In today’s world life rarely appears as it really is. Everyone wears a mask hoping to only show what they want people to see. We hide so many items in our lives. We even put on blinders to only see what we want to see. Then we have our own special glasses that filter everything so it fits to our own presuppositions. Christians are not the only ones who do this. Everyone does. Everything has its own spin just watch two different news shows or read two different newspapers. We have so many barriers no wonder so many don’t come to Christ. Suddenly though everything gets stripped away. You see Jesus for who He really is. Next you must decide what to do with Jesus who is called the Christ. Isaiah had a different experience then us but one that gave him a landmark occasion.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. (Verse 1)
This verse establishes the when of the story. King Uzziah died somewhere around 740 BC. Isaiah was in the beginning of his ministry that expanded some sixty years. The winds of change were blowing at this time, as Assyria was becoming the superpower nation. The Assyrians were cruel and vindictive. Isaiah was a part of the Kingdom of Judah and the apocalypse was near for this tiny nation. Isaiah was given a glimpse of seeing the one true God Yahweh in all his glory.
Above it stood seraphim, each one had six wings: with two, he covered his face, with two, he covered his feet, and with two, he flew. (v2)
The seraphim are angels who are in the presence of Almighty God constantly. I find it interesting that they need two wings to cover their faces. I think we as humans forget how holy God is. We can tend to be quite irreverent at times. Angels are sinless beings yet they need to cover their faces from the holiness of God.
And one cried to another and said: “ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!” (v3)
I am not much of a numbers guy. Some commentators say that because they said holy three times it is the number of completeness. I tend to look at it as a sign of the Trinity. God is One yet Three. It is probably both the latter showing how holy God is and the former indicating the Trinity. Holy means set apart. God is set apart from us. He knows no sin. He is NOT the author of sin. His ways are higher than our ways. This is why you cannot earn your way to heaven.
“The whole earth is full of His glory.” Many times, I take my wife to work to the town just south of us. It is a two-lane road with corn and bean fields on both sides. There are plenty of trees and hills and curves on the way. I love that drive. That is just one small example of the earth being full of His glory.
And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. (v4)
As earthly creatures separated from God, we do not grasp His holiness. Isaiah got a full picture here. He got an earthquake and a fire out of the deal. In the gospels when Jesus casts out the demons you notice they tremble and fear. I find it funny and it makes me angry how television always glorifies demons. They are evil and scary and they fear nothing. That is not how it really is. They fear God and tremble at Him.
So I said:
“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
Yahweh of hosts.” (v5)
Isaiah saw all of this and was blown away. His life was forever changed. Now Isaiah believed before this point but this was a landmark occasion. I was saved at eight years old and baptized the same year. I had gone to church all my life. I grew up in Christian schools and went to Bible College. I was the pastor of two different churches. I say all that to make this point. It was two years ago I had the swine flu. It was the most miserable thing of my life. I was changed then. I decided that Jesus was not going to be something that I just believed in but he was going to consume every part of my life. I wanted him to have it all. God had my undivided attention at the time. My eyes had seen the King. Would I continue to live my life only giving God bits and pieces or would I surrender to him my hopes, dreams, and everything?
When your eyes see the King, it will demand a decision. Will you follow Him or not? Later in the passage, the Lord asks who will go for him to tell the people. Isaiah says here am I send me. Will that be your response today?
