Upward, Inward, & Outward Vision

UPWARD, INWARD, & OUTWARD VISION

Isa. 6:1-8

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. In one of Charles Shultz’s famous “Peanuts” cartoons, Lucy is philosophizing and Charlie is listening. “Charlie Brown,” she begins, “life is a lot like a deck chair on a cruise ship. Some place it to see where they’ve been, some where they are at present, and others where they are going.” Charlie sighs, “I can’t even get my deck chair unfolded!”

2. We’re going to look at a great O.T. prophet and see how vision changed his life and can change ours too!

B. TEXT

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isa. 6:1-8

C. THESIS

1. Isaiah saw three visions: an upward one, of God; an inward one, of himself; and an outward vision, of the needs of the lost people around him. If we hope to change the world then we need the same three visions.

2. The title of this message is “Upward, Inward, and Outward Vision.”

I. ISAIAH’S UPWARD VISION

A. WHAT ISAIAH SAW, FELT, AND HEARD

1. GOD ON HIS THRONE...high and exalted, reigning over all other kingdoms; God rules and commands all. John 12:41 tells us that Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus; Isaiah “saw Christ's glory and spoke of him.” He is the divine Lord (Adonai), supreme in power and government over the universe, above all competition and contradiction.

2. ISAIAH SAW GOD’S GLORY – manifested in the cloud of God’s visible presence, appearing as a massive kingly robe, sweeping through the whole Temple.

3. GOD’S ATTENDANTS. Next Isaiah saw three holy angels, seraphim – which means “burning ones” – circling God’s throne. They literally burn with love for God and zeal against sin. Each of them has six wings.

a. With two wings they COVER THEIR FACES, being conscious of the infinite distance they are from the divine perfection. God is too mighty to look in the face – it’s like looking into the sun!

b. With two wings they COVER THEIR FEET, because God is so sacred that even the ground/area around God is holy. Moses was told to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground. Feet, in contact with the earth, are considered the dirtiest part of the body, needing cleansing.

c. With two wings they FLEW. If angels, which are so holy, show so much reverence before God, how much more should we, mere mortals, be reverent when we approach God’s throne!

4. Like Town Criers, THEY DECLARE God’s infinite perfections saying, “Holy, holy, holy!” They recognize God as infinitely pure, as separate & unlike all other created beings. The threefold cry may reflect the three Persons of the Godhead, God’s reign over past, present, and future, or because there are three seraphs. They also cry, “The whole earth is full of his glory,” because God’s reign is not only worldwide but over all time and space.

5. THE WHOLE TEMPLE WAS SHAKEN – not just the door & thresholds. All was moved by the violent concussion, a manifestation of power, against the degeneration and contradiction caused by sin. God’s shekinah GLORY-CLOUD then filled the Temple, so that even the seraphim were unable to minister (as their earthly counterparts had been, 1 Kgs. 8:11).

B. OUR NEED FOR A “POWER-ENCOUNTER”

1. Many Christians think they know God, but they’ve never had a “power encounter.” We need to have an experiential faith!

2. Saul of Tarsus thought he knew God until he had a “power-encounter” with Jesus on the Damascus Road. His first question was, “Who are You, Lord?” He was shocked by his ignorance of the Living God!