A Royal Manifesto
J. R. Macduff, D. D. Isaiah 57:15-21 For thus said the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place… win His character as Sovereign, God brings before us, and before His loyal subjects in every age, what we may regard as His two titles and His two palaces. I. HIS TWO TITLES. 1. "The High and Lofty One." The nation had lapsed into unblushing idolatry. They had made surrender of their traditional creed, and specially of its fundamental article — the personality and unity of Jehovah; degrading it with the abominations of the Phoenician and Assyrian mythologies. In-addition to altars to Baal, crowning the high places, statues of Astarte were erected amid the groves of Terebinth. This latter goddess seemed to have been adopted by Ahaz as his tutelary deity; an awful and debasing counterfeit truly of the Supreme: sitting on a lion, holding a thunderbolt and sceptre in either hand, and her head surrounded with the crescent moon. No king, before or since, so defiled and desecrated the holy temple. Isaiah himself, amid this awful deterioration, this widespread atheism, might well be apt to give way to despair. His faith at times could hardly fail to be clouded. But the God he served calmed his fears and allayed his apprehensions by a special proclamation of His glory, and goodness, "I am the alone High and Lofty One. 2. "Whose name is Holy. The worst characteristic of these heathen deities was their unholiness. II. HIS TWO PALACES. 1. The palace of eternity. "That inhabiteth eternity." In nothing do we feel how puny we are, as when we attempt to scan the marvels and glories of this Divine dwelling-place, with its illimitable corridors of space and time. 2. What a transition, from the halls and corridors of eternity, to the human bosom! There is a twofold description here given of this humbler tabernacle where Jehovah dwells — a twofold characteristic of the human heart. (1) It is contrite. (2) After contrition, or as the sequel and complement of it, comes humility. (J. R. Macduff, D. D.) Parallel Verses 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. WEB: For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.