The Wonderful God

Scripture:

Read: Isaiah 11:1-10

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 11:2

Observe:

Journeying through the Bible's historical setting we’re at last getting nearer and nearer to the great and wonderful coming of the Son of God. Here in Isaiah’s prophecy it feels as though we’re able to almost reach out and grab hold of him. The Son is coming; the deliverer and healer of all mankind is near. The God of gods and light of lights, the immaculate one about whom and for whom are all things, is on the horizon. We’re at that place in the Bible’s story; he’s coming and here we learn part of what it is that will make him so special. 

Isaiah describes why it is that he’ll stand out. The messiah and anointed one of God, the precious one to whom the angels sing day and night stands out because he has the Spirit of God resting upon him.

The Spirit will rest on him and that’s how we’ll know who he is. The Spirit won’t just fill him or clothe him or rush upon him, he’ll rest upon him. The Spirit will find his home in him and be pleased to settle on him.

At his baptism the Spirit appeared like a dove and rested upon Jesus and as a dove he stays, calm and at home with the Son.

But we learn more about the Spirit here. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might and of the knowledge of the fear of the Lord.

Wisdom points to him and comes from him, understanding and comprehension is his native language. He is not a confused and irresponsible god. God the Holy Spirit does not behave in a way lacking forethought and consideration. He does not need counsel from others for he is counsel all to and by himself. He is not weak and lacking in strength, he is the Spirit of power and he understands who God is.

God the Holy Spirit understands and revels in the fear of the Lord. He sees God for who he is, he knows his holiness and behaves accordingly. He is not confused about his identity and he does not behave in a way unbefitting the sovereign king. His glory is in his self-awareness and delight in who he is. He gets that he is God and honours and appreciates himself appropriately. He is the God of all glory and might, and he the Holy Spirit finds rest in and on the Son of God, Jesus our brother and our substitute.

Apply:

Sometimes when we read scripture the only application possible is worship. I am over-awed again by the brilliance of God. Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever and so is the Holy Spirit consistent everyday. The greatest application we could ever hope for is increased devotion to and intimacy with God. Let’s hold on to these themes and ideas in our heads and hearts today as we live lives as those loved by God. This is in itself an incomprehensible bit of juicy goodness, that we would be loved by a God like this. Thank you Jesus!

Prayer:

Thank you thank you thank you. Jesus you are wonderful and good and I am so grateful that you would come and die for me, to forgive me and bring me to the Father. Thank you for the clear view we get here of the Holy Spirit, please help me to know you more and more in my life.

Amen