Encountered and Called

Intro

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Setting

Isaiah sees the Lord in the year that King Uzziah dies.

Uzziah reigned for fifty-two years and he had a great reign (2 Kgs 15:1–7; 2 Chr 26).

He had invested in the economy and brought prosperity.

He built forts and watchtowers and brought security.

He organised the army, conquered more territory, and brought victory.

It was good to be in Judah when Uzziah was king.

But he’s just died.

Fear is spreading in the nation. Who will lead us next? Will now be the time our enemies attack? What will we do about this superpower, Assyria, who is gaining strength?

This is a time of chaos and uncertainty.

And what is Isaiah doing? He’s seeking the Lord. He sees the temple.

Encounter

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Isaiah knows that the throne of Judah is temporary and the kings of Judah die. He doesn’t care about who’s next on the earthy throne. Instead, he sees the eternal throne of God and the King that never dies.

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Isaiah doesn’t fix his attention on earthly leaders and their plans. But he looks up to a throne that is high and lifted up, to the King above all kings.

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Isaiah saw a king so great and mighty that even just the bottom of his royal robes FILLS the temple. This is just like when the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and the priests could stand under its weight.

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Isaiah saw fiery angels crying out to one another in loud voices, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Even these spiritual beings who you think would be used to seeing the presence of God cannot help but cry out Holy, Holy, Holy. These angels who do not sin are in awe of his beauty, his majesty, his power. They cannot help but worship. The whole earth is filled with his glory - there is not a single part of the entire creation that does not have the fingerprints of its creator.

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Isaiah sees the temple around him shaking and filled with smoke. But the throne is not shaken. God is still King.

Isaiah saw the Lord.

Repentance

What happens when Isaiah sees the Lord?

Repentance.

Commissioning.

His repentance:

He is not singing ‘holy, holy, holy’ but help!! Oh, my God!!

Ezk 1:28 - When Ezekiel saw God’s glory he fell on his face in worship.

Job 42:5-6 - When Job saw God’s glory he repented in dust and ashes.

Lk 5:8 - When Simon Peter saw Jesus’ power he “Lord please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”

Rev 1:17 - When John saw the Lord he fell at his feet as though dead.

When we see him for who he is we cannot be unmoved.

Isa 6:5 - Isaiah cries out about his sin and the sin of his people. He is a sinful man before a sinless God.

God’s response:

God provided a way for his sin to be dealt with.

It’s pretty strange- a burning coal is carried by a burning one.

I wonder how he felt as the coal got closer.

Do you think the burning coal hurt when it touched his lips?

I felt a fresh insight as I was reading this passage recently. There is a picture of the Gospel here.

We all stand before God as sinful people. We what we deserve is for the fire of God to not just touch us but consume us.

When Jesus is about to go to the cross he is praying in the garden of gethsemane. He speaks about a cup that he has to drink. It is a cup of God’s burning anger against sin.

Philippians 2:6–11 NLT

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

He's not just the God above all he is the God who has come down.

Intimacy has been restored. He’s not just angry at sin, he has done something about it.

Commissioning

Here I am send me.

God is calling some of you to take a wild step of faith and to leave what is familiar.

And he is calling some of you to preach to your own people. Remember Isaiah was a witness to his own.

JP - 15 y/o

Radical encounter

Commissioned to his school

His intimacy, his boldness, his prayer life.

Praying for revival at 6:00am before school. Started a group in his school for Christians to gather together.

Application

God is inviting you to fresh encounter.

God is asking you to be sent.