| VISION OF THE LORD |

Today, we jump forward about 200 years to an event that took place in the temple in Jerusalem. While the chapter begins declaring that the most recent king in Jerusalem has died, it immediately declares that the Lord God is very much alive. He is “sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.”

Holy, Holy, Holy

We see amazing images in this chapter. We see angels (seraphim), fit for their environment, made to worship in the presence of God. They call out, “Holy, holy, holy.” God is not merely holy. Neither is he holy, holy. He is the three times holy, the perfectly holy God.

Cleansed

Isaiah quickly responds to what he sees by declaring that he is unworthy. He is not holy. He is a sinner. Often, in our celebration services at CrossPointe Coast, we say that the first thing that we want to confess about God is that he is holy and that we are not. But God does not leave Isaiah in despair. God makes a provision to cleanse Isaiah of his sin.

Called

Having been cleansed of his sin, Isaiah is then called into mission. The same thing is true for all who trust in the Lord. God’s work is the work of salvation. He then calls his people to the glorious work of making his glorious Name known among the nations.

Isaiah’s Message

Isaiah served near the end of Judah, shortly before the land was conquered and the people were carried off into exile. When you read what God says would be Isaiah’s message, it may seem confusing. What does he mean by saying that the people will hear but not understand or see but not comprehend?

Ultimately, Isaiah’s job was not to convince the people of the truth of their sin and rebellion but to leave a testimony that they did hear the truth. The preaching of the truth serves only two purposes. It either serves to shine light into their darkness so that they turn from their sin, idolatry and rebellion and believe, or it serves as a sign against them that they have heard the truth but hardened their hearts. The latter case is true here. Isaiah’s job is to speak the truth about Judah’s rebellion to them so that they are without excuse when judgment comes.