Isaiah 6

Well, it'd be great if you could have your Bibles open at Isaiah chapter 6.

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

And as you're turning there, let me just say thank you for having me today.

It's been a real joy to be with you and to be able to preach and see your faces.

And we will be praying for you in London City Presbyterian Church.

We are so thankful for our partnership in the gospel,

for the connections that we have with this congregation.

And we're so glad that we are in this together.

And it's been a real joy just to worship with brothers and sisters in Christ in London.

Especially for me.

So thank you for today.

Well, I want to get going this evening with a question.

And the question is this.

Can you remember the last time you were awestruck at something in life?

When was the last time something caused your jaw to drop, your eyes to pop out your head?

When was the last time you gasped in amazement?

Or you were stunned into silence at something you beheld?

The last time I was left awestruck happened just last year.

It was a Sunday evening.

I had just finished preaching in London City Pres.

And along with three other friends from the congregation,

we decided that we would go and join the really, really, really long queue

to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall.

We rushed out of church, sprinted across Tower Bridge,

and we managed to find the back of the queue.

And we were among the last to join before the queue closed.

It was 7 p.m.

And we queued for nine and a half long hours.

And then at 4.30 a.m. on Monday morning,

we wearily wandered in to Westminster Hall.

And I suspect some of you may have done the same.

But as for as long as I live,

and I'm no diehard royalist in that sense,

but as for as long as I live,

I will never forget the scene that greeted us that morning.

We walked into this room,

pregnant with ancient history.

And there in the middle of it

was the longest reigning monarch

of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.

A coffin just seven foot.

But there was something that left me awestruck.

When you had to fall past it,

you had to look up.

She was raised in a plinth,

and there was the royal standard.

There was the imperial crown

with its 3,000 diamonds,

with its 300 perils,

with its emeralds and rubies

just glistening, dazzling, mesmerizing.

There was a scepter and the orb

propped up on top of the coffin.

I just can't put it into words,

but it will be for me

one of the most memorable experiences

I've ever had.

And I had to remind myself,

Andy, this is just a dead monarch.

But even still,

as I stood in front of a coffin

with the remains of our late queen,

I couldn't but stand in awe and respect.

We'll contrast that

with the prophet Isaiah's experience

when he wandered into the temple,

and he was given a glimpse,

not of a dead monarch,

but of a living,

the living and glorious king of glory.

Tonight, I want us,

my prayer for us

is that we would be left awestruck

at the sight of the glory of God.

That tonight we would be stunned

into silence at the grace of God.

That we would gasp in amazement

as our glorious king

invites us into service of Him.

Let's just pray and ask for God's help

as we come to this passage.

God, we pray that you would open up our eyes

as we've opened up your word.

We pray that you would turn up the volume

of the Holy Spirit speaking tonight.

We pray that as we come

to behold you afresh in your word,

that we would see you for who you are.

And that as we leave here this evening,

we would leave transformed

as a result of this life-changing vision.

We pray this in your son's glorious

and precious name.

Amen.

What we have in Isaiah chapter 6

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

is the occasion when Israel's young,

pious prophet went up to the temple

to worship God,

but he did not come back out

the same way he went in.

There in the temple,

Isaiah had a life-transforming vision

of who God is.

And we've got four points

we're going to consider this text with.

God, because Isaiah receives

a vision of who God is.

Guilt, because in light of who God is

he becomes overcome

with his sinfulness and guilt.

Grace, because there in the presence of God

he experiences the amazing forgiveness

that God offers.

And finally, gratitude,

because Isaiah responds

with a heart filled with thankfulness.

God, guilt, grace, gratitude.

Verse 1.

In the year that King Uzziah died,

I saw the Lord.

Isaiah's opening statement

dates this experience to 740 BC.

It also informs us that he had this vision

at a timely moment in his own personal life

as a prophet

and for the nation as a whole.

2022 will go down in the history books

as the end of the second Elizabethan age.

It will go down in the history books

as the end of an era.

It will go down in the history books

because it will probably be

the last time there will be

such widespread mourning

in our nation over one individual.

You can well imagine

that the day when Isaiah

walked up to the temple,

that sad situation

that had overcome the nation of Israel,

the passing of King Uzziah,

overwhelmed him and burdened him.

He was God's prophet for the people.

King Uzziah,

just like our late queen,

had been one of the longest reigning

monarchs of Israel.

52 years.

For most of his reign,

it was a time of peace

and prosperity.

It was the end of an age.

And so picture Isaiah walking up

to the temple with a heavy heart,

but don't you just love God's timing

when Israel's throne was vacant,

God gave Isaiah a vision

of heaven's throne occupied.

When everything fell out of control

in the nation,

God gave Isaiah a vision

of the one who was in complete control.

The one who was gloriously

working his purposes out

for his people.

I don't know what's going on

in your personal life.

I don't know what's going on

in this congregation's life.

I do know what's going on

in the world

from what we read in the headlines,

but our world feels out of control.

And so maybe it's a timely vision for us,

it's a timely moment for us

to get a fresh vision

of who God is.

The first thing that Isaiah saw,

we read in the year

that King Uzziah died,

I saw the Lord

sitting upon a throne,

high and lifted up.

Note God's position

to reflect the fact

that He is the preeminent one,

the supreme one,

the most high one,

the exalted one.

When you went to see

the queen lying in state,

our coffin,

they had really raised her up

in a plinth,

so you really had to look up.

It was befitting.

She was worthy of honor.

She was worthy of our respect.

But here,

we can only wonder

how high Isaiah had to lift his head.

because he saw the one

who sits enthroned

above the circle of the earth,

the most high,

the one above all powers,

all authorities,

all dominions.

I don't know about you,

but for myself,

one of the problems I suffer from

is spiritual amnesia.

Constantly forgetting

how glorious God is.

I suffer from this problem

that when I forget who He is,

I'm tempted to reduce Him

down to a size

where I'm comfortable with Him,

where I try and fit Him

into my life

instead of realizing

that my life fits

into His purposes.

I need to be reminded

of just how great

and glorious God is,

and that is where

this vision begins.

Isaiah saw the Lord

sitting on His throne

high and lifted up.

And then he goes on

and he says

he saw the train of His robe

and it filled the temple.

For the young ones,

you might be studying history

at school,

you might remember

that in history

that we're taught

about the ancient kings,

whether it's in Babylon,

Mesopotamia,

that the greatness of a king

would be reflected,

demonstrated,

showcased in the length

of the train of His robe.

The greater a king,

the longer the robe.

The more victories he had

over his opposing kingdoms,

the more they would increase

the size of his robe.

Well, here's Isaiah.

He catches a glimpse of God

and we read

that he saw

that the train of His robe

filled the temple.

In the Hebrew,

the idea is he saw

the hem of His garment,

just the outer edge.

And it filled the temple.

And the point is

how overwhelming

God is in His greatness.

How much more there was

to God that Isaiah couldn't see.

He just saw the very edge,

but it filled the temple.

God's far more glorious

and greater than you and I

have ever dared to imagine.

vision.

We need our eyes open

to this sheer overwhelming

vision of who God is.

Again, I don't know about you,

but in my spiritual life,

whether it's I wake up in the morning

and I check the headlines

on my phone,

or whether I just wake up

with all the worries

of the day or the week ahead,

I can find that they fill

the vision of my mind and heart.

And the one who should loom

the largest in my mind and heart

doesn't.

Well, here Isaiah's vision

of who God is

calls us afresh

to see that God

ought to loom large

in our minds,

hearts, and souls

because He truly is

far greater than we've ever dared

to imagine.

Now, Isaiah's vision

of who God is

deepens with what happens next

because He gets a glimpse

of these creatures

called seraphim.

The only time we ever read

about these creatures

is here.

In the Hebrew,

the word seraphim

at its root

literally means to burn.

These are burning,

fiery creatures

created by God

to dwell in the

holy presence of God.

We're told about

these seraphim

they've got six wings.

With two,

they covered their feet.

With two,

they flew.

And with two,

they covered their face.

Think about this.

These creatures

created by God

holy and sinless

to live in His presence

have to cover their face.

Such is the dazzling intensity

of the beauty

of God's holiness.

With two,

they cover their feet.

Such is their awareness

that in the presence of God,

they are on holy ground

and they are unworthy

to be in His presence.

With two,

they flew.

Such is their awareness

that they were created

by God

to do His bidding

at any moment

to be His heavenly messengers,

to carry out His will.

You know,

when you're young,

your parents tell you,

don't look at the sun.

You can't look at the sun.

These holy creatures

made to live

in God's presence,

made to do God's bidding,

could not look

in the face

of their maker

and king.

strange,

but when I was

looking at the Queen's Coughing

with the Imperial Crown,

it was mesmerizing,

but you know

when something's overwhelming

in its beauty

and its power,

it's dazzling,

you can't

linger long.

You have to look away.

The posture of these seraphim

is significant

because

in just a moment

we're going to see

their posture reflected

in Isaiah.

So get this,

as we think of the Lord

high and lifted up,

the train of His robe

filling the temple,

we've got these seraphim

who surround them,

who shield their faces,

who are ready to serve,

but then notice

that we are told

that in verse 3,

one called to another

and said,

Holy,

Holy,

Holy

is the Lord of hosts,

the Lord of angel armies,

the whole earth

is full

of

His

glory.

These angels

sing to one another

about the

extraordinary

nature of God.

And they sing

in antiphonal praise.

One says,

Holy,

another one says,

Holy back,

another one says,

Holy back,

the Lord

of hosts.

The whole earth

is full

of His

glory.

It's the only time

in the Bible,

here in Isaiah

and then in Revelation,

that we read

of any of God's attributes

repeated three times

and it's

His holiness.

It is a

supersuperlative.

In Hebrew,

you want to make a point,

you'll say something

is the best

of the best,

you'll say

King of kings

or Lord of lords

or songs of songs.

You repeat something

three times

and it's in a category

altogether

of its own.

It is set apart,

it is separate,

it is the purpose

of saying that God

is holy,

He is in a class

all of

His

own.

I don't know

what you think of

when you think of

the holiness of God

but listen to

A.W. Tozer.

We cannot grasp

the true meaning

of the divine holiness

by thinking of someone

or something

very pure

and then raising

the concept

to the highest degree

we're capable of.

God's holiness

is not simply

the best we know

infinitely bettered,

it stands apart,

unique,

unapproached,

incomprehensible

and unattainable.

The natural man

is blind to it.

He may fear

God's power,

admire God's wisdom

but His holiness

he cannot

even

begin

to imagine.

God's holiness

is truly

extraordinary.

You know what else

it is?

It's also

truly thrilling.

these fiery creatures

burned to the very

bottom of their being

in delightful praise

of God

in all of His holiness.

We sing about

what we delight in.

We sing love songs

because we love

love and lovers.

We sing about

our favorite football teams.

Here these angels

sing about

their glorious God

because they delight

in Him.

I want you to notice

that in response

to the singing

of God's holiness

we read in verse 4

and the foundations

of the thresholds

shook at the voice

of Him

who called

and the house

was filled

with smoke.

Anytime you read

about God

being worshipped

in the splendor

of His holiness

like in Psalm 96

you'll read

that the nations

tremble,

the earth shakes.

Brothers and sisters

as we catch

a glimpse

of God

and His holiness

in this vision

we should be shaken

to the core

of our being.

Let me be really honest

with you.

My life

is marked

by callous worship

careless living

compromised godliness

and casualness

in my Christianity

and passivity

in my service

when I have lost sight

of God

and His holiness.

Amen.

And so as we

enter the temple

as it were

and see this vision

we're being called

back to who God is.

Now our first point

is the longest point.

Isaiah gets this vision

of who God is.

Well now we come

to our second point.

After seeing God

for who He is

Isaiah comes

to see himself

for who He is.

There's no

coincidence

that John Calvin's

Institutes of the Christian Religion

is split into two books.

knowledge of God

and knowledge of self.

When you get a knowledge

of who God is

you will come to a true discovery

of who you are.

I don't know if any of you

like watching

crime scene

crime dramas

you know

CSI

NCIS

you know

you know those moments

when you're watching them

and there's a crime scene

but they go into

it's a home

or it's a

it's a bit of a car

and they open it up

and it just looks

pristine clean

perfect

and then they turn off

the lights

and then they put up

their UV lights

their ultraviolet lights

and they turn them on

and this room

that you thought

was perfectly clean

is revealed

under the ultraviolet lights

to be filthy

and dirty

there's blood everywhere

there's bodily fluids

here there and everywhere

there's fingerprints

it's a crime scene.

Well here's Isaiah

this young pious prophet

he comes into

the presence of God

and under the x-ray

gaze of God

he has exposed

to him

his sinfulness

you know

one of the things

that can happen

we come to church

right

and some of us

dress up

we put on our

Sunday bed

we give the impression

to those around us

that we're good

we're doing well

and yet

if you want to be

exposed for who

you truly are

just come into

the presence of God

it's here we discover

our true sinfulness

remember

what was Isaiah's

calling as a prophet

he was given

the task

to speak the word

of God

to the people

of God

what is it

he becomes

overcome with

verse 5

woe is me

for I am lost

for I am a man

of unclean lips

this is a man

whose calling

is to preach

the word of God

and he realizes

that under the x-ray

gaze of God

his mouth

is filthy

he is disgusting

he's dirty

he's guilty

he dwells

in the midst

of a people

of unclean lips

maybe there's

that connection

that out of the

overflow

of our hearts

what's truly

in our hearts

it manifests

in our mouths

as Jesus said

notice why

he is so

overcome with his

guilt

for my eyes

have seen

the king

the lord of hosts

you know

one thing

that I think

contributed

to my

me being awestruck

in the presence

of the

of the queen

in Westminster Hall

is I probably

had never been

that close

to someone

in human terms

was that great

I realized

that there was

a distinction

between me

and her

everything

she had guards

protecting her coffin

the flag

the crown

the scepter

the orb

all of it

she's in a

different category

in that sense

and that is

what overcomes

Isaiah

this sense

that he's

in the presence

of his king

he is the

created

and this

one is

his creator

and what

he becomes

most conscious

of that he

confesses in

God's presence

is his

filthiness

his uncleanness

he feels so

utterly

exposed

before the

blazing holiness

of the Lord

but here's the

wonderful thing

our God

reveals himself

and reveals

Isaiah

to himself

not because

he wants to

condemn him

or destroy him

but because he

wants

to

redeem him

God

guilt

grace

then one

of the

seraphs

seraphim

flew to me

having in his

hand a burning

coal that he

had taken with

tongs from the

altar

and he touched

my mouth

and said

behold

this has

touched your

lips

your guilt

is taken

away

your sin

atoned for

here we see

the gospel

of grace

in this passage

and you need

to see it

this is a

case of

open heart

surgery

and you need

to see it's

God who takes

his initiative

the medicine

is taken from

the altar

the place of

sacrifice

without the

without a

sacrifice

without the

shedding of

blood

we know from

the Old

Testament

there can be

no forgiveness

of sin

it comes from

an altar

that's on fire

that's got

burning coals

on it

which is a

picture of

God's holy

wrath

against sin

and this

seraphim

flies to

Isaiah

and he

touches his

lips with

his burning

coal

and instead

of him

being destroyed

he's cleansed

you want to

hear a better

gospel verse

in all the

Bible than

what the

angel said

behold

this has

touched

your lips

your guilt

is taken

away

your sin

is atoned

for

this is the

gospel in

high definition

salvation

God in

salvation

comes to

take away

our guilt

and to

atone for

our sin

and the

altar

is the

cross

but do

you want

to know

the thing

that should

stun you

and I

into silence

the vision

that Isaiah

has of God

sitting on

his throne

high and

lifted up

the train

of his

robe

filling the

temple

the seraphim

singing

holy

holy

holy

holy

is the

Lord God

of hosts

the whole

earth is

full of

his glory

do you

know that

that vision

is the

vision

of the

pre-incarnate

glory

of Jesus

Christ

for in

John's

gospel

John says

Isaiah said

these things

when he

spoke of

Christ's

glory

the one

who sat

on the

throne

who was

worshipped

and adored

by the

angels

is the

same one

who came

into the

sin sick

world

and hung

on the

cross

the altar

of sacrifice

shed his

blood

so that

sinners

like you

and me

could be

cleansed

our guilt

taken away

our sin

atoned for

the thing

that should

stun us

into silence

is this is

all for

you and me

our king

coming to

save and

rescue us

there were

many stories

after the

queen's

passing

of how

she

there were

moments in

her life

where she

kind of

stepped out

of her role

and did

some incredible

things for

some people

none of

them come

close to

this

none of

them

our

glorious

king

the king

of angel

armies

the creator

of this

universe

stepped off

his throne

and came

to die

in our

place

to shed

his blood

so that we

could be

forgiven

the birth

place of

hope is

the self

sacrificial

love of

God

and now

we come

to the

final

point

what is

the

response

and it's

nothing but

gratitude on

Isaiah's

part but I

don't want you

to miss

this

the first

time when

God speaks

is in

verse 8

the first

time that

Isaiah hears

his king

is in

verse 8

and I

heard the

voice of

the Lord

saying

whom

shall I

send

and who

will go

for us

the same

God who's

in the

business

of

cleansing

unclean

filthy

sinners

redeeming

them by

amazing

grace

is the

same

God who

seeks to

enlist

them

in his

glorious

service

you know

it's such

a thought

that should

cause us

to gasp

in amazement

God has

angels

that are

perfect

that can

do his

bidding

and yet

he chooses

to use

unclean

sinners

saved by

grace

to be

his

servants

he chooses

to use

people like

you and

I to

be his

envoy

his

ambassadors

to make

him known

in this

world

and it

is because

of gratitude

in Isaiah's

mind and

heart

that he

responds

with those

glorious

words

here

I am

send me

John Calvin

says

disregarding

Isaiah's

response

this shows

how great

is the

cheerfulness

that

springs

from

faith

it's

interesting

Isaiah

didn't need

to be

coerced

into

service

Isaiah

was just

overwhelmed

that his

king who

loved him

who showed

him such

grace

who cleansed

him

would

want to

use

him

and here

am I

send

me

use

me

and

brothers

and sisters

our

response

to

understanding

to

catching a

glimpse

tonight

and understanding

something of the

grace of God

tonight

should be to

want to go

and serve him

as he calls

us

you know

I said

there's

something of

the angels

posture

in

Isaiah

they

covered

their feet

because they

realized

they were

unworthy

they had

wings that

could fly

because they

realized

they would

go at

God's

bidding

whenever

he called

they

covered

their

face

because

they

knew

they

couldn't

behold

the

dazzling

intensity

of the

beauty

of

holiness

well here's

something

that is

completely

different

when he

comes again

when we

lay down

our crowns

at his

feet

at the

last

we

will see

him

as he

is

and in

the twinkling

of an

eye

we will

be made

just

like

him

such

is the

amazing

grace

of God

that he

has made

us

saved

us

uses

us

in his

service

and then

will give

us the

incredible

privilege

of beholding

him

face

to face

that my

friends

is grace

upon grace

this story

as I

close

wasn't told

of Queen

Elizabeth

it was told

of Queen

Victoria

it appeared

in a

London

newspaper

many years

ago

the conclusion

of a sermon

that she

heard

she approached

the preacher

and said

oh how

I wish

the Lord

might come

during my

lifetime

when the

preacher

asked her

what her

desire

was based

on

she

replied

I

should

like

to lay

my

crown

at his

feet

and when

at the

end

he

comes

brothers

and

sisters

we

will

be

given

a

crown

of

glory

and I

should

like

to lay

mine

down

at his

feet

the

King

of

Kings

the

God

of

Gods

worthy

of all

our

praise

let's

bow our

heads

and pray

to

those

those

those

!

those

!

those

!

those

!

those