Here Am I; Send Me! Isaiah 6:1-13
Introduction
“No controversy swirls around the date for Isaiah’s encounter with God in the temple. It happened in 740 B.C., the year in which King Uzziah died. Unresolved controversy, however, does come from the question, "How does Isaiah’s experience in the temple relate to the first five chapters in the book?" Is chapter six misplaced? Did Isaiah prophesy before he was called? Is his experience in the temple a confirmation of his calling? Or did he have a special reason for placing chapter six after the opening chapters? The account of Isaiah’s calling is not misplaced. To force a chronological sequence upon Isaiah is to miss the purpose of the prophet’s writing. Our perspective is that he summarized his prophecies and stated his themes in the first five chapters to show the priority of the message over the messenger. If so, Isaiah continues to be consistent with his introduction and his writing throughout the book in which the answer to the question what takes precedence over the question who. As we have already noted, Isaiah is not a prophet on an ego trip. He mentions his own name only when it is relevant to a historical happening and omits it entirely when the vision takes him into a future of which he will not be part. Yet, we also remember that Isaiah alone among the prophets claimed to receive his prophetic authority directly from God. Logically, then, his decision to include a personal testimonial of his encounter with God when he received his vision serves as the sign and seal for his prophetic authority.” (The Preacher’s Commentary)
Transition
This morning we will examine the calling of the “Prince of Prophets,” Isaiah. We will look at God’s dealings with Isaiah and the issues which were raised in God’s conversation with Isaiah. Isaiah time and again is diligent in his keeping the emphasis off of himself and squarely upon God.
There are two great and prevailing themes present in all of the oracles of Isaiah. First, we learn a great truth for all of us to apply, especially teachers of God’s Word, that in our lives we should mimic the prophet in taking the emphasis off of self and allowing God to reign supreme in our lives; in all that we are and do.
Second, in his constant reference to God, the prophet offers great insight in the character and nature of the sovereign God of the universe. We will examine both.
Exposition
Confronted by God (Isaiah 6:1-4):
In the opening section of today’s text we see that when God called Isaiah He confronted him in a powerful way. There are times in our lives when God breaks onto the scene and confronts us with His presence, with His will for our lives, and with His word. He may not do it by whisking us away into the very throne room of Heaven but He will do it nevertheless.
The question for us to answer is whether we will be willing to listen to His voice when it comes? I have occasionally shared my journey of calling to the ministry. Mine was a journey more than a onetime event, though to be sure there were large markers along the path. When I was 16 I had a profound experience as I pray at my grandmother’s house for a very long time.
I was not swept up into the throne room of Heaven, there was no lightening or thunder, no burning bush; just the roaring silence of God’s voice speaking directly to my heart. From that time until finally coming to terms with the reality that God was going to have His way in my life, there were times when I pursed God and times when He pursued me.
I was terrified of the reality that God desired to use me for the ministry. I felt inadequate, unskilled, ungifted, I was a messed up kid from a messed up family who grew up in a messed of city in Northern California. How on earth could God use me? My fear was fueled by an inadequate view of God’s provision.
I was right that I was not good enough and did not measure up. But my ability to measure up was not what was at stake. God had not asked if I had something to offer Him for service; He has called me for service and God always supplies.
When God sends us He always sends us with the provision necessary for the journey ahead. I was answering the wrong question for the question was not “Am I good enough to be used of God.” The question was is God big enough to make a way for His plans to come to fruition. The trouble with me was that I had an inadequate view of God. I wonder if I am not alone. Has God called you to do something and you feel like you don’t measure up?
Each of us has a divine task for the Kingdom and God and while we cannot do what only God can do, God will not do what He has called us to do. We are His hands and His feet. Why o why are we so busy building our little kingdoms in the sand rather than allowing God to work through and in our lives? Why do we wonder why we do not experience victory in our lives when we do not open ourselves up for God to be seated on the throne of our lives?
Are we waiting to be swept up into the throne room of Heaven like Isaiah? Let us learn today the lesson of the prophet Isaiah! Let us cast off inadequate, inappropriate, insufficient views of God. I am convinced that if in our minds eye we saw God as the Bible portrays Him to be, as He really is, all powerful, all capable, and sovereign, that we would fear far less of the kingdoms of this world and do much more to build the kingdom of God.
The Sovereignty of God (Isaiah 6:1-2):
When Isaiah sees the Lord He is seated on a throne, indicative of the sovereignty of God as He is seated high above the earth on a majestic throne. This speaks of God’s sovereign rule over the affairs of the Universe, the Galaxy, the World, you and me. The train of His robe filling the temple is suggestive of the presence of the sovereignty of God filling all that He created.
God is high and lifted up; majestic and sovereign. He is also intimately concerned with that which He created and immediately available to His creation. The question is sometimes raised, “Is God immanent or transcendent?” That is, “Is God separate and over His creation or is He present in His creation?” The human mind has such trouble with seeming dichotomies.
We long desperately to categorize everything, even God. The reality is that He is both seated above and available within. He is at all times seated upon the throne of sovereign rule and at all times the train of His robes fill the temple; the earth.
In the first five chapters of the book of Isaiah which lead up today’s passage of Scripture we see that the children of Israel had become too complacent to heed the warnings of God. (Isaiah 5:20-23) Just as in our day, the people had lost a sense of the absolute sovereign nature of God. As a result even their leaders had fallen into sin and as a result judgment.
When we lose sight of the sovereignty of God, when we remake Him into something other than the mighty God of creation and God of our lives we so easily commit the sin of the Children of Israel of idolatry and risk cutting ourselves off from the very source of power that we need for our lives.
Why of why would we not want to worship of God of might and awe? Is a God of lesser deity worthy of praise and adoration? Is the material god of this generation worthy of praise? Look around as the god of this age crumbles on alters of gold which were built to his glory.
God is sovereign, all powerful, not a god I can put in a box or worship as I see fit according to my preferences. He created the world and all that is in it. He is of infinite worth and why o why would I want to worship a God who was anything less? Why would l long to spend eternity with a God who was not able to author and finish my salvation? Why o why would I long to see loved ones gone before me into glory if I did not serve a God capable of creating such a place?
We could talk at length with regard to the sovereignty of God and perhaps we should, but let us not neglect to emphasize the holiness of God.
The Holiness of God (Isaiah 6:3)
Isaiah recounts the presence of the seraphim. These are angels whose name literally means “the burning ones” because light emanated from them because of their holiness and purity. And yet, they covered their face with their wings so that they might show honor to the source of holiness; God almighty. The text says that they covered their feet, which is likely a sign of humility.
We live in a generation, as did Isaiah that has forgotten the holiness of God. Why are men and woman separated from God eternally if they should die without having repented of their sin and accepted Christ atonement? For what reason are men denied accesses to Heaven to live in a state of eternal separation from God?
The biblical message is that God is perfectly holy and He cannot look upon that which is unclean. God is pure and cannot overlook the evil that we do to one another in this life! Sin is an affront to God’s holiness! How much different would our actions be if in the moment of decision we considered the holiness of God?
How much would our hearts be changed if we mediated on the reality of the holiness and purity and love of the one who created us to live in perfect communion with Him? How much more pure would our motives be if we lived out of a commitment not to bring offense to the holy God of creation?
Would that our hearts would break under the burden of guilt for the sin we have committed in this life that we might run for the shelter of the Cross! O for a generation of believers who would once again agonize under the conviction of sin and cry out in the presence of a holy God as did Isaiah, “Woe to me! I am ruined for I am a man of unclean lips who lives among a people of unclean lips. My eyes have seen the holiness of the King and I am ruined!” (v5 paraphrased)
But alas, we are a generation who has been desensitized to the stench of our own sin and which has been blinded to the purity of God! Dear Saints of God, hear me this morning, mine is a heart which longs to see men and women of God return to a full and right understanding of the sovereignty and holiness of God that we might learn to relate rightly to Him according to the forgiveness that is found in Jesus Christ!
Juxtaposed to the message being pumped out of big media churches, opposite the mainstream prosperity gospel message, we don’t have to live lives which only mirror the culture. We don’t serve a God who is primarily concerned with making us prosperous and successful. The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to reconcile us back to God so that we might receive the fullness of peace, hope, joy, love, no matter what the prince of this world throws at us; not matter what life brings.
The best self-help seminar ever attended was right here in Isaiah chapter 6. We don’t need the power of positive thinking. We need to cast ourselves on the mercy of almighty God that He might infuse us with His Spirit, His power, His worth, His love, and thus enable us for the very real trials of this life.
Forgive me today, as I cast aside the modern prosperity Gospel message in favor of something that I can build my life upon. I join with the Apostle Paul as I beg you therefore brethren by the mercies of God… let our minds be renewed by the power and the presence of the sovereign Lord of creation; the holy God of our salvation; unto a new and lasting eternal hope; the reality of reconciliation with God and with one another.
Convicted of Sin (Isaiah 6:5):
Standing there in the presence of God Isaiah was convicted of His sin. He felt the full weight of his anguish over his utter unworthiness to stand before a holy God. He felt utterly inadequate, spiritually poor, completely undone, and insufficient.
The great trouble was that just like me when I sensed the call to ministry and just like many of us when we hear the voice of God; Isaiah had an insufficient view of God. For though He is pure and holy, righteous and just, God is also full of grace and mercy, slow the anger the Bible says, and quick to forgive.
He created us to live in fellowship with Him and just as He took the hot coal to cleanse the lips of Isaiah, so too He has made a way for the purification of our souls and the forgiveness of our sins. That fire is consummated by faith in Jesus Christ according to the presence of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.
The fire which purifies us is the same fire which ignites us. I invite you today to come by faith to the fount of forgiveness which flows in Christ blood. If you have been walking with Christ for many years or you have only recently known what it means to live in communion with Christ, know this; we are not called to drink once from the fountain of forgiveness.
We have been invited to live, to dwell beneath the crashing of its waters. You and I are standing waste deep in a pool of forgiveness, bathing in grace as the waters of God’s love and forgiveness fall upon our heads, washing us continually of our sin and imperfection; reconciling us to the God who called us.
Conclusion
Forgiveness is free. Reconciliation is the fruit of forgiveness. While that fruit is given freely its receipt comes at a great cost; the cost of our lives. (Matthew 10:34-39 NIV) Jesus says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” We have been called to embrace the sovereignty of a holy God in our lives. As we let go of our inadequate views of God and overly inflated views of self, we will find the very thing which so often eludes us; the peace, the joy, the love, and the reconciliation for which we long. It is in letting go that we receive. It is in embracing the holiness of the King that we live. Amen.
