"In the year that King Uzaiah died. I saw the
Lord..."
For reading and meditation.. Isaiah 6:1-13
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the
LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple.
Isaiah 6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six
wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and
with twain he did fly.
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy,
holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Isaiah 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of
him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, 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 mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isaiah 6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a
live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isaiah 6:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this
hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom
shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye
indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make
their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear
with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Isaiah 6:11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered,
Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and
the land be utterly desolate, Isaiah 6:12 And the LORD have removed men far
away, and there be a
great forsaking in the midst of the land.
Isaiah 6:13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall
return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is
in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.
We begin by focusing on a theme of deep spiritual
importance. It is my conviction that the Christian Church needs a fresh vision of
God. Almost without our realizing it, a spiritual myopia has afflicted us; we
are not seeing life clearly because we do not see God clearly. A right
perspective on God gives us the right perspective on everything else -- life,
work, money, service,
relationships, and so on. There is possibly no greater
vision of God and His glory in the whole of the Bible (apart from John's
encounter with the Almighty in the book of Revelation) than
the vision we find recorded in Isaiah chapter 6. It is with this chapter that
we are to be concerned. We shall depart from it at times to look at other
related aspects, but the thrilling vision of God that was given to Isaiah is to
be central to our study. Isaiah came face to face with the living God and found
that his whole life was transformed. I trust the same thing will happen to us
as we pursue this theme together.
The reason our problems often seem overwhelming is because
we allow the things of time to loom larger in our gaze than the
things of eternity. The tiniest of coins, when held close to
the eye, can blot out the sun. I invite you, therefore this very first day of
our journey to begin to lay hold on the truth that life works better when we
know how to glance at things but gaze at God. Seeing Him clearly will enable us
to see all other things clearly.
Further Study:
Psalms 99:1-9 , 21:13 , 57:11 ; Isaiah 33:5
Psalms 99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he
sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
Psalms 99:2 The LORD
is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.
Psalms 99:3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for
it is holy.
Psalms 99:4 The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou
dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
Psalms 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his
footstool; for he is holy.
Psalms 99:6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel
among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered
them.
Psalms 99:7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they
kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
Psalms 99:8 Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast
a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
Psalms 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy
hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
Psalms 21:13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength:
so will we sing and praise thy power.
Psalms 57:11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let
thy glory be above all the earth.
Isaiah 33:5 The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he
hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
Questions of discussion:
1.) What does the psalmist affirm?
2.) What does the psalmist exhort us to do?
Prayer:
O God, give me , I pray, a fresh vision of Yourself. I need
it badly. Fill my whole horizon with the splendor of your love,
Your power, and Your glory, In Christ's peerless and precious Name I ask it. Amen