Their self-love, their love of popularity and love of praise,
exclude the Saviour from their hearts, and without Him there is gloom
and sadness. But Christ dwelling in the soul is a wellspring of joy.
COL162
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Comforting thought, that One so great as God cares about us and
condescends to dwell in our hearts by faith. However insignificant we may be
in our own sight, it is our privilege to be recipients of Heaven's
greatest gifts. [SDA Commentary]
While God is great in power and authority, exalted far above
humans, He is also a God of grace, a God of love, who draws people to
Himself. [Disciple SB]
The stumblingblock is an unrepentant and idolatrous heart.
[Wycliffe Bible Commentary]
God calls us, invites us and even commands us, but God does not
control our response. We alone bear responsibility for the choices we
make. [Life Recovery Devotional SB]
When we come to him with humility, admitting that we still
struggle with many of our short-comings, he refreshes us and gives us the
courage we need to go on. He isn't put off by the things we do. He sees
what we do, but chooses to heal us anyway! He'll keep leading us
toward recovery, one step at a time. [Life Recovery SB]
The high and holy God came down to our level to save us because
it is impossible for us to go up to his level to save ourselves.
[Life Application SB]
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