In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

Then 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!”

Isaiah stands out as one of the greatest men of God who ever walked the earth. Who else has seen the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple? Have others seen Seraphim proclaiming , “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.“? Have our mouths been touched by God’s fire? Before we place Isaiah in some exalted place far above us, let’s pause and take note of what Jesus said about such men: Isaiah (along with the other prophets) …..

      desired to see what we see, and did not see it, and to hear what we hear, and did not hear it.

Peter tells us that in regard to this salvation by grace, the prophets made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but us. Even the angels longed to see what we have in Christ. 

If we are trusting Christ for our salvation and have entrusted ourselves into his care, our iniquity has been taken away and our sins have been forgiven. We have no basis for looking at Isaiah and thinking of him as a man on a pedestal. Our revelation exceeds that of Isaiah. Our experience can be more substantive than his. This great prophet may have had an encounter with God’s presence but he was foretelling the day God’s presence would indwell us and become our life. Since this is fact perhaps we should heed Peter’s council..

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

If God had wanted each of us to be caught up into the heavens as Isaiah and Paul had, it would be a simple matter for him. Those men didn’t qualify by their impeccable character to be caught up into glory. They were simply chosen to behold and to report so that we could experience a walk by faith, absorbed in the revelation of Christ in us – the hope of glory. You might protest this but I believe we are more blessed believing having never beheld God and angels. By keeping sober in spirit, fixing our hope entirely on the grace of God, we will have prepared our minds for action. We will  not be disappointed that the outcomes of our lives were so un-Isaiah like.

If we are trusting Christ for our salvation and have entrusted ourselves into his care, our iniquity has been taken away and our sins have been forgiven. We have no basis for looking at Isaiah and thinking of him as a man on a pedestal. Our revelation exceeds that of Isaiah. Our experience can be more substantive than his. This great prophet may have had an encounter with God’s presence but he was foretelling the day God’s presence would indwell us and become our life. Perhaps we should heed Peter’s council..

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Father, may we grasp the fulness of the mystery of Christ in us that this world might grasp the extent of your love for them. May our hearts learn to revel in the glory that is in us in Christ. Lay hold of us Lord in new ways such that our minds are appropriately equipped for the kingdom actions you have given us to process. Destroy every enemy stronghold that would stand between you and the full reward of your suffering. May you hear from our surrendered mouths “Here am I. Send me!” Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

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