Iliff and Saltillo UM Churches
February 8, 2004
A World Shaking Experience
Isaiah 6:1-8
INTRODUCTION: Today’s scripture describes a world shaking experience for the prophet, Isaiah, that he never forgot. (See Isaiah 2:10-22; 37:16, 40:12-26; 57:15). The vision that made such an impact on him happened in 742 B. C. the year that King Uzziah died. This was a very significant event in history because this king had reigned for 52 years and for the most part was a person who did what was right in the sight of the Lord just as his father, Amaziah, had done. As long as he sought the Lord he had success. Judah was stable and prosperous under this king, but his success went to his head. He became proud and arrogant to where he walked into the temple and offered sacrifices in spite of the priests’ protests. As a result of this sin, he got leprosy and died (II Chronicles 26:3). A change was to take place in the administration, but Isaiah didn’t know if it would be good or bad. He feared that prosperity would cease, Israel would be taken captive, and that a depression and famine would also come.
Many people felt that things would be so bad through the change of administration that the glory of God would not be able to be seen or sensed by the people. Uzziah’s death meant an uncertain future. People were anxious and afraid. This was a dark and dangerous time. However, just because Israel’s King died, the God of Israel still lives.
It is true that Isaiah was living in a critical time in history. A young aristocrat, he was probably a little self righteous looking down on King Uzziah for his sin of arrogance. He was probably a little proud. He was married to a prophetess and his ministry was primarily to the southern Kingdom of Judah.
Although Isaiah was already a prophet, he was being called to a more difficult mission and this world-shaking vision had such an impact on him that he never deviated from his work.
Let’s see what we can get out of today’s scripture.
1. His Encounter With God: He went to the temple and had a different experience than he had ever had before. It was awesome and earthshaking for him. Can you think of a time that you have had such an earthshaking, awesome spiritual experience that even today you look back and can describe it in detail? Was it a moving, unsettling experience? It may not have been as spectacular as the vision that Isaiah experience that day, but it has stuck with you all these years. We might describe it as an “aha” time in our lives when we exclaim, “Aha, I see what the Lord is trying to tell me. This is awesome!”
STORY: A student in seminary was going to spend the next year at Emory Hospital in supervised ministry. She wasn’t sure this was what she was to go into. As she walked down the sidewalk she was a bit anxious and upset. She said a calm came over her and a voice saying, “Learn all you can because I have a plan.”
She said, “I felt startled and thought ‘Where did this come from?” This was an “Aha” experience she never forgot and it carried her through the difficult year of supervised ministry.
What are your “aha” experiences? You have probably all had something that you could identify as an encounter with God. It has helped to shape you in your spiritual walk more than you realize.
In Isaiah’s world shaking experience he said several things happened:
1. I saw the Lord
2. He was seated on a throne
3. He had a huge train on his robe that filled the temple (a badge of dignity in the East)
4. above him were seraphs with six wings:
a. 2 wings covered their faces--could not gaze directly on the glory of God.
b. 2 wings covered their feet--reverence and respect
c. 2 wings to fly--to minister
5. the door posts shook and smoke filled the temple (the presence of God in the smoke)
If you had seen such a vision, how would you have felt? Where do you think Isaiah was in his relationship with God?
Indications from his response show that Isaiah had probably become accustomed to the sin around him. He went about his work probably desensitized to what all was going on in the country. I think he may have been somewhat complacent just like we are today. Maybe he felt, “I am not shocked by anything or anybody. Sin is just a part of everyday life. People are people. We do what we have to do to get by. Everybody does--kings included.”
Story: A woman was driving through a school zone when a policeman pulled her over for speeding. As he was giving her the ticket, she said, “How come I always get a ticket, and everyone else gets a warning? Is it my face?”
“No, ma’am,” said the officer. “It’s your foot.”
How often do you justify sin in your own life? You say, “Well, times have changed. It used to be considered sin but now it’s OK.” We say, “It’s not so bad.” We say, “well, if that person gets to heaven, I KNOW I will.” Sin had become “old hat,”-- NO BIG DEAL.
I think Isaiah may have said some of these things as well. I think he had gotten so used to it that he hardly gave it a second thought until he found himself in the presence of the Almighty God. The seraphs cried out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3).
In that split second his eyes were opened to how much sin pervaded every nook and cranny of his life.
Take a look at your life this past week. If you were standing in the visible presence of God like Isaiah was that day, what sins would stand out to you in stark contrast to the holiness of God with you, too, exclaiming, “Woe is me.” I never realized that I was doing this or saying this. “Woe is me.”
2. Isaiah’s Response: Isaiah saw himself as he really was--it was world shaking to him. Here he thought he was such a good person--self righteous--criticizing others for their sins and he finds out he is just like them. No better, no worse. He was convicted of his sinfulness. He no longer felt worthy. He exclaims in terror, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips; and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts!”
In the religious tradition of his day a person entering the realm of the holy faced possible death, so Isaiah is scared out of his wits.
You might have imagined him saying, “Right then, one of these strange looking angels with 6 wings flew right toward me. Nearly scared the beegeebees out of me! Was I going to die????”
I think this would have been very world shaking!
God is present in our lives. We are not tuned into it most of the time. He sees us as we really are. When God shows up in our life we, too, grasp the depth of our sinfulness. We recognize our guilt for what it is.
Story: A research project was set up to study the behavior of children. The researchers stood behind a one-way mirror observing how the group played together. For the most part they acted like normal children, but sometimes they were cruel with one another. One girl hit another girl over the head with her doll. They started fighting over the toys. Then some of the boys pulled things off the shelf and threw them all over the room. There is pushing and name calling, hair pulling, and kicking and yelling. Then one of the researchers accidentally hit the light switch.
All of a sudden the kids realize they are being watched. They immediately stop what they are doing, and become very quiet. They are embarrassed and ashamed that they have been caught red-handed.
“Woe is me! I’m in big trouble now. We’ve been bad and now we’re going to get it.”
All of us are as guilty as these kids. Like Isaiah, we stand in the presence of a holy God aware of our human sinfulness, arrogance, and self righteousness. Isaiah struggled with his guilt. He feels he is doomed. We can never atone for our sin on our own either. What is the answer to our predicament??
3. God Does Not Leave Us There: God’s response to our sin and guilt is His GRACE. As Isaiah struggled with his self-conscious guilt, the seraph took a live coal off of the altar with tongs and flew over and touched his lips. The live coal was not intended to HURT him but to HEAL. The live coal was symbolic of purification and cleansing.
This painful cleansing was necessary before Isaiah could fulfill the task ahead of him. We must be cleansed as well if we are to be a channel through which God’s power can flow. Our daily frustrations, societies pressures and our own shortcomings reduces and narrows our view of God.
The seraphs then pronounced Isaiah:
1. Not Guilty
2. Sins Forgiven
Isaiah was HUMBLED but he was FORGIVEN. The weight of guilt lifted.
Matthew Henry said, “The seraph being kindled with a divine fire put new life into the prophet that fired his soul with a zealous love for God.” The prophet’s mission was renewed.
The effect of the vision was far reaching. God then asked a question. “Whom shall I send? Who will go?” God uses cleansed people to carry the message. Isaiah was not coerced into service. He consented.
God doesn’t want to twist your arm and make you feel guilty about serving him. He wants you to be so fired up about doing his work that you will enthusiastically volunteer--Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8).
Keep in mind that there were not a lot of takers for this assignment. Isaiah’s experience caused a readiness for whatever God had planned. He had been full of doubts and fears, but now he has the forgiveness of sins, he was cleansed, and stood guilt free. He was not only fit for service but looking forward to it. A passionate fire touched his soul.
CONCLUSION: As we continue to follow the Lord, he can break into our life at any time day or night to show us His plans. At church or on the job, during our leisure time--when we least expect it. How do you know when you have experienced God’s presence?
1. We will know it when the spotlight shines on our sinfulness in contrast to His holiness. We will be convicted of our sin to the point of repenting of it.
2. We will know it when our guilt is taken away and our sins our forgiven.
3. We will know it when our lives are being transformed. We won’t be the same old person.
4. We will know it when we enthusiastically want to participate in His work in the world without our being coerced.
Today, ask Him to draw you closer--give Him permission to transform you into the person He wants you to be.
Let us Pray:
