Glimpses of Glory God's Holiness

We are in a season of church called Glimpses of Glory and Grace.

We're in the book of Isaiah.

700 years before the life of Jesus, a man called Isaiah spoke God's words to the kings of Jerusalem.

They were words of judgment, predicting the nation's rebellion against God.

They were also words of hope in a redeemer who God would raise up to pay for the sin of God's people and turn away God's wrath.

Isaiah's words in the impact that he made outlived the kings that he served and even Isaiah himself.

Isaiah's words spoke directly into the spiritual needs of God's people and they speak to our needs too.

These chapters are glimpses of God as glorious and gracious.

All people need something more glorious than what they can find in this world.

And all people need grace if God is who he says he is.

He's so wonderful and amazing and perfect and powerful and mighty and majestic that we're going to need his help.

If we, the broken people of this broken world, are going to come to him.

You and I need Isaiah, this book, in our life.

Theologian Tim Chester says that Isaiah is like a bridge.

A bridge between our side of history and the cross of Jesus Christ, reaching back to the origins of a nation called Israel, who God chose to be his people.

Isaiah is a bridge, a connection for those who find forgiveness in freedom in the Messiah in 2023.

But also for those who knew the Messiah only as a promise.

A gracious promise that one day he would save the then divided nation of Israel and Judah through his coming Messiah King.

Every year we quote Isaiah at Easter time and at Christmas.

It's because of these many glimpses that Isaiah gives us of who this Messiah is going to be.

What his nature is going to be.

What he's going to do.

What his kingdom is going to look like.

Even how he's going to be born.

How he's going to die.

Isaiah has unrivaled depth and clarity.

It's the coolest pair of sunnies in the Old Testament.

That we get to look through and see who the Messiah is going to be.

So in this series you're going to see that the God of the Old Testament that we hear about in Isaiah is the same God that in history is recorded in the New Testament.

He is most holy.

He brings justice and fair judgment for sin.

He is by nature merciful, loving and compassionate.

Providing hope to all nations.

I honestly can't wait to share more of Isaiah.

The bridge of Isaiah with you.

As we see glimpses of this glorious and gracious God.

So we're going to start in chapters 1 to 5.

And then as we go through today we're going to get to Isaiah 6.

And we're going to spend most of our time there in Isaiah 6 as Anne has read out.

Thank you Anne.

So let's open up our Bible.

Make sure we've got Isaiah open.

Turn to chapter 1.

And I'm going to, no, I'm not going to read the whole thing.

We're going to start our journey and step across this bridge.

Isaiah is a bit like watching an opera.

Or a symphony.

Or a musical.

Like these, Isaiah begins with an overture.

An overture is a musical preview.

It contains all, many of the melodies that are to come in the performance.

The emotional movements of the story to come.

We might not know why the tune sounds like that yet.

But the overture gives us that feeling and the gravity of what's going to come next.

Just without all the details.

It opens our ears and focuses our minds.

So let's listen to three melodies that we're going to hear through Isaiah.

In Isaiah's prophetic overture.

The first melody is this intimidating and fearsome, unstoppable melody of judgment and exile.

God himself says,

I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me.

God pronounces judgment after judgment.

Woes on his people.

He foreshadows a time of loss and pain in chapters 1 to 5.

Like it's already happening to Israel.

He even calls Israel by two awful names.

Sodom and Gomorrah.

Two cities that were judged for their exceptional wickedness.

As he was to those two cities.

God is weary of Israel's wickedness and empty prayers.

This melody is bleak.

And Isaiah uses imagery to help us understand how bleak it is.

These are the different instruments that are playing this melody.

Here are a few.

Their fall be like the shattering of a mighty falling tree.

Like seductive women who will have their beauty taken away.

Like staggering drunks who are deceived and pushed by evil people into pits.

Like fools led by children.

They're going to wildly go astray.

Isaiah even sings.

Told you it was a musical.

He sings this mournful love song.

I will sing for the one I love about a song about his vineyard.

My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.

The vineyard of the Lord Almighty is the nation of Israel.

And the people of Judah are the vines he delighted in.

He looked for justice but saw bloodshed.

For righteousness but heard cries of distress.

Can you hear the melody?

Can you hear the main theme of this overture?

It's terrifying.

But interwoven with woe after woe, horror after horror,

are these two sweet melodies.

And as we go through Isaiah, as you read through Isaiah yourself,

and as we explore it as a church,

I want to encourage you to be looking for these

and listening for these two melodies in the symphony of Isaiah.

And the first is the soft call of grace.

In chapter one, we can see that there is forgiveness.

There is a chance for Israel and Judah,

God's people, to turn things around.

God says to them,

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be white as snow.

Though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

And how will God do this?

How could God be leading Israel to ruin

and also make them pure before him?

Well, we get a glimpse of a name in this tune.

In chapter four, verse two,

the name of this redeemer,

this one who will save,

is called the branch of the Lord,

one who will bring shelter and cleansing

to the people of this broken,

wayward vineyard.

And then melody number two,

after the chords crash with a crescendo

and there's the empty space after in this overture.

There's these ever so quiet promises

of eternal hope.

Isaiah 1.26 says that there will be a day

where Jerusalem,

the capital of Israel,

will be restored forever.

And later,

in chapter two,

that every nation will gather

to live for God there

in joy.

In the last days,

the mountain of the Lord's temple

will be established

as the highest of the mountains.

It will be exalted above the hills

and all nations will stream to it.

Many peoples will come to it and say,

come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the temple of the God of Jacob.

He will teach us his ways

so that we may walk in his paths.

A day of restoration is coming.

One to five of Isaiah,

the overture,

promises that Isaiah as a whole

is going to sound like overwhelming judgment,

especially for our ears

thousands of years later.

But keep listening to those recurring melodies

of the grace of God

and his promise of forgiveness

and eternal hope.

God will bring justice and redemption

for his multi-ethnic people

and he will declare them

holy.

Holy.

But now the movement of the symphony

unfolds in chapter six.

The orchestra crescendos into something new

and the curtains part

and the cast come out

to start the first number

and so we see

what will happen next.

So I'm going to pray

before we explore further

in Isaiah chapter six.

Let's pray.

God,

you have all authority.

You're gracious

and you bring hope.

So I ask that you would graciously change us

through the words of this old book.

Speak to us as if promised by your Holy Spirit

so that we see you for who you've always been,

who you were to Israel,

who you were to Isaiah

and who you will always be

to us.

Amen.

Amen.

When I first moved to Sydney,

it was mid-2000s

and everyone I met

when they were talking,

when I was getting to know them,

they would talk

about

a season of life

that came before

when I wasn't in Sydney

and the season of life now

that I kind of knew

and understood.

Chatswood looked very different.

The train station

was a totally different shape.

Right now,

I'd need a map

of how it used to be

to try and remember it.

Everything is so different

just over there.

Everyone I met

when I came to Sydney,

when I was getting to know them,

marked time

by talking about

a season of life before,

something happened

and life now.

And that event

happened in 2001

because people would say

before September 11

or after September 11.

Terrorist attacks in the USA

changed the world

on September 11.

If you're new to Chatswood,

you might be hearing

the same thing.

If you're new to Sydney,

you might hear

people talk

about a before COVID

and an after COVID.

The event that's brought

incredible insecurity

and anxiety.

After COVID,

identities were

changed,

redefined.

After COVID,

everything is different

and we will never

be the same,

even if we might want

everything to be

the same again.

In Isaiah's time,

the southern kingdom

of Israel

had been reigned

over

by King Uzziah

for 50 years.

Judah had prospered.

The people

had followed God.

They'd even have peace

from war.

But a northern kingdom

called Assyria

rose up in great

military power

and began to

annihilate

some of the surrounding

nations

of Judah.

But as long as

King Uzziah

was still alive,

Judah had hope

that they would be saved.

But as Judah

started to

look elsewhere

other than God

for other powerful

nations to trust,

hope started

to slide away

and then it plummeted

because Isaiah

marks his time

in chapter 6

with this terrible event.

In the year

King Uzziah

died.

Here's why you need

to pay attention

to Isaiah 6.

In the year

King Uzziah

died,

when fear

was raining

and everyone

began to realise

that they might

not have any

hope for their

future,

God miraculously

showed up.

He showed

Isaiah

someone

that would

help him

survive

and even

thrive.

And our time

is not Isaiah's,

but

after COVID,

we too

desperately

need to see

what Isaiah

saw.

So what did

Isaiah see?

Isaiah says

in verse 1,

I saw

the Lord.

Now the word

here is not

the common

Old Testament

Lord

in capital

letters,

which is

in Hebrew

that's Yahweh,

Israel's

special

name

for God.

Rather,

Israel is

literally saying,

in the year

King Uzziah

died,

I saw

the King,

the Lord.

The scene

is like

heaven

smashed

down into

the temple

as Isaiah

walked in

one day.

We have a

couple of

visitors who

I've met

this morning.

Imagine you

show up to

church,

you take a

step inside

and you

see

this.

Isaiah

sees the

Lord,

the King,

on a throne,

on a high

platform,

and His

robe

filled

the entire

floor.

The temple

was about

the size

of

the

floor

space,

the outer

grassy knoll

area of

Chatswood

Concourse.

Or maybe

picture a

football field,

a soccer

field,

football,

soccer.

But a

soccer field,

that's

the size

of the

space

and God's

majestic

robe,

symbol of

His

power and

impressiveness,

fills that

old space.

Not only is it

totally impractical,

but it's just

incredible.

God,

the Lord,

the King,

is beyond

impressive.

And Isaiah

knew who He

was immediately.

King.

And then Isaiah

sees who

attends this

King,

the

Seraphim.

Two beings

stand huge

above the

King.

King.

They have

six wings,

covering

themselves

with four

and flying

with two,

uniquely

created for

this throne

room worship.

Have a

look

in your

Bible

at how

they're

described.

Have a look

right now.

can you

picture that?

Can you

imagine

what Isaiah

is describing

in only a

few words?

I googled

it this

week.

I'm more

confused than

ever before

about how

these things

look.

And I can

tell you

that no

artificial

intelligence

computer is

going to be

able to

give me

the picture

that's any

more impressive,

not even

getting close

to the

amazing

sight that

this would

have been

for Isaiah.

But these

two Seraphim,

they call

to one

another.

Their job

is to speak

about what

is true.

They don't

qualify anything,

there's no

nuance.

They're like

a toddler

who when

a plane

flies overhead

just yells

at the top

of their

voice,

no matter

what's

happening,

no matter

what they

should be

doing,

no matter

if it's

quiet,

they just

go,

plane!

Because

there's a

plane.

Or if

they're

standing in

the kitchen

and you're

trying to

get them

to listen

and they

point to

the oven

and they

just yell

hot!

Just because

that's

true.

These

creatures

simply

exist

to declare

the obvious,

the incredible

majesty of

the king

that they

serve.

Here's what

they say,

verse 3,

holy,

holy,

holy,

holy,

holy is

the Lord

of hosts.

The whole

earth is

full of

his glory.

Their

foundation

shaking

voices

declare

who God

is.

He's

holy,

but he's

not just

holy.

holy.

In

Hebrew

conversation,

repeating

a word

twice

emphasizes

its quality.

In

2 Kings

25,

there are

bowls

described,

and they're

not just

gold bowls,

but they're

gold gold.

And in

English,

that would

be purest

gold,

or finest

gold.

Jesus,

in the

Gospels,

is said to

have often

begun his

preaching with

truly,

truly,

which means

this is

the truest

truth.

The

equivalent

would be

if a

married couple

are getting

married over

here,

and the

ceremony's

about to

start,

and the

brides

come down

the aisle,

and the

blubbering

mess of

the groom

is standing

there,

and he

takes her

hand and

says,

you are

beautiful,

beautiful.

Or,

like my

daughter said

to me a

couple of

weeks ago,

this is not

quite the

same,

but it's

nearly there,

in a world

of fake

news,

what you

have to

do now

is to

say,

this is

a true

fact.

A fact

is a

fact,

fact,

but we

don't say

fact,

fact,

we now

say true

fact,

or this

is news,

news.

But the

Israelites

would never

repeat a

word three

times,

wouldn't make

sense,

unless

something is

so impressive,

it doesn't

happen anywhere

else in the

Bible,

unless they're

talking about

God's

holiness.

holiness.

He's not

just holy,

he's not

just holiest,

but holy,

holy,

holy.

Holiness is

the defining

attribute of

the king.

This holiness

is not just

a goodness

or a

righteousness,

though it

is,

but it also

describes this

king's

transcendence,

his all-ruling

authority,

his complete

and incomparable

majesty.

He's totally

set apart from

anything else,

in perfection,

in power,

and in wisdom.

Nothing is

holy compared

to him.

He's the

three times

holy king.

He's so much

more than

our languages

can capture.

But this is

already a big

problem for

Isaiah.

Isaiah's

fallen body

is buckling.

His senses

are searing

with God's

holiness.

The sound

of the voices,

the smell

of the smoke,

the ground

quaking under

his feet,

the bending

beams of

the walls.

And Isaiah's

cry in response

to the holiest

holiness of

God,

the king,

is,

woe to

me,

I am

ruined.

And there's

that word

again.

our melodies

from our

overture

prepared us.

But now

that melody

is ringing

out in a

scene that's

not about

the whole

nation of

Israel,

it's just

about one

man.

It's just

about Isaiah.

He realises

that he is

part of

Israel's

deserving

of ruin.

God has

promised

that what is

happening for

Israel,

because they

do not

turn to

him,

and will

not turn

to him,

he's a

part of

that

uncleanness

that leads

to that

horrible,

horrible fate

that is

coming.

And he

literally says

in Hebrew,

I am

disintegrating.

All that is

me is

falling apart.

His very

identity,

his strength

and reputation,

everything is

undone

before this

holy God.

And when he

sees God's

holiness,

he immediately

discovers how

unsafe he is

before the

king.

the smoke

and the

noise and

the earthquake,

they're not

just epic.

It's not

just an

impressive

smoke and

light show

at the

beginning of

this

production.

It's a

prequel to

divine

wrath.

Isaiah

was a

preacher,

he's a

prophet,

he spoke

to kings,

he was

known.

His lips

were laced

with the

very words

of God,

but even

Isaiah,

strength and

good life

couldn't stand

up to a

comparison

of the

creator

and judge.

This is

not the

vision Isaiah

might have

wanted in

the year

Uzziah died,

but it's

what he

needed.

He needed

to see

that Israel,

that Judah,

needed a

miracle of

grace from

the Lord,

the king.

If we

were to

see the

holiness of

God,

the true

holiness of

God in

that moment,

we would

react just

like Isaiah.

Know in a

moment that

our future is

totally hopeless.

We haven't

measured up to

God's holiness.

holiness.

In fact,

we only have

our sin

revealed in

his holy

light.

We too

are completely

exposed before

the king,

and we too

need that same

miracle of

grace.

So what

happens next?

Don't worry,

there's no cliffhanger,

but I am going to

start by pointing out

what does not

happen next.

I don't know

whether it's

Hollywood or

just the stories

that we like or

the stories we

read or the

ways we hope

things will end,

but what does

not happen is

Isaiah's not

secretly revealed as

good enough to

stand before God.

There's no secret

magic words that

he went found on

a scroll,

on a mountain,

in a cave,

to be able to

stand before God,

and God doesn't

see some kind

of mysterious

good in him,

like in some

Hollywood script,

because God's

holy,

there's no

optimistic way

out.

Isaiah's sin,

everyone's sin,

must be paid

for.

God being

completely

perfect and

righteous,

means that

wrath is the

only option,

and Isaiah

should die

right there.

But he

doesn't.

Have a look

with me at

verse 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,

and with it

he touched

my mouth

and said,

see this

has touched

your lips,

your guilt

is taken

away,

and your

sin

atoned

for.

In Hebrew,

atoned for

literally means

here,

paid for.

God

has paid

for Isaiah's

sins

in this

moment.

God's

wrath.

How?

How?

If this

is not

done

fairly,

then God

is not

holy.

This is

really important.

How can

Isaiah's

sins be

paid for?

In the

Bible,

fire and

smoke and

flames are

all imagery

associated with

God's wrath.

a coal

is that

leftovers

after a

fire.

And this

coal is

the leftover

coal from

the fires

of wrath

that have

been spent

burning up

a sacrifice.

In the

temple,

the center

was the

altar,

where offerings

were brought

and burnt.

A sacrifice

died

in a

swap,

a swap

of judgment

because the

one who

offered up

that sacrifice

had their

death for

their sin

substituted,

swapped,

and paid

for by

that

sacrifice.

This

atonement

was at the

heart of

temple worship.

And for

the nation

of Israel,

it ritually

purified

someone.

It never

forgave them

and removed

their guilt

for good

though,

because more

sacrifices were

always needed

in season

or as sins

were committed.

But there's

no mention

here of

what died

on the

altar.

God

offered it.

Israel didn't

bring anything

for himself

to that

moment.

God

did.

A sacrifice

has been

burnt on

the altar

and the

fire of

wrath is

out.

And the

coals

that are

left

are used

to show

the power

of that

sacrifice.

The

leftover

coal

is this

singeing

symbol

on

Isaiah's

lips.

Isaiah's

sins are

atoned for

and paid

for by

whatever

or whoever

paid for

them

on the

altar.

God

is a

holy

king

and sin

has been

justly

removed

and he's

gracious

in this.

Isaiah

is changed

in that

moment

from

unholy

to

forgiven

and

holy.

God

provides

that

sacrifice

for

forgiveness

of

Isaiah's

sins

yet

Isaiah

did

nothing

here

but be

afraid.

He

sacrificed

nothing

and he

got this

purifying

forgiveness

and was

made

holy to

stand

before

a

holy

God

and this

is

great

news

for him

and it's

also great

news for

Israel

for all

who hear

it.

So God

asks

whom

shall I

send?

Who

will go

for us?

And Isaiah

is ready

and he

says

me.

His

identity

that had

disintegrated

before

God

has been

rebuilt

on this

new

solid rock

this

foundation

of grace

from

the

Lord

the

King

and Isaiah's

obedience

is

joyful

he's

willing

to tell

everyone

he meets

about what

this

King

is

like

but

will

God's

people

hear

how

will

God's

people

respond

have a

look at

verse 9

be

ever

hearing

but never

understanding

be

ever

seeing

but never

perceiving

make

the heart

of this

people

calloused

make

their ears

dull

and close

their eyes

otherwise

they may

see with

their eyes

and hear

what

they

is

and

understand

with

their

hearts

and turn

and be

healed

oh no

how could

this

be

the music's

changed

again

we're back

to that

horrifying

melody

from the

overture

verse 11

then I

said

for how

long

Lord

has he

answered

till the

cities

line

ruined

without

inhabitant

until the

houses are

left

deserted

and the

fields

ruined

and ravaged

until the

Lord has

sent everyone

far away

and the

land is

utterly

forsaken

no

Lord

stop

the song

I know

this melody

change

the channel

is there

no hope

at all

verse 13

second half

of verse 13

but as the

terebinth and

oak leave

stumps when

they're cut

down

so the

holy seed

will be

the stump

in the

land

at the

end of

that verse

all

three

of our

melodies

are playing

at once

it's a

song of

sorrow

and grace

and hope

of wrath

and justice

and love

all at once

there is

hope

from the

roots left

in the

ground

the holy

seed

is gonna

grow

and there's

that word

again

holy

only God

is holy

unless he

graciously

makes

someone

holy

by forgiving

their sin

so to do

this

God is

gonna plant

a holy

thing

in the

soils

of Israel

holy

seed

and that

is the

hope

Isaiah

has in

this

moment

even

while no

one's

gonna

listen

to him

all

is not

lost

and we

know

who the

holy

seed

is

it is

Jesus

in God's

son we

saw

this

holy

seed

die

as buried

in the

ground

so that it

could grow

life

the holy

seed

is

the

sacrifice

Isaiah's

mystery

on the

altar

is

solved

Jesus

was

sacrificed

for the

sin of

all who

would

believe

in him

not on

the temple

altar

but on

a timber

beam

on a

hill

where the

wrath of

God was

endured

and quenched

God's

holiness

held

true

and just

as was

done

on the

altar

of the

cross

see that's

how this

bridge

that Isaiah

is

that's how

it works

we see from

our time

looking back

what Isaiah

and what Israel

could not yet

we know

who that

sacrifice

on the

altar

that in

this image

who he

was

it was

Jesus

but unlike

Isaiah

we see

his

holy

life

recorded

in the

gospels

we see

our

unholy

ending

enacted

at the

cross

lived out

and died

for us

what a

saviour

in the

year

King

Isaiah

died

God

revealed

himself

as a

holy

and

gracious

king

after

COVID

in

2023

this

Easter

we

remembered

a man

who was

crucified

on a

hill

outside

Jerusalem

and

written

on his

cross

in a

sign

for all

to see

were the

words

this

is

Jesus

the

King

of the

Jews

the

King

was

crucified

the

King

on the

throne

stepped

down

and took

off

his robe

of glory

he made

himself

nothing

he was

born

as a

man

he lived

a holy

life

he was

crowned

not with a

crown

of gold

but of

thorns

he didn't

he didn't wear

a robe

he was

stripped

naked

and he

wore

our

wrath

and died

in shame

that

is how

far

this

holy

king

will go

to make

unholy

people

holy

the

king

sacrifices

himself

and that's

not even

the end

because he

is not

dead

he is

risen

and he

reigns

in glory

the

king

is

gracious

so much

so that

he made

an offering

for Isaiah's

sin

by offering

himself

as the

sacrifice

and we

now know

him as

the king

Jesus

of Nazareth

king

of the

Jews

once

you

see

Jesus

you'll

only want

to keep

seeing

this king

so I

want to

encourage you

as we

step through

this season

in Isaiah

challenge

yourself

to read

this book

to listen

to this

symphony

as you

read

a chapter

a day

four or

more times

a week

glimpse

God's

glory and

grace

here in

Isaiah

open up

the gospels

in these

school holidays

and see

the king

king

Jesus

over and

over

helping you

see that

he is

holy and

gracious

to you

and to

all people

in the

words of

a book

you have

the sight

that you

need to

see now

after

covid

after

whatever

the season

seeing the

king in

the word

is who

you need

and how

you grow

and thrive

wherever you

are in your

time right

now

and these

are the

words the

world need

to hear

for those

who follow

this king

if you

follow Jesus

will you

say with

Isaiah

here am

I

send me

Jesus

the king

just like

in Isaiah

says in

Matthew 28

all authority

in heaven

and on earth

has been

given to

me

therefore

go and

make

disciples

of all

nations

the holy

king has

placed

into our

holy made

hands

a holy

message of

repentance

and forgiveness

and grace

to all

peoples

of all

nations

so if

you know

Jesus

will you

fearlessly

trust

this holy

king

to share

the message

of his

grace

with someone

who does

not

know him

he does

not see

him

and maybe

is even

hostile

to him

and if

you don't

know

Jesus

yet

and if

you want

to receive

this gift

of grace

in Jesus

Christ

come to

the altar

come to

the cross

respond

even now

as we

sing

come speak

to me

come speak

to Carmen

or Rachel

and why

not even

start praying

right now

that God

would help

you see

what Isaiah

saw

and with

Isaiah

receive with

joy

the gift

of grace

to stand

forgiven

before your

king

before God

because of the

sacrifice

of Jesus

Christ

let's pray

God

we all

need to

see

that you

are the

king

we cannot

stand before

you

but because

of Jesus

we can

receive

forgiveness

he is

our

sacrifice

he pays

for sins

so we

can stand

in your

presence

we look

forward to

the day

when people

from all

nations

will join

with Isaiah

in worship

and we

claim

that

forgiveness

today

we commit

ourselves

to the

king

king

Jesus

and until

then and for

all eternity

we are your

people so

send us

to tell all

nations of

your holiness

and grace