Seeing God as He Really Is

Have you ever seen God? Most likely your response is no. Few people even in the recorded passages of the Scriptures can claim to have ever seen God. But this is a message that dares to declare that you can see God. You can see God for who He really is. Not with your eyes, at least not in His fullness or His unique and distinctive Holiness and Glory. But we can see God. And I’m going to tell you how in this simple Sunday night sermon.

We can see God through the experience and vision of the Prophet Isaiah found in Isaiah 6.

Isaiah 6:1–4 (ESV) 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

The first thing that I want you to see though is this Prophet named Isaiah. As we understand something about Isaiah and the times in which he lived it will help us to better understand how we too can catch a glimpse of God as well. So let’s look at the background or the life and times of Isaiah. Let’s call it the Days of Isaiah.

I. THE DAYS OF ISAIAH, vs. 1a

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up;

Take a look at the first half of verse 1 of Isaiah 6. Isaiah tells us of the time in which He saw God as He really is. In fact, He tells us the exact day.

May I say to you that if you ever see God as He really is you will never forget the day or time either!

A. The Death of Uzziah, Isaiah 6:1a

King Uzziah died

King Uzziah of ancient Israel was a great king. He reigned over Israel for 52 years. That was a long time. Normally kings didn’t last that long in those days! During his long reign he brought Israel to a time of economic and spiritual prosperity that had not been known since the days of King David. Losing such a great king who had reigned so long was emotionally distressing for the whole nation, but especially for Isaiah. You see, Uzziah was more than a king to Isaiah, he was also a close relative and member of Isaiah’s family. Uzziah was actually Isaiah’s cousin.

B. The Distress of Isaiah, Isaiah 6:5

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Isaiah was a young man at the time of Uzziah’s death. Not only had Isaiah lost a close relative, but he also lost a good friend and confidant. Isaiah may have been a member of the royal court, perhaps an apprentice in the king’s court. And like all of Israel, Isaiah was anxious about the uncertain future of the nation now that Uzziah had died.

Isaiah most likely had not yet started his prophetic ministry. If he had, then this moment in time was life changing. Some even believe this was the moment of Isaiah’s true conversion experience. The fact that he was at one of the lowest points in his life certainly contributed to his ability to see God as He really is.

C. The Drama Isaiah Saw, Isaiah 6:1b

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah has a vision of the Lord at this very moment in his life. At the funeral service of the king, at the very moment the king’s body is paraded into the Temple in Jerusalem, Isaiah catches a glimpse of God as He really is.

II. THE DESCRIPTION OF GOD, vs. 1

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.

Isaiah uses six different descriptors in his effort to convey the vision of God he has on this life changing day. As he sees God as He really is, understand that God does not change. He is the same today as He was yesterday, and will forever more be! If you see God as He really is, then this is how you will see Him.

· God is On His Throne, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne

It is always good to know God is still on His throne!

Of course, this speaks of kingship, ruling, reigning, and even judgment.

Our God reigns! He rules over all of creation! And He will reign throughout eternity! The Bible tells us, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father!”

· God is High and Lifted Up, high and lifted up;

God is exalted above all others. God dwells in a place far above all mortals. His Kingdom is from above while we are from below. If you see God as He really is, you will always have to look up!

· God is Majestic, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

The train of His robe refers to His majestic, kingly robe He wore. His train was so enormous that there was no room for anything else in the Temple. God is more glorious, more splendid, more majestic than we can comprehend. When we see God as He really is, we will see His presence that fills up all of our lives so that there is no room for anything else.

· God is Holy, Holy, Holy, 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts

Isaiah uses the Hebrew superlative, “Holy, holy, holy” repeating the same word multiple times for emphasis. The word holy refers to the idea of being set apart.

God is set apart from all other creation because He is in and of Himself different from everything else.

· God is Glorious, the whole earth is full of his glory!”

The seraphim said, “the whole earth is full of His glory!” The glory of God is seen in every facet of the beauty of creation. The earth is the worldwide display of His immeasurable glory, perfections, and attributes as seen in creation. [1]

Romans 1:20 (ESV) For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

· God is Powerful

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

The shaking and smoke symbolize God’s holiness as it relates to His wrath and judgment. [2] Even the door posts of the Temple shook in the presence of Almighty God. The very building itself could not remain unmoved in the presence of God.

Revelation 15:8 (ESV) and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Conclusion:

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him on the throne. God should be seen on the throne of your heart.

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him high and lifted up. Is God elevated in your life high above all other things?

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him as our Majesty. He is Savior, Lord, and soon coming King.

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him as Holy, Holy, Holy. We should reverence and respect the holiness of God.

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him in all His Glory! Revere God in His transcendent Glory!

· Seeing God as He really is means we see Him as all powerful. He is Omnipotent and deserves our reverence and respect.

[1] John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 963.

[2] John MacArthur Jr., ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville, TN: Word Pub., 1997), 963.

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