Understanding God: Beginning with the book of Isaiah

Understanding God: Beginning with the book of Isaiah

I. In the book of Isaiah 1:3

     A. Background: an outline and other

          information

B. Basic benefits of the study Gen     1:26f.; Ecl 12:13; 1 Cor 15:50-58; Jer 9:23f.; Acts 17:22-28

II. In relation to Himself

A. The Perception of God as a being

1. Self Existent Isa 37:16; 46:9; 43:14-15; 44:8; 54:5; Lk 4:34; Ex 3:14

2. Unity (Godhead) Jn 1:18; 5:18; Col 2:9; Jn 8:54-59; Ex 3:14f.; Acts 5:1-4

3. Eternal Isa 41:4; 57:15; 63:16

4. Immutable Isa 40:28; Mal 3:6; Heb 6:16-18

5. Omnipresence Isa 6:1-3; 43:1-7; 1 Ki 8:27; Psa 139:7-10

6. Glorious/Majestic Isa 6:3; 35:2; 60:19

7. Invisible Isa 45:15; Jn 1:18; 1 Jn 4:12

B. The Person of God

1. Perfection Dt 32:4; Matt 5:48; Jas 1:17

2. Holiness

/righteousness Isa 6:3; 29:19; 43:14-15; 51:8

3 Omniscient Isa 40:13-14, 26-28; 46:10; 48:5-6

4. Omnipotent Isa 40:15; 2:12; 6:3,5; 8:13; 1:24; 49:26; 60:16; Gen 18:14

5. Wisdom Pro 1:22-23; 1 Cor 1:18-25

6. Truth Isa 65:16; Psa 31:5; Jn 17:17

7. Faithfulness Isa 25:1; 44:21; 49:7; 51:6

8. Goodness Isa 63:7; 1 Chr 16:34; 2 Chr 30:18; Psa 145:9

9. Love Isa 43:4; 1 Jn 4:8, 16; Jn 21:15-17

10. Patience Isa 5:1-4; 30:18; 48:9

11. Just Isa 30:18; 61:8; Matt 16:27; 25:14-46; Isa 42:1-4; 9:7; Psa 67:4

12 Sovereign Isa 24:23; 33:22; 40:22-23; 45:23; 52:7; 54:5

13. Incomparable Isa 40:18, 25; Dt 33:26; Psa 113:4-6; 96:5; Jer 10:6; Ex 15:11

14. Other

a. Irresistible  Isa 43:13; 2 Chrn 20:6; Job 9:12; Jer 50:44; Dan 4:35

b. Does not remain angry Numb 12:9; Judg 10:7; Ez 5:13

c. Impartial Dt 10:17; Job 36:5; 37:24; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 2: 5-6,11

d. Difficult to know,but knowable to a degree

1. God is invisible Isa 45:15; Dt 4:15; Job 9:11; Jn 1:18; Heb 11:27 1 Jn 4:12

2. God is unsearchable Isa 40:28; Job 11:7-9; 26:14; 36:26; Rom 11:33

3. God is knowable Matt 11:27; Rom 1:19, 20; 1 Cor 2:10-16;Col 1:10; 1 Jn 5:20

4. God and secrets

a. God in secret Matt 6:4, 6, 18

b. God’s secrets Dt 29:29; Isa 48:6; Psa 25:14; Mk 4:11; Eph 6:19; Eph 3:4; Col 4:3; Col 2:2; 1 Tim 3:9, 16

e. Gracious/merciful Isa 1:18; 55:7; 65:2

f. Human representations

1. Face Gen 32:30; Ex 33:11; 33:20; Dt 5:4; 34:10

2. Eyes 2 Chrn 16:9; Prov 22:12

3. Nostrils 2 Sam 22:9; 22:16; Psa 18:15

4. Breath Isa 30:28; Psa 18:8

5. Shoulders Dt 33:12

6. Hand/arm Isa 52:10; Psa 21:8; 74:11; 89:13; 118:16

7. Fingers Exo 8:19; Psa 8:3; Lk 11:20; Ex 31:18; Dt 9:10

8. Back Ex 33:21-23

9. Voice Ex 3:4; 19:19; 20:19; 20:22; Dt 4:12; 4:33, 36; 1 Ki 19:12-13; Heb 12:19; 12:26

10. Laughs/sleeps Psa 2:4; 59:8; 78:65

11. A warrior Isa 66:16; Ex 15:3; 17:16; Jer 21:5; Zech 14:3

12. Uses weapons Isa 34:5; Dt 32:23; Psa 7:12, 13; 21:12; 64:7; Lam 2:4

13. Jealous Ex 34:14; Dt 4:24; 32:21; Psa 78:58; 79:5;

14. Angry Isa 30:30; 66:15; Numb 12:9; Dt 32:22; Judg 10:7;2 Sam 22:8; Job 19:11; Ez 5:13; 38:18; Nah 1:6

15. Hates Psa 11:5; Mal 1:2-3; Lev 26:30; Dt18:12; Psa 11:5;Prov 6:16; Rev 2:6

16. Vengeance Isa 1:24; 34:8; Dt 32:34-35, 41; Psa 94:1; Nah 1:2;Heb 10:30

17. Makes oaths Isa 14:24; 45:23; Numb 14:20-21, 28; Jer 22:5; 44:26; 46:18; 49:13; 51:14; Heb 3:11; 6:13, 17

18. Changes

his purpose Gen 6:7; Ex 32:14; 1 Sam 15:11, 23, 35; Joel 2:13-14; Jonah 3:9-10

19. Wrath Isa 43:2; 48:9; 59:18; 63:3, 6

20. Will Isa 41:10; 42:6; 49:15; 66:13; Jer 31:34; 30:17; Gen 12:2; Josh 1:5; 2 Ki 20:5; Psa 32:8; 132:15; Ezek 36:22- 29; Jn 14:21; 14:3; Rev 2:10; 3:20

III. In revelation by His actions

A. Creator

1. The universe Isa 37:16; 40:12, 28; 42:5; 45:12, 18; 51:13

2. Light and Darkness Isa 45:7; Gen 1:3-5; 2 Cor 4:6

3. The heavens Gen 1:6, 7, 8; Psa 19:1; 33:6

4. The earth Gen 1:9-13; Job 38:4; Psa 24:1-2

5. Celestial objects Gen 1:14-19; Job 9:5-9; Psa 104:19; Psa 148: 4-5

6. Animals and Man Isa 42:5; 45:12; 64:8; Gen 1:20-27

7. Nature

a. Seasons Gen 8:22; Psa 74:17; Acts 14:17

b. Day and Night Isa 50:3; Job 9:7; 38:32, 33; Jer 31:35; 33:25-26

c. Rain and Rainbow Gen 9:12-17; Psa 65:9-10; Psa 104:13; 135:7; Prov 3:20; Jer 51:16

d. Clouds Job 26: 8-9; 37:11, 15-16

e. Hail, snow, cold Job 37:6; Psa 147:16-17

f. Thunder and lightning 2 Sam 22:14; Job 37:3-5; Psa 29:3;77:18; 97:4; Jer 10:13

g. Winds Job 37:14-17; Psa 78:26; 147:18

h. Man Isa 46:3-4; Job10:12

B. Involvement with human beings

1. Intervenes in the affairs of men 1 Chrn 29: 11-12, 14; Prov 29:26; Eccl 3:1-11

2. Human plans

a. Futile without God Psa 127:1-2

b. Resistance to God is futile Isa 44:26-27; Gen 24:50; 1 Ki 12:22-24; Acts 5: 38-39

3. Appoints rulers Isa 45:28; 1 Ki 19:15; Dan 4:17

4. Sends opposition Isa 37:26-29; Judg 9:22-23; 1 Ki 11:14, 23; Jer 27:1-7

5. Gives favor Gen 39:21; Exo 3:21; Dan 1:9; Acts 7:9-10

6. Supplies needs or wants Isa 41:17-18; 1 Chrn 29:16; 2 cor 9:8; Phil 4:19

7. Changes fortunes Sam 2:4-8; Job 5:17-18; Lk 1:52f.

8. Provides prosperity/protection Isa 63:14; 1 Sam 15:17; 2 Sam7:8-9; 1 Chrn 17:7-8

9. Provides comfort, removes fear Is 7:3-4; 8:12-13; 10:24; 33:5-6; Is 35:4; 41:10; 41:13;

41:14; 43:1; 43:5; 44:2; 51:7; 54:4; Is 54:14

IV. God’s purposes

1. Distinct Isa 14:24-27; Job 23:13; Numb 23:19

2. Eternal Eccl 3:14; Matt 25:34; 1 Corth 2:7; Eph 3: 8-11; Psa 33:11; Mal 3:6

3. Brought about through humans Isa 13:5; 2 Ki 5:1-14; 1 Sam 15:17; 1 Sam 4:1-15; Gal 1:11-16; Acts 9:1-6; Ruth 4:16-22

4. Chooses for Holiness Eph 1:4; 2 Tim 1:9; Jn 15:16; 17:6

5. Control of evil for his purposes Isa 6:9-10; 19: 13-14; 44:18; Gen 37:1-28 with 45:3-8

6. Hardens hearts Exo 4:21; 7:3, 4, 13: 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:9-10; 14:4, 8, 17; Dt 2:30; Josh 11:19-20; Rom 9:17-18

7. Temptation (testing) Gen 22:1-14; Dt 13:1-3; 1 Corth 10:13

8. Brings good out of evil Gal 1:11-24;Gen 37:1-28 with 45:3-8; Acts 2:22-36

9. Allows freedom of choice Dt 11:26-28; 30:15, 19; Josh 24:15

10. Allows for His own sorrow Isa 48:18; Psa 81:13-15; Matt 23:37; Lk 13:34

11. No pleasure in the sinner’s death Ez 18:23; 31-32; Matt 18:14; 2 Pet 3:9; Ezek 33:10-11

12. Brings repentant sinners to Himself Isa 55:1-3; Jer 26:2-3; Joel 2:32; Jn 6:37; Acts 2:21

13. Described

a. Perfect Dt 32:4

b. Great Psa 111:2; Joel 2:21; Psa 126:2,3

c. Awesome Psa 111:9-10; 66:3,5

d. Unhindered Isa 43:13

e. Unified Dt 6:4; Jn 5:17; Matt 28:18-20; Jn 10:30

V. In conclusion (What this means to me)