Isaiah 66:2, commentary and pictures

God made all things, with heaven as His throne and earth as His footstool, so He cannot be confined to any temple built by human hands. No house men build can be His rest, but His chosen rest and temple is the person who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at His word. To be poor is to be poor in spirit, lowly, humble and needy before God, and to be contrite is to have a broken and repentant heart in humble surrender to His will. To tremble at His word is to revere and heed it in true submission of the will, a sensitivity worked by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Though exalted above all creation He looks with favor on such lowly ones, hears their prayer, manifests Himself to them and revives their hearts, while He knows the proud from afar and turns from outward show and self-righteousness.

God Beyond Earthly Temples

God's hand has made all those things, heaven is His throne and earth His footstool, and He cannot be confined or contained in a temple built by human hands. No dwelling made by men can hold Him, and the place of His highest worship is in heaven. Because He made all things of heaven and earth by His handiwork, He does not dwell in temples made by human hands.

Because He made all things He is not dependent on any house or place built for Him, and no house that men build for Him can be His rest. His rest and chosen temple is the man who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at His word, lowly and repentant in heart and reverent toward His word. He looks with favor upon that humble, broken, reverent one and abides with him to revive the humble spirit and the contrite heart. His peace and grace shine into the chambers of the mind and into the soul-temple of the humble and contrite, who are to live contrite lives before God and hope in His mercy given in the gift of His only begotten Son for everlasting life to believers. That condition is the sure condition of reconciliation of God to man and man to God, cause for gratitude all the days of life, with self not exalted and no glory sought from others, but God glorified and adored.

This meaning was taught in experiences during the last days of 1898 about the evils of disposing of land near the school to be occupied with dwelling houses. By the appointment of God the land about the school at Avondale is for the benefit of the school's work rather than to be given over to private homes. It is to serve as a school farm occupying much more space than was thought, where work in connection with study is to be done to support education. Avondale is to be a philanthropic center where God's people in Australasia are moved to give sympathy and means to support charitable enterprises that teach the poor, the helpless, and the ignorant how to help themselves. Settling many families around the buildings was to be refused, for their natural selfishness under temptation would throw difficulties in the way of teachers and students and hinder the school.

Though heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him as the high and holy One whose glory and majesty fills the heavens, His greatness does not make Him distant from the lowly. He looks to the man who is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at His word, revealing Himself to the humble and contrite and filling the hearts of His chosen ones with the light of His presence. He seeks the lowly and can revive and work in a surrendered heart, calling for humility rather than self-sufficiency and for willingness to heed His word. He looks with pitying tenderness upon all who tremble at His word as the contrite ones, and even when they feel they can scarcely hope in His mercy they are the special objects of His care and love.

Poor and Contrite Heart

To be poor in the verse is to be poor in spirit, lowly, humble, sorry for sin and needy before God, depending on Him rather than on self-exaltation or self-righteousness. A broken and humble heart is not despised, and humility and contrition make reconciliation with Him sure when its conditions are met. This humbling of the heart and hiding in Jesus is needed every day and brings great advantage, and keeping this lowly and sorry heart makes the believer safe and strong when those who hate His law rave, pour out condemnation and show a mob spirit, enabling him to take no notice of them. His regard rests on such a one with favor, respect and honor, and this humble, contrite prayer is precious and heard, for He draws near to such people, reveals Himself to them, revives their spirit and heart, and works His will in and by and through them instead of self being built up. The blessing on the poor in spirit belongs to the same favor, for He looks with favor on the humble and contrite person whose spirit is poor before Him.

To be contrite is to have a broken, repentant heart in humble subjection to His will and way, willing to walk in lowly paths. Solemn conviction of sin makes a person tremble before His word and surrender ways, ideas and will to God, submitting to the requirements of the gospel, while those who feel perfectly contented without felt need do not advance and gain no deeper experience because they do not feel their need. Such preparation for service comes through earnest prayer and putting away selfishness, human devising and prevarication, and this submission and surrender of the will, through which truth sanctifies the life, are brought about by the Holy Spirit who leads the learner into truth and brings Christ's words to the obedient soul with living power, shaping the person in His likeness. True eloquence in His sight belongs to such lowly ones, while the orations and speeches of apparently learned men are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal, and those He regards are unappreciated by those who constantly strive for supremacy and have no sense of humble subjection to God.

He prizes this character above outward appearance, rank, caste, wealth, possessions, real estate, strength or worldly honor. With Him there is no respect of persons, for a person's moral worth is not determined by worldly possessions, real estate or bank stock, but He watches the development of character, weighs moral worth, allows no trampling of the poor and needy and oppressed, and demands tender sympathy and pitying tenderness from His followers. The attributes He prizes most are purity and love and devotedness of purpose, possessed only by the Christian, and human worth is not measured by possessions or status. Christ's passing by the wealthy and honored, dwelling among the lowly of the earth, and judging men by character rather than appearance displays this standard and corrects the world's false standard of human value. The poor, unfortunate, sick and suffering are in the world to test human character, and those who live in daily communion with God learn to place His estimate upon people, to value every soul for whom Christ died, and to respect and honor those whom He respects and honors.

What He looks for is not what the world calls perfection but a worker whose heart is humble and contrite and divested of all pride. Such a worker gives evidence he is moved by a power from above. Workers of this kind who are doing their best and gaining success should have their hands strengthened and not weakened by word or deed, with mutual encouragement and rejoicing in victories in the Lord and no moves to tear down.

Trembling at His Word

To tremble at His word is to revere it and heed it, a learned sensitivity toward God worked by the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is Himself very sensitive and makes sensitive all in whom He dwells, so that they feel hurt over words and acts that are not as God would be pleased to have them, and humility before God with respect for Scripture marks the person to whom God gives regard. Trembling is true submission consisting in surrender of the will to God, not a craven cowardly service. Those who so tremble receive celestial truth from the altar and from the throne of mercy, which convinces them of their own nothingness and of the preciousness of divine wisdom. The soul that so trembles is never safe unless under divine guidance, and thus is led into all truth, has the words of Christ fall with living power upon an obedient heart, and through the application of divine truth has the perfect image of God reproduced until complete in Him, with truth sanctifying the life and shaping the person in the likeness of Christ. Such preparation for service comes through earnest prayer and putting away selfishness, human devising, and prevarication.

This trembling belongs to saving faith rather than bare assent to truth, which has no saving value. It is consent to truth with the understanding and submission from conviction by self-surrender of the will, with the heart believing unto righteousness and the mouth confessing unto salvation. This preparation is made only at the throne of grace, where the taper is kindled only at God's altar by holy fire, where the celestial torch from the divine altar gives a full view of human incompetence and reveals the dignity and glory of Christ. In approaching His altar God puts the receiver under the guardianship of the Holy Spirit, who leads in paths of holiness and peace and takes the things of Christ into the obedient heart in living power, so that the molding process of God's word places upon him the perfect image of its Author and both the Father and the Son are known. Trembling means surrendering the will to God's will and finding preparation to stand in the day of the Lord nowhere but low at the foot of the cross, not conferring with flesh and blood and not pleading clouded understanding, but taking the one step that is seen so another can be seen, kindling the taper from the divine altar before it is everlastingly too late, and removing stumbling blocks at once without delay. When God helps, the trembling one is helped to see his own weakness and inefficiency and the glory and majesty of Christ, comes out as Elijah from the cave to stand with God and hear what He will say, and comes under divine guidance where the Comforter leads into all truth by taking the things of Christ as they fall from His lips and infusing them as living principles into hearts opened to receive them. It means casting body, soul, and spirit upon the Lord, refusing despondency, longing for His blessing with the heart going out after God, spending wakeful hours in prayer, and looking to Jesus and recounting His loving kindnesses for encouragement in distress and sickness day and night, while those who officiously lift up and exalt themselves will be found last and least.

The one who trembles receives Scripture as God speaking personally, treats it as a living reality, and opens both understanding and heart to it with earnest and dependent faith and sincere desire for divine guidance, and the Holy Spirit opens the treasures of truth to such a learner. Such a heart is ready to receive light, uses the word to test thoughts, words, and deeds, and holds firmly to its promises. Trembling means taking the word seriously enough to obey its instruction, so that neglecting a known duty is contrary to that reverence, and the question who has trembled calls for people to heed what God has spoken. It asks who responds with reverence and humility and challenges hearers to take God's word seriously, including its warnings and correction. Those who so approach Scripture with humility and reverence search it with thorough, persistent self-examination, which guards against deception about one's character.

God Looks Upon Lowly

Though He made all things and is exalted above creation, with heaven for His throne and earth for His footstool, He looks with favor on the one who is poor and humble in spirit, contrite, and reverently heeding His word. He hears all who come to Him in their necessity with humble and contrite hearts, accepts their sincere humility and affliction of soul, manifests Himself to them, and revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones. Their humble, contrite prayer is precious to Him and is heard, and to them He gives His strength, grace, and righteousness as they seek Him wholeheartedly.

His looking means receiving the petitioner and regarding the prayer of the destitute without despising it. Petitions offered in the power of Jesus' name by the humble and brokenhearted reverent toward His word will never be turned away, for humble contrite prayer moves the arm of Omnipotence and makes prayer prevail with God. From Himself who made and holds all things in His hands He gives help, with peace in the assurance that His love is exercised toward those who surrender all to Him. The humble, poor in heart, broken over sin, who reverence His word with fear are the ones whose sincere earnest petitions are heard in heaven, while outward show of piety, pride, selfishness, self-righteousness, long robes and public prayers earn no approval. He knows the proud from afar and turns from them, and does not flatter those who pride themselves as His chosen people, but humble reliance on Jesus even without great talents can make a person an active and useful servant who helps bring others to Christ.

He judges the heart rather than outward appearance, human capability, rank, wealth, status, ability, or intellectual greatness. He accepts and communes with lowly, unpretentious followers who seek His help, and their humble, self-denying character is precious to Him and can endure testing. His regard rests on humility and oneness with Christ rather than worldly status or display, and these mark true greatness; to the lowly He gives wisdom unto eternal life, strength, grace and righteousness. This humble, trembling reverence is the evidence that souls are connected with God in contrast to trusting in man, coming where He searches the heart and tries the reins to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. Humility also makes a person tender and sensitive to the suffering of others, leading to pity and help rather than turning away from people in need.

Those engaged in His work must labor in meekness and lowliness of heart learned in the school of Christ, and being ever humble and contrite carries the evidence of having been with Jesus and learned of Him. By this mark He knows how to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked in His church. To those who do righteously He gives peace and comfort and a good hope in this life, because they are partakers of the divine nature and are striving to overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust, and He dwells with the contrite and humble to revive them.

A broken and humble heart is not despised by Him but is the sure condition on which reconciliation of God to man and man to God is made sure when its conditions are met, and it is cause for gratitude all the days of life. This humbling of the heart and hiding in Jesus, lowly and sorry for sin and honoring His word with reverence, is needed every day and brings great advantage. He draws near to such people, revives their spirit and heart and restores the brokenhearted, and works His will in and by and through them instead of self being built up. Keeping this lowly and sorry heart makes the believer safe and strong in the Lord when those who hate His law rave, pour out condemnation, and show a mob spirit, enabling him to take no notice of them, for fearing God and trembling at His word makes the Lord a person's only safeguard. To such He manifests Himself as He does not to the world, calling them to live with humility and the gentleness of Christ in business life and religious life, watching continually, uniting with brethren in counsel instead of standing apart, avoiding discord and strife, and speaking only the words Christ would speak.

Pride Rejected Humility Honored

God takes no delight in outward sacrifice and burnt offering by itself, but will not despise a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart. The high and holy One who inhabits eternity dwells in the high and holy place and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones. He is against all vanity, pride, selfishness and self-righteousness because they are hateful to Him, and He gives no approval to outward show of piety, long robes and public prayers, nor does He flatter those who pride themselves as His chosen people. He knows the proud from afar and turns from them, while humble and contrite people who revere His word have their prayers heard in heaven and pride and self-righteous displays earn nothing. Outward displays of piety, pride and self-righteousness do not win His approval; only the poor and contrite in spirit who tremble at His word are regarded with favor.

His regard is not won by learning, genius, eloquence, talent, education, position, rank, caste, worldly honor, riches, strength or earthly favor. True eloquence in His sight belongs to the lowly whose heart is refined by belief in Christ as a personal Saviour and who is willing to walk in lowly paths in humble subjection to God's will and way, while the orations and speeches of apparently learned men are in His estimation as sounding brass and tinkling cymbal. Those who receive the truth with humility can be used by Him to bless others through whatever they are able to do, even in a humble capacity without great talents, whereas the dignified and self-sufficient cannot touch needy souls. His regard does not depend on rank, wealth or intellectual greatness, but on humility and oneness with Christ, which rather than worldly status or display mark true greatness. He values character and devotedness of purpose, watches the development of character, weighs moral worth, allows no trampling of the poor and needy and oppressed, and demands tender sympathy and pitying tenderness, prizing purity and love.

The poor, unfortunate, sick and suffering are in the world to test human character, and those who live in daily communion with God learn to place His estimate upon people, to value every soul for whom Christ died, and to respect and honor those whom He respects and honors. Jesus' lowly life among ordinary people displays this standard, that human worth is not measured by possessions or status. The publican's awareness of his sin and plea for mercy shows the humble spirit He accepts and justifies, while the Pharisee's self-importance and self-righteousness leave him wanting and his prayer unanswered. Christ honored this rule by refusing to exalt the scribes and Pharisees and by receiving the despised publicans and sinners, teaching humility, compassion and love that rebuked pride.

Those whom God regards are unappreciated by those who constantly strive for supremacy and have no sense of humble subjection to God. Striving for supremacy, thinking highly of self, and ambition for power, popularity, elevation of self, and show and noise in the world cheat and rob the soul, bring eternal loss every day, and end in obscurity. Favor with God does not come from self-estimation, for He is exalted with the humble and contrite because He can work through them and do something through them, and they will not take the credit to themselves. The capability He gives is to be used to become perfect in His work, in the educating process that fits people up for calls as missionaries or to places of responsibility in other countries, and He wants efficiency in copying the example of Christ in good works and richness with knowledge of the fullness of Christ.

Such humble people recognize their weakness and complete dependence on God, and they do not accuse and condemn their fellow believers. That work of accusation, as done for years in Battle Creek especially against ministers, does not come from a humble heart but from the powerful influence of Satan, the great deceiver. His professed followers need this spirit, especially those entrusted with high responsibility, who rather than assume they have the greatest wisdom or know best how to direct others should humble themselves and earnestly seek God. A life renewed by divine grace and grounded in faith in Christ is eloquent to God in its simplicity, and humble words from a heart refined by faith matter more to Him than impressive speeches.

Humble Life and Service

A humble, broken and contrite heart expressing itself in earnest supplication and humble self-denying sacrifice is the condition for success in saving souls, and those who pass through the same experience as the apostles receive the same proportion of success that attended their labors on the day of Pentecost. Meekness and piety seen in words and conduct, with the word of God burning in the heart and shining on the countenance, and shown in the right management and training of families, has power to disarm infidelity and win men to see and accept truth where the most thrilling pulpit appeals, logic and eloquence fail. The contrite worker who prays sincerely will not fail nor be discouraged, because God empowers that person at every step and sets mighty agencies in motion to warn the world to prepare to meet Him.

The message is to fall from sanctified lips with no denunciatory spirit, with words revealing melting love for a lost world, with no scathing rebuke and words of condemnation, with everything done in as quiet a manner as possible. The Holy Spirit works on human hearts so the gospel is received by those strengthened by grace, the claims of God's law are brought to bear to convict of transgression, and repentance is learned as pardon bringing the sweet spirit of religious fellowship in the hope of the gospel. Only the meek, humble and contrite, who have learned to preserve the fragrance of Christ's character, can present the holy Word in the grace of the Holy Spirit as a savor of life unto life. Even pure doctrines are depreciated when the work is mingled with self and peculiar traits of character and an unpurified spirit, which God pronounces strange fire, for unbelievers judge doctrine by the words and works of its advocates, so failure to represent its sacredness strengthens prejudice, turns souls from light and evidence, gives wrong ideas, and causes the loss of many who might have been saved.

When ministers deeply feel their weakness and infirmity yet do their best, rely on the Mighty One to prepare hearts and give right words, and make it duty and delight to uplift Christ while hiding self behind Him, that self-sacrifice is of worth and is accepted. To the sincere truehearted worker with humble heart who bows low, kneels in reverence, lays all pride and pomposity in the dust, makes known desires to God, and trembles at His word instead of standing to be heard of men, God gives unfailing courage, empowering at every step and setting almighty agencies in action to warn the world to prepare to meet God and to carry warning to those who hear and to those who know it not. Ministers are to remain humble and contrite in heart as they work, for walking before God in humility and contrition gives access to Christ's inexhaustible fullness and all-sufficiency, and studying God's word and looking constantly to Jesus changes servants into His image. Humble contrite people who tremble at His word are prepared to be valuable workers, and God gives them an experience beyond human wisdom as He carries out His purposes in His own way.

Those whom the Lord looks to and will use walk humbly before Him, keep His fear before them, tremble at His word, seek His grace with humble heart and contrite spirit, and are alert to use well the powers He has given. They are men of prayer who study the Word, watch unto prayer, consult brethren rather than trusting self or standing apart, do the work appointed them, refuse self-confidence, and avoid discord and speak only the words Christ would speak. The claim by one or two that all responsibility devolves on them is sure evidence they are not qualified and cannot discern what depends on them, and self-confidence if encouraged leads to disastrous results in positions of responsibility. God's work advances only as ministers and workers are themselves worked, guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit while remaining constantly humble and contrite and refusing to exalt supposed superior wisdom, for self-sufficiency grieves the Spirit and leaves workers spiritually strengthless to make grave blunders, so God withholds success from the self-trusting because success would ruin the agent and through him ruin many souls who would take his selfish ideas and ways as wise and proper. Such a humble contrite spirit is needed for God's blessing on plans and work for His cause.

Reading the Bible is not enough without practicing its teachings. Teachers and counselors must be circumspect, modest, unobtrusive and manifest humility. The humble who seek the Lord have wisdom unto eternal life, while teachers who have no ears to hear or minds to comprehend a plain Thus saith the Lord and who educate away from the truth are not to be taken as highest authority or glorified, and honoring them does not meet God's approval.

Reverent fear and trembling at His word makes the Lord a person's only safeguard, and He looks to and manifests Himself to such as He does not to the world. His presence in councils is known when He beholds order and love and fear and trembling at His word in those who meet, and that reverent attitude prepares leaders to do His work unselfishly, while agreeing to schemes from mistaken judgment puts them in danger because He will not be in partnership with any unjust transaction. Those who serve God should remain humble before Him and tremble at His word, living with humility and the gentleness of Christ in business life and religious life, watching continually, uniting with brethren in counsel instead of standing apart, and His words of encouragement recognize faithful labor, not to make them self-sufficient or to serve as vindication of later actions.

Less reliance on personal ability and complete trust in God, surrendering will and way to Him without reserve or compromise with self, is freedom in Christ. God is pleased when those who trust fully stand where He can manifest Himself to them and appeal to His past mercies as grounds for asking greater blessings, and He exceeds the expectations of those who trust Him, giving through Christ the divine power His followers will use to bless others and ennoble their own souls. The Lord leads the person with humble unselfish heart and contrite spirit who seeks to know His will in the path where He wants them to walk. This means prayerfully considering the many branches of missionary work to find what will best advance His cause and honor His name, instead of taking up work He has not given that may look praiseworthy to human eyes while neglecting the work He has actually given, for favor does not come from self-estimation but He is exalted with the humble because He can work through them and they will not take credit, using the capability He gives to become perfect in His work in the educating process that fits people for calls as missionaries or to places of responsibility in other countries.

That meek and contrite spirit that trembles at the Word is cherished by all who value a happy and holy walk and prize the comfort and blessing that knowledge of Him brings. They leave nothing undone to gain a glimpse of His glory, and in every place and under every circumstance they pray that they may be allowed to see Him. Work undertaken in the Lord's name for placing light before people will be blessed when workers begin afresh with humble hearts, ask Him for help and believe He will give it, do all gracefully and cheerfully and well, and encourage by word and example those who have never tried to join the effort. He who lives near the Saviour reveals in words, example and life that he has held communion with Him.