Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

"You are My witnesses" says the Lord" and My servant whom I have chose, in order that you know and believe Me, and understand that I am He; before Me no God was formed and after Me none shall be.

So after reading Isaiah 43:10, how could have Jesus been form in the womb as a God?

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Your thesis is faulty. "How could have...?"

This question is so completely elementary, most six year olds with basic Sunday School attendance could answer it.


Psalm 135:6 "The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths."

Psalm 115:3 "Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases."

Daniel 4:35 "All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, 'What have You done?'"

1. The eternal Son, the Word of God/the Living Logos (who often appeared to man pre-incarnate throughout the Old Testament, as the Angel of the Lord), who took on human form, and was named Yeshua/Jesus, wasn't formed as a God. The eternal Son of God, 2nd in the eternal Triune Godhead of Creation, who is spirit is not "a" God, He is God. He has always been God. He will always be God.

2. Jesus is the name given to the fully human embryo miraculously formed by God's will, in the womb of the Jewish virgin maid named Mary, without a human father. He was fully God, He was born fully Man and fully God, still is to this day, and so He will always be. In simplest terms, the hypostatic union references Jesus Christ as both God and man, fully divine and fully human.

3. The second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, the pre-incarnate Jesus, is mentioned throughout the Old Testament. His existence should come as no surprise to anyone with the faith to take God at His Word, anyone who isn't too puffed up in his own fleshly finite mind to accept that an all powerful Creator God is free to do as He pleases.

4. The first time the second person of the trinity is mentioned is at the very beginning of the Bible in the creation story, in Genesis 1:3. This is clearly referring to the Word of God, who is God's Son as explained by John 1-4,14,18. This shows that the first thing the Son did was be the Father's vehicle of creation and life. This was confirmed again in Colossians 1:16, 1st Corinthians 8:6, and Romans 11:36.

5. As the Word of God and the mediator between the Father and creation, the Son's second role in the world was as the Father's messenger. Thus, he was known as the Angel of the Lord (the word Angel means messenger). He came to Abraham to make his covenant with him (Genesis 15:1-6). In Genesis 16:7-12, he appeared to Hagar as she was fleeing and told her to Go back. He also told her that she was pregnant and should name her son Ishmael. He appeared to Abraham again in Genesis 22 to test him by telling him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, and then to stop him from doing so. Genesis 32, then explains that Jacob wrestled with a "Man" (verse 24) who identified Himself as God (verse 28). Jacob said, "I have seen God face to face..." (verse 30). Because John 1:18 instructs us that no one has been able to see God the Father, because He is spirit, Jacob is talking about the Son in a pre-incarnate appearance. This is confirmed in Hosea 12:3-5 that He with whom Jacob wrestled was "the Angel" who is also the "the Lord, the God of hosts."

He appeared to the prophet Balaam and gave him orders (Numbers 22:22-35). He appeared to all of Israel to tell them to stop worshiping idols (Judges 2:1-4). He instructed Gideon to deliver Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6). He prophesied the birth of Samson and sent up in a flame of the altar. (Judges 13). In both of those last two instances, Gideon, as well as Maboah and his wife thought they would die from seeing God after the Angel of the Lord came to them, but they did not. He called Sameul as a boy (1 Samuel 3) as spoke to him throughout his life (1 Samuel 15:10-11,23). He spoke to Isaiah in Isaiah 6:1, which is confirmed to be pre-incarnate Jesus in John 12:41 and Philippians 2:5-8. He spoke to Malachi (Malachi 3:1), telling him he was sending His Son, who is his messenger (Angel). He spoke to Zechariah (Zechariah 1 and 3), where he refers to the Word of the Lord, the Angel of the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, and "the Branch" interchangeably. Jesus is referred to as the branch, shoot, or root of Jesse throughout scripture (John 15:1-8, Romans 15:12, Revelation 5:5). He also spoke to other prophets, such as Nathan (2 Samuel 7:4), David (2 Samuel 22:1-3, 1 Chronicles 21:18), Gad (2 Samuel 24:11), Solomon (1 Kings 6:11), and Elijah (1 Kings 19:3-5).

Further evidence that the Angel of the Lord was the pre-incarnate Jesus is the fact that the Angel ceased to appear after Jesus became incarnate in the flesh. At that point in time, the Angel Gabriel took over the responsibility of serving as God's chief messenger.

Psalm 33:8-12
"Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere Him.
For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm.
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His inheritance!"

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

I prefer to believe the simple scripture in the unadulterated form.

A keyboard evangelist such as yourself can try to hide the simplicity of the verse with "learned faultiness" and excessive explanations, but you cannot change the meaning of the verse.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

What the Bible says about the Bible Interprets the Bible, always.

It is from 2nd Peter 1:19-21, verse 20 in particular, that we derive the principle that the Bible interprets itself. This means that somewhere within the pages of Scripture, the timing, the location, the characters, and the symbols employed in symbolic texts, parables and prophecies are explained or defined. It is our duty to search them out.

God has said He scatters understanding on any given subject throughout the Bible, and it is the responsible of every serious seeker who wishes to know Him to put it all together and see the amazing truth that results. Therefore, verses cannot be interpreted alone; they rely on the revelation of the rest of Scripture.

Effective Bible study, according to the Bible, is always to allow the Bible to interpret itself. Another key is to let the Bible's usage of a word determine its meaning rather than to rely solely on what it means in secular Greek or Hebrew.

God's Word consistently supports the literal sense, rather than the figurative, unless it informs the reader otherwise, confirming how it should be understood.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

You still have not addressed the simplicity of the verse.

God the Father, The Lord of Hosts, The I am says that no God was with Him in the beginning and no God will ever be formed to be with Him, ever.

Evangelists try to fit Jesus in place of the Holy One of Israel with every chance they get.

I used to force Jesus into the Hebrew scriptures too.

Then I woke up to the truth that forcing a second God into the Lord of Hosts Government was breaking commandments and orders that specifically say not to.

Isaiah 43:10 is a powerful, but self explanatory verse that doesn't need evangelical interpretation.

If ones reads its beautiful simplicity, instead of forcing other gods into where there's no room for a second God.

The overwhelming storyline in most of Isaiah thoroughly lays out that there is only one being who is God and His servant is and always will be Israel.

Isaiah 45: 5-6...I am the Lord and there is no other; besides Me there is no God...I will strengthen you...I order that they know from the shining of the sun and from the west that there is no one besides Me; I am the Lord and there is no other!

Isaiah 44:6-8...So said the Lord, Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty, I am the first and I am the last, apart from Me there is no God! Who then is like Me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare it and lay it out before Me..Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides Me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.

Isaiah clearly and relatively drives the point home that only one God exists and it will always be that way.

The One true God declares that there is no other Savior besides him.

If if were Jesus saying these these things, would he not be denying the Lord of Hosts.

And on the same note, God Almighty does "deny" that Jesus was or is God.

People should read the whole book of Isaiah and take it at its word...Literally..

God's throne would be too crowded with a second God.

Rose42

The verse is simple but as you so often do you discard parts of the bible you don’t believe.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Both I and multiple others have engaged your simplicity in explaining to you what you cannot and/or will not see - over and over and over.

THE TRIUNE GOD IS ONE! - encapsulating the One True Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Period.

God being a three-in-one unity has its roots in foundational Judaism in the Hebrew Scriptures. The concept of the Holy Spirit, the Ruach Ha-kodesh, originates in Genesis 1.

The Jewish roots of the Trinity are in the Hebrew Scriptures - the source of Jewish theology and the only means of testing it.

Elohim is a plural noun having the masculine plural ending “im.” Elohim is used to describe God in Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It is also used in Exodus 20:3: “You shall have no other gods [Elohim] before me,” and in Deuteronomy 13:2: “Let us go after other gods [Elohim].” Elohim is the word that is used of the one true God as well as for the many false gods. The use of the plural Elohim opens the door to a doctrine of plurality in the Godhead.

The Bible teaches that God is one God, and therefore, the general pattern is to have the plural noun followed by the singular verb when it speaks of the one true God, however, there are places where the word is used of the true God and yet is followed by a plural verb:

Genesis 20:13: “And when God [Elohim] caused me to wander [literally: “They” caused me to wander] from my father's house.

Genesis 35:7: “There God [Elohim] had revealed himself to him.” [Literally: “They” appeared unto him.]

2 Samuel 7:23: “God [Elohim] went.”" [Literally: “They” went.]

Psalm 58:11: “Surely there is a God [Elohim] who judges.” [Literally: “They” judge.]

If the plural form Elohim was the only form available for a reference to God, then conceivably the argument might be that the writers of the Hebrew Scriptures had no other alternative but to use the word Elohim for both the one true God and the false gods. However, the singular form for Elohim (Eloah) appears elsewhere (e.g., Deuteronomy 32:15-17 and Habakkuk 3:3). This singular form could have easily been used consistently, yet it is only used 250 times, while the plural form is used 2,500 times. The use of the plural form again turns the argument to plurality in the Godhead.

When God speaks of Himself, He uses the plural pronoun. In Genesis 1:26: “Then God [Elohim] said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’ He could hardly have made reference to angels since man was created in the image of God and not of angels. The Midrash Rabbah on Genesis recognizes the weight of this passage.”1

The Midrash Rabbah tries to avoid the problem and fails to adequately answer why God refers to Himself in the plural. The use of the plural pronoun appears frequently, and avoiding it or explaining it away is insufficient:

Genesis 3:22: “Then the LORD God [YHVH Elohim] said, ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us.’”

Genesis 11:7: “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language.”

Isaiah 6:8: “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’” This would appear contradictory with the singular “I” and the plural “us” except as viewed as a plurality (us) in a unity (I).

God refers to Himself in the plural, so where does that leave understanding Him? The authors of Scripture have attempted to deal with His plurality, and their exploration is useful for understanding plural descriptions of God.

God not only speaks of Himself in the plural, but many authors of Scripture also refer to God’s plurality. Out of the Hebrew, nouns and adjectives describing God are in the plural form:

Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Remember now your Creator." [Literally: creators.]

Psalm 149:2: "Let Israel rejoice in their Maker." [Literally: makers.]

Joshua 24:19: "holy God" [Literally: holy Gods.]

Isaiah 54:5: "For your Maker is your husband." [Literally: makers, husbands.]

While Jewish "tradition" has commonly rejected the idea of the Trinity, there is no doubt that Judaism portrays a plurality of God’s existence. The evidence rests firmly on the Hebrew language of the Scriptures. To base theology on Scriptures alone is to affirm God’s unity, while at the same time tending toward the concept of a compound unity. There is room for plurality in the Godhead.

The resounding and profound words throughout all generations: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) has always been Israel’s great confession. This verse is used more than any other to affirm the fact that God is one and to deny the possibility of plurality in the Godhead.

Note that the very words “our God” are in the plural in the Hebrew text and literally mean “our Gods.” However, the main argument lies in the word “one,” which is a Hebrew word, echad. A glance through the Hebrew text where the word is used elsewhere quickly shows that the word echad does not mean an “absolute one” but a “compound one.”

in Genesis 1:5, the combination of evening and morning comprise one (echad) day. In Genesis 2:24, a man and a woman come together in marriage and the two “shall become one [echad] flesh.” In Ezra 2:64, the whole assembly was as one (echad), though of course, it was composed of numerous people. Ezekiel 37:17 provides a rather striking example where two sticks are combined to become one (echad). The use of the word echad in Scripture shows it to be a compound unity and not an absolute unity.

A Hebrew word that does mean an absolute unity is the word yachid, which is found in many Scripture passages,2 with the emphasis being on the meaning of “only.” If Moses intended to teach God’s absolute oneness instead of a compound unity, yachid would have been the appropriate word. Maimonides noted the strength of “yachid” and chose to use that word in his “Thirteen Articles of Faith” in place of echad. However, Deuteronomy 6:4 (the Shema) DOES NOT USE “yachid” in reference to God.

There is, therefore, evidence for the plurality of God.

Elohim and YHVH

The case for God’s plurality becomes stronger when we encounter the term Elohim applied to two personalities in the same verse, such as in Psalm 45:6-7:

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

The first Elohim is being addressed, and the second Elohim is the God of the first Elohim. And so God’s God has anointed Him with the oil of gladness.

And Hosea 1:7:
"I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God. I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen."

The speaker is Elohim who says He will have mercy on the house of Judah and will save them by the instrumentality of YHVH, their Elohim... Elohim number one will save Israel by means of Elohim number two.

Not only is Elohim applied to two personalities in the same verse, but so is the very name of God: “Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24). YHVH number one is on earth raining sulfur and fire from a second YHVH who is in heaven.

Furthermore, Zechariah 2:8-9:
For thus says the LORD of Hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: “Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.”

So, again, one YHVH is sending another YHVH to perform a specific task.

A second example is Zechariah 2:8-9:
For thus says the LORD of Hosts: "He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he that touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me."

Again, one YHVH is sending another YHVH to perform a specific task.

The author of the Zohar sensed plurality in the Tetragrammaton3 and wrote:
"Come and see the mystery of the word YHVH: there are three steps, each existing by itself: nevertheless they are One, and so united that one cannot be separated from the other. The Ancient Holy One is revealed with three heads, which are united into one, and that head is three exalted. The Ancient One is described as being three: because the other lights emanating from him are included in the three. But how can three names be one? Are they really one because we call them one? How three can be one can only be known through the revelation of the Holy Spirit."4

The evidence for at least a dual God in the Hebrew Scriptures is clear. The Hebrew Scriptures point to plurality, - the names of God are applied to at least two different personalities. A deeper examination of the Hebrew Scriptures shows three distinct personalities that are considered divine.

First, are numerous references to the LORD YHVH. Second, a personality, the Angel of YHVH, is considered distinct from the other angels. In passages, He is referred to as both the Angel of YHVH and YHVH Himself. In Genesis 16:7, He is referred to as the Angel of YHVH, then in 16:13, as YHVH Himself. In Genesis 22:11, He is the Angel of YHVH, but God Himself in 22:12. Exodus 23:20-23 presents an angel who has the power to pardon sin because God’s own name YHVH is in him. This cannot be said of any ordinary angel. The fact that God’s own name is in this angel shows his divine status.

A third major personality is the Spirit of God, or the Ruach Ha-kodesh. There are a number of references to the Spirit of God in the Hebrew Scriptures.5 The Holy Spirit cannot be a mere emanation for He contains all the characteristics of personality (intellect, emotion, and will) and is considered divine.

From various sections of the Hebrew Scriptures, there is clear evidence that three personalities are referred to as divine and as being God: the LORD YHVH, the Angel of YHVH, and the Spirit of God.

The Scriptures present all three personalities of the Godhead together in some passages. Isaiah 48:12-16 reveals a speaker who refers to himself as the one who is responsible for the creation of the heavens and the earth:

Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together. “Assemble, all of you, and listen! Who among them has declared these things? The LORD loves him; he shall perform his purpose on Babylon, and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans. I, even I, have spoken and called him; I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way. Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.

It is clear the speaker is God Himself, then in verse 16, the speaker refers to himself using the pronouns of I and me and distinguishes himself from the LORD YHVH and from the Spirit of God. The Tri-unity is presented in the Hebrew Scriptures with striking clarity.

In Isaiah 63:7-14, a reflection back to the Exodus, demonstrates all three personalities as present and active. The LORD YHVH is referred to in verse 7, the Angel of YHVH in verse 9, and the Spirit of God in verses 10, 11, and 14. While God refers to Himself as the one responsible for Israel’s redemption from Egypt, in this passage three personalities are given credit, and no contradiction is seen since all three comprise the unity of the one Godhead.

The Hebrew Scriptures show a plural Godhead. The first person is called YHVH, the second person is given the names of YHVH, the Angel of YHVH, and the Servant of YHVH. Without fail, the second person is sent by the first person. The third person is the Spirit of YHVH or the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. He, too, is sent by the first person but continually related to the ministry of the second person.

If the concept of the Tri-unity in the Godhead is not Jewish according to modern rabbis, then neither are the Hebrew Scriptures. Jewish Christians cannot be accused of having slipped into paganism when they hold to the fact that Jesus is the divine Son of God. He is the same one of whom Moses wrote when he said:

"Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him. But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out." (Exodus 23:20-23)

In keeping with the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament recognizes three persons in the Godhead. The first person, the Father, the second person, the Son, and the third person, the Holy Spirit.

The New Testament answers Proverbs 30:4: “What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!” His son’s name is Yeshua (Jesus). In accordance with the Hebrew Scriptures, he is sent by God to be the Messiah, this time as a man instead of as an angel. He is sent for a specific purpose: to die for our sins. In essence, what happened is that God became a man (not that man became God) in order to accomplish the work of atonement.

Endnotes
1. Midrash Rabbah, Genesis 1:26 (New York: NOP Press).

2. Genesis 22:2,12; Judges 11:34; Psalm 22:21; 25:16; Proverbs 4:3; Jeremiah 6:26; Amos 8:10; Zechariah 12:10.

3. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Judaica, “Personal Name of God of Israel,” written in the Hebrew Bible with the four consonants YHWH. Pronunciation of name has been avoided since at least the third century BC; the initial substitute was “Adonai” (“the Lord”), itself later replaced by “ha-Shem” (“the Name”). The name Jehovah is a hybrid misreading of the original Hebrew letters with the vowels of “Adonai,” 593.

4. Zohar, vol. III:288, vol. II:43, Hebrew editions. See also Soncino Press edition, vol. III:134.

5. See Genesis 1:2; 6:3; Job 33:4; Psalm 51:11; Psalm 139:7; Isaiah 11:2.

Arnold Fructenbaum Adaptation

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

Zem...if you and your cohorts threw away your Greek bibles and studied the Hebrew, you would have a deeper understanding of who the Almighty is.

The story of Jesus being on a par with God the Almighty is blasphemous.

Just the story of Jesus praying to himself is a bad joke.

So as far as the number of people who put Jesus in front of the the Creator and say that the only way to honor God is by having another god in God's face is a major sin...more people doesn't necessarily mean they have truth.

There are millions of Muslims and they're all fouled up.

When I eliminated Jesus from from my studies and went back and worshipped the One and only God, my understanding of God wasn't clouded with a pagan deity anymore.

The bible came alive like never before.

But just think about what you preach...that Jesus was praying to himself??

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

If you had read one word I wrote, you would know it concerned foundational Judaism in the Hebrew Scripture.

You would also know Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Father are one Almighty God.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

I read your words, and the serpent in the garden was cunning too.

Why is it that you can't understand that saying God is a multi personality God who prays to himself is ridiculous.?

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

Zechariah 2:8-9 ?...you interpret that as proof of a trinity?

Absolutely ridiculous.

You should read the Tanach, it seems as though that you have some weird translation that is written to deceive.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Jesus was NOT speaking to Himself. He was speaking to God the Father, 1st in the Triune Godhead.

Your refusal to see does in no way negate the intrinsic truth woven into every version of God's Holy Word.

I have two copies of the Jewish Publication Society's (JPS) Tanach, which is commonly used in Synagogue's today... have used it for reference, with others, since 1991.

Do you care to point out something it contains that you believe I inadvertently overlooked?

I also have the Aramaic Peshitta, three versions of the Septuagint, the Samaritan Torah, the Dead Sea Scrolls Bible, the Greek Hebrew Key Study Bible, and fifty or more other English versions of the Bible, which I have read, studied, researched, and contrasted for decades.

They're each God's Word, illuminated to the Christian mind by the Holy Spirit. The message of each is the same.

Any other special edition, version, etc., you feel I've overlooked?

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

How is Jesus speaking to the The Lord of Hosts, if he is of the same being?

Brevity and simplicity would be greatly appreciated.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

No one can fully understand who or what God is. Job's friend said, "Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?" (Job 11:7-8). Isaiah 55:9 records God speaking: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Even so, God has revealed much about Himself through the Bible (as well as in other ways). Though we may only obtain a dim understanding, we are called to earnestly seek the Lord (1 Corinthians 13:12; Hebrews 11:6).

The Bible begins by acknowledging God as the Creator of all things: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Jesus, the Son of God, the Living Logos, and second Person of the Triune Godhead, was also intimately involved in the creation of the universe: "All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made" (John 1:3). Genesis 1:2 also notes the role of the Holy Spirit in creation.

God is the sustainer of all life. Colossians 1:16-17 states about Jesus: "For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

God is personally involved with humanity. Isaiah 46:9-10 teaches, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'"

Three persons in one being... One took on human form to visit earth, complete a unique mission for mankind, and return whence He came, yet ever One being.

One descended to earth as Spirit to indwell and seal every believer, yet ever One being.

Isaiah 6:2-3 Isaiah's Vision of the Lord in His Glory … "Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
And they were calling out to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory."

As the Holy One (ha'kadosh), the Lord of Hosts (Adonai Tzeva'ot) is utterly unique, distinct, sacred, and set apart as the only One of its kind.He alone is worthy of true worship and adoration, since He alone is utterly peerless, without rival, and stands in relation to the world as Creator and Lord.

The phrase "holy, holy, holy" is an important one that occurs only twice in the Bible. On both occasions, the phrase comes from heavenly beings to those receiving revelation from God.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah experiences God in the Jewish temple. We read, "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'" (Isaiah 6:1-3).

In Isaiah's vision the seraphim utter the phrase "holy, holy, holy." Seraphim are heavenly creatures specifically mentioned only here in the Bible.

The other occurrence of this phrase in the Bible is in Revelation 4:8. There, John writes of the same heavenly beings seen by Isaiah. John records, "And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, 'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!'" In both John's and Isaiah's visions, these beings constantly declare God's glory.

The emphasis of the phrase "holy, holy, holy" is clearly on the holiness of God, but what does this mean? The holiness of God refers to His being "set apart" uniquely distinct from all of creation. He is perfect in all ways; He is exceptional, in a category by Himself, unmatched by any other being or thing in the universe.

Finally, repeating a word three consecutive times held an important value in the Hebrew language. The repetition provides emphasis... that the word is repeated three times indicates a state of completion or absoluteness. In both Isaiah and Revelation, the word holy is used three times to emphasize God's holiness and to convey His completeness.

God is spirit, three eternal persons in One eternal being; different roles, different functions, different personalities, yet One Holy being, this is something the finite human mind either accepts through faith or not at all.

Your choice.

Michael Rich Loc: Lapine Oregon

There is so much wrong with this post.

Chemo has me at a disadvantage right now.

When I get back up and around, I'll be glad to point out a few faux pas.