Encountering The Holy God Series

Being a prophet was one of the hardest jobs in the Old Testament. A prophet had to speak unsettling words, confronting sinners with sin and warning of judgment. They were usually unpopular, often persecuted. So a prophet needed a really clear sense that this is what he was called to do, the conviction that because God commanded, he simply had to speak—no matter what.

The prophet Isaiah had a firm grip on his mission. There was no doubt, even as he ministered for four decades, that the holy God had called him. And for his ministry, there was no more important moment than what took place in Isaiah 6. This encounter shaped him and his message for the rest of his life.

It happens at what was a turning point for Judah. We’re told that it was “the year that King Uzziah died” (6:1). The year is 740 BC, and Uzziah has been on the throne in Jerusalem for 52 long years. He wasn’t always a great king, but Chronicles tells us that when he did seek the LORD, he was blessed. When a king prospered, the land prospered too. So things were pretty good in Judah right now: making money, buying land, enjoying the finer things.

A long-reigning king means stability. But what happens when a king dies? Fifty years of steadiness suddenly evaporate, and there is uncertainty. Now what? Especially when you see what’s happening among the nations. The Assyrians were on the rise, a violent and powerful empire, and it looked like none could stand against their aggression. Uzziah had been a seasoned king, clever in the ways of the nations. Now he was dead. Who could step into the gap?

The strong and smart and influential people of this world are but a breath. The president with absolute powers and nuclear weapons today could be gone by tomorrow. The lovable prime minister might be out by the end of the year. It’s foolish to put our trust in any human. They won’t save and they can’t protect.

So the first words announce what should be a crisis, from our point of view. The king is dead. An invasion looms. The world is totally messed up. But then Isaiah gets to see with startling clarity: the King is on his throne. He never went away, and He never will! He is the holy Lord, the God who reigns, who cleanses, who judges, and who saves. This is our theme,

The holy Lord calls Isaiah as His prophet:

1) the stunning revelation of God’s glory

2) the swift removal of Isaiah’s uncleanness

3) the surprising result of Judah’s unbelief

1) the stunning revelation of God’s glory: In this moment of crisis, Isaiah is allowed to see the one sure answer to every anxiety and fear: the Lord God. “I saw the Lord” (v 1), he says. Isaiah is having a vision. Scripture says that no one can see the Lord, for God is spirit, invisible and dwelling in unapproachable light. Yet this is still very real for the prophet, and it’s something God does more than once: He shows himself in some kind of form so that it will be a comfort for his people. Think of how He appeared to Abraham, to Moses, or to Elijah.

Isaiah ‘sees’ God, yet makes no effort to describe God. He mentions his throne, his robes, his heavenly servants, but it’s as if he dares not lift his eyes any further. He hesitates to look fully upon God, for he has already seen enough.

For there is the Lord, “sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple” (v 1). It really is the picture of a king. First, his name, ‘the Lord,’ not the familiar covenant name Yahweh, but the Lord as ‘Adonai,’ the sovereign one, free to do what He pleases. Second, see his position on a throne, the seat of authority, from where He commands nations and judges sinners. Third, his throne is “high and lifted up,” for God is beyond anyone’s ability to control or knock down. Looking up to this God, you have to be reminded that you are lesser, smaller, weaker.

Now, when we have dreams, they don’t usually make a lot of sense. Very different images and ideas and people are all blended together, and in the morning we struggle to put it into words. That’s kind of what’s happening to Isaiah. Not only does he see the Lord on a high throne, but his throne is in the temple, and somehow his robes are filling the temple.

Was this the Jerusalem temple, or perhaps some other temple, a heavenly one? We don’t know. At any rate, the temple marked the reality of God’s presence in his people’s life. God was near, and you could draw near.