Scripture:
Isaiah 6:1-10 NKJV
[1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. [2] Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two, he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two, he flew. [3] And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” [4] And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. [5] So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” [6] Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. [7] And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” [8] Also, I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” [9] And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ [10] “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”
Observation:
Reading this chapter in Isaiah always takes me back to one of the first times I got the opportunity to really read it and focus on what was happening. What an amazing moment that must have been in the life of Isaiah. To be standing in the throne room of the creator of heaven and earth. I could just imagine the ahh in wonder that must have been going through his mind. As he saw for the first time in his entire life. Not just the throne and the seraphim… but the LORD HIMSELF is sitting on that very throne. I want you to picture this in your heart. You’re standing in the throne room filled with a cloud of glory, and these creatures you have never seen before circle around the throne repeating the word holy, holy, holy, because that the only description they can come up with for WHO they are looking at. All the words they could use, and that’s all that would come to their lips. As I think about how that moment must have felt, I could picture Isaiah falling to his knees with his head in his hands. Because in the face of who GOD is, he was confronted with who he was. Seeing the Holy One sitting right there on HIS throne in front of you had to be a humbling experience. I could imagine it would make you flash back to all your sins. Every moment when you should have chosen to follow GOD and didn’t. Can you see it?? Are you there with me?? I hope so. What power, what authority, what a holy GOD we serve. Ok, so now I want you to picture yourself on your knees sobbing, knowing that in the presence of a Holy GOD, how unworthy we really are. Looking at the seraphim flying around the Father. Describing HIM.tge only reaction you could have is the very same that Isaiah had. Woe is me, I am undone. As his life of sin passed by his memory. All he could think was, ” I am a man of unclean lips.” Puting ourselves in that position… I’m sure the response would have to be the very same. Having a good picture in our hearts of WHO GOD is and who we are helps us to understand what HE did for us. The next picture I want in your heart is the seraphim flying towards you with a hot coal to touch your lips. Fire and heat have always been a picture of purification in the bible. So what happened in that moment is Isaiah was made clean. His confession of being unclean released the seraphim to make him clean, and at that very moment, Isaiah knew he had purpose. The next question was asked by the LORD Almighty,” Whom can I send, and who will go for me? Again, after being made clean, the only answer is me send me… and Isaiah nailed it. In the next two verses, GOD is getting a valuable point across. It’s not about seeing with your natural eyes or hearing with your natural ears. It’s deeper than that. You have to see with your spiritual eyes and hear with your spiritual ears.
Application:
I remember that day as if it were yesterday. On my knees in that church. Confronted with who I was in the face of who HE is. My sin was laid out in front of me. I knew how unworthy I was. BUT GOD…who knew the plan HE had touched me with the blood of HIS SON… and here I am send me. I was given a purpose. My life had meaning. All the tragedy and chaos of my life made sense. For the next few years. The fire from that day drove me. Can I tell you something… GOD has called you also. Do you remember your salvation experience? Take yourself back to it. If you listen, you can probably hear HIM calling you out by name. Calling you out of the tumb of addiction, depression, anxiety, fear, shame, guilt, and fear. We are all unclean in some form or fashion. But GOD, who is Holy, Holy, Holy. As called us out touched our lips and sent us to speak HIS word. The question is, are you willing. I want you to hear with your spiritual ears and see with your spiritual eyes. HOD has brought purpose to your pain. Romans chapter 8 verse 28 says all things work for good for those who love GOD and are called according to HIS purpose. If you have a relationship with the Almighty through HIS SON Jesus Christ… you have been called. You have been drawn to HIM. If you are reading this, I trust that you have had that moment on your knees confronted with who you were and have stepped into who you are. GOD has called you. HE knows your name. It’s engraved in the palm of HIS hand. HE thinks about you and has a plan for your life. Do you hear HIM… I can I heard HIM call me, and now I hear HIM calling you… Nicholas, James, Chris, Greg, Sean, Steven, Lori, Jeanie, Jessica, and so many others HE has called you… are you ready. Because all you have to say is here I am send me and the path is laid out in HIS word. From that point forward. Ronnie, Elijah, Mark… HE is calling you out by name. Everyone reading this. All of you are called chosen redeemed washed by the blood of the lamb. Made clean made worthy set free from the power of sin. Now, GOD and make disciples. Not converts… DISCIPLES followers of Jesus Christ. Men and women who will say… here I am send me.
Prayer:
Father, as I read your word, I see your purpose. Your desire is to use man to speak to man about who you are and what you have done. You have saved us, justified us, sanctified us, and set us free from the power of sin. So that we can live a life for your glory. A life where sin has no power over us. Where we can hear your Holy Spirit calling us out. You are a mighty GOD… a holy GOD who has made us clean and prepared a path for us to show others the way. Help us to see the very next step. Show us who and send us to them. Prepare their hearts to receive you. Place the right words on our lips so that they can hear you calling their name. Father, it’s all about you. Show us your glory. Show us your purpose for us. we know that it’s so much bigger than us. You are the way maker… you made a way for our unclean lives to be used by you. We owe you everything. So let us give everything for your glory. Bring about salvation today by the power of the blood of Jesus. Use us on this day for your purpose. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.