Day By Day - Isaiah 6
By Leanne Rich
Introduction:
What a picture Isaiah was privileged to see! A picture of Almighty God on His throne, and angels outside the Temple waiting to serve. He tries to describe the picture but is overcome with the realisation of his state/condition.
Key Points:
1. The Almighty God on His throne
The first few verses of this chapter are reminiscent of the Revelation of John Chapter 1:12-15, where John also tries to describe God on His throne.
He is seen here as the Kings of kings. He is seated in His rightful place, higher than every living thing and the rest of His creation. He sits as judge of all the earth.
2. Isaiah's reaction to this revelation
He first cried out in guilt: “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.”
The comparison of Almighty God and himself showed up Isaiah's uncleanliness. His personal sin was the recognition that evil things had come from his lips. But don't forget that before speech is thought and intent of the heart. Everything else is also faulty before God.
He cried out in terror. The seraphim touched his lips with a coal from the altar and told him his sin was gone. This implies that a sacrifice was on the altar - a sacrifice for sin.
3. God's call for help
God's cry is, "Who shall I send and who shall go in my stead?"
How could Isaiah answer anything but, "Here I am, send me!"
God needed a human to convey a warning of sorts to other humans who were stubbornly following in their own wisdom and understanding.
Final Thoughts - Application for us today
When one comes face to face with God through a personal encounter with Him, it results in a realisation of the offence of personal sin and leads to true repentance - the first step towards a renewed life. This is what occurred on the day of Pentecost when over 3,000 people were convicted of their sin following Peter's anointed message (Acts 2: 36-41).
We need cleansing from our sin, which is not something we can achieve by ourselves. Cleansing comes from the altar of God in the form of sacrifice - Jesus the Lamb of God.
We have to trust that sacrifice to be applied to our own personal sin. We avail ourselves of the sacrifice through baptism where we identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:4).
When we have repented and been cleansed of our sin, we offer our lives in submission to God's call. God has a plan for each of us to fulfil, in teaching others and drawing them to the same merciful God we have encountered (Mark 16: 15-20).
How far are we along this pathway? Have we come to a point of repentance due to comparison of ourselves and God Almighty?
Have we availed ourselves of the sacrifice of Jesus to our personal sin? Through baptism, have we identified with Jesus' death and resurrection?
Have we made ourselves spontaneously and willingly available to serving Him for the rest of our lives?
Introduction:
What a picture Isaiah was privileged to see! A picture of Almighty God on His throne, and angels outside the Temple waiting to serve. He tries to describe the picture but is overcome with the realisation of his state/condition.
Key Points:
1. The Almighty God on His throne
The first few verses of this chapter are reminiscent of the Revelation of John Chapter 1:12-15, where John also tries to describe God on His throne.
He is seen here as the Kings of kings. He is seated in His rightful place, higher than every living thing and the rest of His creation. He sits as judge of all the earth.
2. Isaiah's reaction to this revelation
He first cried out in guilt: “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.”
The comparison of Almighty God and himself showed up Isaiah's uncleanliness. His personal sin was the recognition that evil things had come from his lips. But don't forget that before speech is thought and intent of the heart. Everything else is also faulty before God.
He cried out in terror. The seraphim touched his lips with a coal from the altar and told him his sin was gone. This implies that a sacrifice was on the altar - a sacrifice for sin.
3. God's call for help
God's cry is, "Who shall I send and who shall go in my stead?"
How could Isaiah answer anything but, "Here I am, send me!"
God needed a human to convey a warning of sorts to other humans who were stubbornly following in their own wisdom and understanding.
Final Thoughts - Application for us today
When one comes face to face with God through a personal encounter with Him, it results in a realisation of the offence of personal sin and leads to true repentance - the first step towards a renewed life. This is what occurred on the day of Pentecost when over 3,000 people were convicted of their sin following Peter's anointed message (Acts 2: 36-41).
We need cleansing from our sin, which is not something we can achieve by ourselves. Cleansing comes from the altar of God in the form of sacrifice - Jesus the Lamb of God.
We have to trust that sacrifice to be applied to our own personal sin. We avail ourselves of the sacrifice through baptism where we identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus (Romans 6:4).
When we have repented and been cleansed of our sin, we offer our lives in submission to God's call. God has a plan for each of us to fulfil, in teaching others and drawing them to the same merciful God we have encountered (Mark 16: 15-20).
How far are we along this pathway? Have we come to a point of repentance due to comparison of ourselves and God Almighty?
Have we availed ourselves of the sacrifice of Jesus to our personal sin? Through baptism, have we identified with Jesus' death and resurrection?
Have we made ourselves spontaneously and willingly available to serving Him for the rest of our lives?
Posted in Isaiah