But when he seeth his children the work of mine hands in the midst of him they shall sanctify my name and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and shall fear the God of Israel.Isaiah 29:23 Explainer ## Introduction - In Plain Language: God promises that when His people see their children — the future generations He has made — those people will honor God’s name, acknowledge the Holy One of Jacob, and live with reverent fear of the God of Israel. - Big idea: God will turn Israel’s future generations into a living testimony that honors and reveres Him. - Key points: - The verse pictures God’s children (the “work of my hands”) becoming a visible reason people honor God. - “Sanctify my name” means treating God’s name as holy—honoring and revering who He is. - The promise points to transformation and restored worship after judgment or hardship. ## Context - Where this verse fits in: Isaiah 29 sits in a section of Isaiah that mixes warning and hope for Jerusalem (often called “Ariel”), moving from judgment and surprise attack imagery to a promise of restoration and spiritual renewal. Verse 23 is part of the hopeful turn: after the warnings, God promises renewal so that His people and their children will honor Him. - Story timeline: Isaiah prophesied in the 8th century BC during the later years of the divided kingdom era. His audience was Judah and Jerusalem, under political pressure from surrounding powers. He speaks as God’s prophet to call people away from spiritual dullness and toward true worship. - Surrounding passage: - Just before (vv. 21–22) Isaiah condemns those who are arrogant, deceptive, and complacent. God, however, declares future restoration for Jacob (Israel). - Immediately after (v. 24) the prophet says those who once wandered mentally or morally will come to understanding, the humble will learn, and the wise will be taught—continuing the theme of internal change and restored reverence for God. ## Explanation - Quick take: Isaiah 29:23 promises that God will produce a renewed people—His “work of hands”—who will honor His name and live in reverent fear of Him. It points to spiritual renewal that flows from God’s work in the community and across generations. - In Depth: - The verse calls the people “children” and “the work of my hands,” underscoring that their identity and future are gifts from God. That language stresses God’s ownership, care, and creative action. - “They shall sanctify my name” uses the idea of making God’s name holy in practice—not merely saying it in ritual, but acting so that God’s reputation is honored among the nations and in daily life. To sanctify God’s name means to treat His character, authority, and reputation with reverence and obedience. - “Sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel” repeats and deepens the idea: the people will honor God’s holiness and live in reverent awe (fear) of Him. “Fear” here is not only terror but a moral, worshipful reverence that shapes behavior. - The grammar and pronouns in Hebrew are a little ambiguous, which leads some translations to render slightly different emphases (e.g., “in his midst” vs. “in their midst,” or differently understanding who “they” are). The general thrust, however, is consistent: God’s future people will become a means by which God is honored and feared. ## Key Words - Banim (בָּנִים) — “children” or descendants; points to future generations and family identity. - Mela’kath yaday (מְלֶאכַת יָדַי) — “the work of my hands”; emphasizes God as the maker/creator and His investment in these people. - Qadash (קָדַשׁ / יְקַדִּישׁוּ) — “to sanctify” or “to make holy”; here it means honoring or setting apart God’s name as holy in speech and life. - Yare (יִרְאוּ) — “to fear” or “stand in awe”; a reverent respect that leads to right living. ## Background - Ancient kings and peoples often honored their own gods publicly with rituals and boastful claims. Isaiah counters that real honor comes when the people God has made live in a way that reveals His holiness. - “Holy One of Jacob” is a covenant name pointing back to Israel’s family history—God is both sovereign and faithful to His promises to the ancestors. - The phrase “work of my hands” reflects a common biblical theme: God as craftsman who forms a people for Himself (cf. Isaiah 43:1–2; Psalm 139). ## Theology - God as Redeemer and Creator: He forms and restores a people so that His name is honored. - Sanctification is public and communal: God’s holiness is displayed not only in private piety but in communities and generations that live rightly. - Reformer of worship: God promises genuine worship and reverent fear, contrasting superficial or hypocritical religion. ## Application To Your Life - For workers: Let your daily work and how you treat colleagues make God’s name look honorable—integrity at work can be a form of “sanctifying God’s name.” - For parents: Your children are a living testimony; raising them to fear and honor God helps pass on a faith that honors God’s name. - For church leaders: Aim to nurture authentic worship and discipleship that produce visible reverence for God across generations. - For seekers: This verse shows God’s concern for real transformation—He wants to make people whose lives point back to Him. - Reflection questions: - In what practical ways does my life help or harm the reputation of God among others? - How am I investing in the next generation so they will know and honor God? - Short prayer: Lord, shape me and my family to be the work of your hands—help us honor your name and live in reverent awe of you. ## Translation Comparison - KJV (King James Version): “But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.” - NIV (New International Version): “When he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will honor my name; they will honor the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.” - ESV (English Standard Version): “When he sees his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they will keep my name holy; they will keep the Holy One of Jacob holy, and stand in awe of the God of Israel.” - NRSV (New Revised Standard Version): “When he sees his children, the work of my hands, in their midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and stand in awe of the God of Israel.” - Note on why differences matter: Differences reflect how translators handle ambiguous pronouns (“him” vs. “their”) and word choices for key verbs: “sanctify,” “honor,” “keep…holy,” or “stand in awe.” Each highlights either ritual language (sanctify) or relational response (honor/stand in awe). All converge on the idea that God’s people or descendants will cause God’s name to be revered—translation choices simply emphasize slightly different angles of that same promise. ## FAQs - Q: Who are “he” and “they” in this verse? Short answer: The Hebrew phrasing is a bit ambiguous, so translators differ. The safest reading is that the “children” are the people God has made—“the work of my hands”—and “they” refers to those people. In other words, when the people (and their children) are present and restored among the community, they will honor God’s name and fear Him. Some interpreters note that surrounding verses also speak of others coming to respect God, so contextually the focus is on renewed worship by God’s people and the visible result that honors God’s reputation. - Q: What does it mean to “sanctify my name” practically? Short answer: To “sanctify God’s name” means to treat God as holy in word and deed so that His reputation is upheld. Practically, that includes living in ways that reflect God’s character—justice, mercy, honesty, humility—and publicly honoring God through worship, testimony, and faithful living. It’s not only about liturgical language; it’s about daily choices that make people say, “God is good; God deserves honor.” The verse promises that God will bring about a people who do exactly this. ## Cross References - Isaiah 29:24 — “Those who err in spirit will come to understanding…” (continuation: personal and communal renewal). - Isaiah 43:21 — “This people I have formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” (same “work of my hands” and purpose to praise God). - Psalm 8:3–4 — human worth and wonder before God; God’s name as something people notice and proclaim. - Deuteronomy 10:12 — “Fear the LORD your God” (links the theme of reverent fear as covenant duty). ## Deeper Study - Commentary synthesis (high-level): Most commentators read v. 23 as part of Isaiah’s promise of restoration: God will form a faithful remnant (or future generations) that will honor His name. Scholars note the textual ambiguity of pronouns and discuss whether the verse anticipates Israel’s repentance, the nations’ reverence, or both. The dominant theological thread is God’s initiative: He shapes people who in turn sanctify His name. - 3–4 bullets for group study: - Read vv. 21–24 together and list the contrasts Isaiah makes between the arrogant and the restored people. - Discuss the meaning of “work of my hands”—how does seeing people as God’s handiwork change our treatment of others? - Brainstorm concrete ways a congregation or family can “sanctify God’s name” in your community. - Consider the generations: what practices help faith pass from parents to children in a way that honors God? ## Related verses (3 to compare and contrast — and why) - Isaiah 29:24 — Why: It follows directly and completes the theme of renewal—those who wandered will learn and the humble will be taught. - Isaiah 43:21 — Why: Uses the same image of people formed by God “that they might declare my praise,” linking creation by God to the purpose of honoring Him. - Deuteronomy 10:12 — Why: Connects the recurring covenant demand to “fear the LORD,” emphasizing reverent obedience as a long-standing requirement of God’s people. ## Talk to the Bible Try the “Talk To The Bible” feature to explore this verse further. Suggested prompts: - “Show me other Bible passages that call God’s people the ‘work of [God’s] hands’ and explain how they relate to Isaiah 29:23.” - “How do different translations interpret the pronouns in Isaiah 29:23, and what difference does that make for understanding the verse?” - “Give a short sermon illustration or personal story that helps a modern church understand what it means to ‘sanctify God’s name.’”
