See What Isaiah Saw to Accept the Call, Part 1
Isaiah 6
Isaiah is Called to Be a Prophet
6:1 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. 2 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. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 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, The LORD of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
And He answered:
“Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate, 12 The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump.” NKJV
In 1952 the sad word went forth from London . . . “THE KING IS DEAD”. King George VI died in his sleep at the age of 56. He was somewhat of a private man, in comparison with others who held the throne, but he was greatly respected and admired. His reign had carried him through the rigors of World War 2, the election of a socialist government, and the dissolution of much of the British Empire. His tired heart gave way. All across Britain, people flocked to churches to worship, to pray, and to seek comfort and hope.
In 1963, another shocking word was sent out across the world: “The President is dead”. It was unbelievable. JOHN F. KENNEDY, young, vibrant, and dynamic, was cut down by an assassin’s bullet – a nation was plunged into grief. People flocked into churches in the greatest numbers since the announcement of the end of World War 2. Ministers changed their sermon texts and preached messages of healing and hope to the people of America.
and then we also have December 7, 1941… September 11, 2001
About 700 years before Christ was born in Bethlehem, the sad announcement was made, “THE KING IS DEAD”. King Uzziah, the eleventh King of Judah, had died. Crowned at the age of 16, he had reigned 52 years. Despite his failings, he was the greatest king since David.
The heart of Isaiah, the prophet, was broken. Uzziah was not only his king, he was also his friend. In his heartbreak, Isaiah made his way to the Temple to worship and to seek comfort and renewed faith.
When sorrow comes, when life presses you in, the best place to be found is in the House of the Lord. (We ought to ALWAYS be found in the House of the Lord! But especially when we’re facing the difficult seasons of life – there is an answer in God, there is hope in Him, if we will quickly turn to Him.)
When Isaiah went up to the House of the Lord, he learned that the king was dead . . . BUT THAT GOD WAS NOT DEAD! He was still upon His throne. Isaiah had lost his earthly king, whom he loved, but he caught a fresh glimpse of the King of Kings. He met with God in an encounter that radically changed his life.
Would you note with me, that Isaiah saw four things that I want to draw to your attention:
- ISAIAH SAW THE LORD. Look for the Lord in bad times, and the good.
Isaiah 6:1 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.
WHAT WE NEED IN THE DOWN TIMES
Introduction: Verse 1 mentions the death of King Uzziah. He was the tenth king of Judah and he was a very godly man. He was highly influenced by the prophet Zechariah and, unlike many of the other kings, he never totally departed from the worship of the true God. Under his influence, the southern kingdom attained power, wealth, and success unlike any it had enjoyed since the days of Solomon. Made heady by his success as king and by his blessings from the Lord, Uzziah made the mistake of offering incense in the Temple, 2 Chron. 26. He was stricken with leprosy by the Lord for his disobedience to the Lord. He died in that leprous condition! Disobedience to the Lord is a serious thing!
Well, evidently, Isaiah is disturbed by the death of the great king. After all, he had reigned for 52 years. His death signaled the end of a time of great prosperity and consistency. For Isaiah and the entire nation, it ushered in a time of uncertainty, change, and doubt. Yet, for Isaiah, this is to be a time of rediscovery.
Apparently, Isaiah had his attention focused on Uzziah, but now that Uzziah is dead, his attention is redirected back to the Lord. What must have been a downtime in the prophet’s life became an uptime. That which had help his attention was removed and Isaiah had a fresh encounter with God. What happened to Isaiah in this event spotlights for us what we need during the down times in our own lives.
We all have down times in life! Those downtimes can grow us, or they can ruin us, which depends upon what has our attention. Let’s look into these familiar verses and think for a while on the thought What We Need In The Down Times Of Life. Learning what to do when life turns down will help us to get back up in short order.
Verses. 1-4 WE NEED TO SEE WHAT ISAIAH SAW
- ISAIAH SAW THE LORD.
Here is the greatest vision that anyone can ever have. To see the Lord! Let’s read about it together.
Isaiah 6:1 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 He Saw God’s Position – Isaiah saw God in His sovereignty. An earthly king may have died, but the Lord still reigned. He saw the Lord in all His glory. And, it had a profound impact on the life of Isaiah. (Ill. When life seems to fall apart at the seams, we need to remember the God Who is in control of it all! What appears to be a tragedy to us may be the greatest thing that could happen in our lives. Rom. 8:28; 2 Cor. 4:17.)
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
2 Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
We need to remember just Who is in control!
Isaiah 6:2 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.
And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
Verse. 2-3 He Saw God’s Personality – The angelic beings in the temple proclaimed the thrice holy nature of the God of Heaven. Even those sinless creatures were careful to honor the holiness and purity of the Lord. Notice that they covered their faces with their wings. They also proclaimed the glory of the Lord! Isaiah finally understood that Uzziah might have been a good king, but the Lord was a holy God and He and He alone deserved the glory for all of life! (Ill. We need to remember that God’s prime characteristic is His holiness! Our duty before the Lord is to honor His holy nature by living holy lives before Him. We are to recognize His right to glory by giving Him all the glory for everything in our lives, 1 Cor. 10:31.)
1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. NKJV
Isaiah learned that this thing was not about Uzziah or Isaiah, but it was all about God! He, and He alone deserves to be in the place of honor and glory!
Be careful not to assume the place that belongs to Him alone!
During the downtimes of life, we need to remember Who is working all things out of His holiness and for the glory of His Name, James 1:17!)
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. NKJV
Isaiah 6:4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
Verse. 4 He Saw God’s Presence – We are told that the “house was filled with smoke”. This was a symbol of the presence of God. You will notice that God’s “train” filled the temple! That speaks of His robe. God was the central figure in the Temple! Isaiah was reminded, rather forcefully, that Uzziah might be gone, but the Lord was still there! He had not been forsaken even during this downtime, but the Lord was still with Him in great glory!
We need to remember this truth as well! If we are saved, we are never alone, but even during the downtimes of life, we still always have the presence of the lord with us, Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5.)
Last verse in Matthew 28:20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. NKJV
Heb 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” NKJV
Isaiah saw something of God’s nature and character – he caught a glimpse “through the curtain”, as it were. He saw something of the Lord as Moses described Him in
Ex 15:11 “Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders? NKJV
The vision was of God high and lifted up upon His throne. He saw God as the central object of all praise, surrounded by heavenly courtiers- angelic beings – the seraphim.
What a vision! Oh, that we would all have such times of encounter with God. BUT, would you look with me, it seems that it was ONLY ISAIAH who saw the glorious vision. If others were seated around him there in the Temple, THEY had no such revelation. He doesn’t write “WE saw the Lord”, he says, “I saw the Lord”.
There is a sense in which our corporate worship is still very much made up of INDIVIDUALS who are worshipping. (Hopefully we are not “individualistic” in our worship, in the sense that we ignore or disregard others around us. We must be mindful of one another, and offer Him corporate adoration – BUT WE ARE STILL INDIVIDUALS as we do so!)
It IS possible for one person to be moved to tears, while the person beside them – on the same row of chairs – is UNMOVED. One repents, while another trusts in his own self-righteousness. One responds willingly – with a soft heart – to the claims of Christ, whilst another is desperately resisting the persuasion of the Holy Spirit.
Which one are you?
Are you going to sit here, going through the motions of a cold, formal religion, satisfying your conscience that you’ve come?
Or are you meeting with God here? Are you opening up to the Lord as He knocks at the door of your heart?
Isaiah met with God, he had a revelation of the greatness of the Lord, and it changed his life forever. The same living Lord is here tonight to meet with WHOEVER will call upon His name. EARTHLY kings may come and go – but the King of Kings is alive forevermore, and just as powerful as ever He has been, and just as willing to reveal Himself to men.
And listen, Isaiah didn’t get this revelation just because he was a prophet. He saw God because he had a soft, pliable heart, and a listening ear.
Titles and offices don’t cut any ice with God!
2 Chron 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
The Old King James put it: “Them whose heart is PERFECT toward Him.”
The word “loyal” or “perfect” is the Hebrew word “SHALEM”, which means “completely devoted to”; and it’s related to the word “SHALOM”, which means “PEACE” or “stillness”.
So, the verse says that God’s eyes roam the whole earth looking for a heart that is disposed toward Him, devoted to Him, and still before Him. God looks for people to reveal Himself to who are listening and available.
Isaiah was listening, and ISAIAH SAW THE LORD. The second thing that Isaiah saw this day in the Temple was:
- ISAIAH SAW HIMSELF.
Isaiah 6:5 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, The LORD of hosts.”
Isaiah SAW HIMSELF as he had never quite seen himself before. He did not see himself in the way that one sees themself as they admire their own image in a mirror. No, no! He did not see himself as a good person, worthy of God’s commendation, and the praise of people. He didn’t think to himself, “WOW! I must be the best person here because God has honored ONLY ME with a vision of Himself.” That was NOT his attitude at all.
Instead he cried out: Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips!
AND THIS IS ALWAYS TRUE. The closer we get to God, the more clearly we see our sins. The contrast between His holiness and our unholiness gives us a vivid awareness of just how very far short of God’s glory we truly fall.
The times when we DO feel we have made it – we’ve arrived – we’re knocking on the door of perfection – they’re the times that we’ve been neglecting to pray and worship and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When Peter was CLOSEST to Jesus he said: Depart from me; for I am a sinful man. When John received the Revelation of Christ on the Island of Patmos, he wrote, I fell at His feet as though dead!
A lost sense of God brings a lost sense of sin. But a renewed sense of God brings a renewed awareness of our own sinfulness.
Isaiah saw himself in a whole new light.
Part 2 next week.
