Isaiah 8:14

"The LORD of Armies is who you must respect as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread."

Key Reflection

The LORD of Armies, a title emphasizing God’s sovereignty and power over all nations, is the one to be revered as holy, feared, and dreaded by the people of Israel. This would have resonated strongly with Isaiah's audience, who were familiar with the concept of a warrior God. The original listeners would have understood that adhering to divine laws and maintaining a proper fear of the Lord was crucial for their survival and the preservation of Jerusalem, given the frequent threats from surrounding nations.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

And he shall be for a sanctuary -The word translated sanctuary means, literally, a holy place, a consecrated place, and is usually applied to the tabernacle, or to the temple;Exodus 25:8;Leviticus 12:4;Leviticus 21:12;Jeremiah 51:51. It also means an asylum, or a refuge, to which one might flee in case of danger, and be safe; seeEzekiel 11:16. Among all ancient nations, temples were regarded as safe places to which people might flee when pursued, and when in danger. It was deemed sacrilege to tear a man away from a temple or an altar. That the temple was so regarded among the Jews is manifest; see1 Kings 1:50;1 Kings 2:28.

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