Isaiah 6:1–9 KJV 1900

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. 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. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 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. 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: 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. 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. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; And see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Isaiah 6:1-

The process that produces the highest praise

Praise is shaped by perception:

We do not praise those that we do not have a high opinion of.

Winson Z. left a review of the Regal Cafe, a pizzaria in Boston, MA… “This place is horrible, pizza is so hard even Moses couldn't part it! The delivery service was slow and expensive.

I think that we would all agree that those are not words of praise.

Compare that to LG from Prosper TX who left this review of Tender Smokehouse in Celina, TX

Fellow Yelpers!!!!  RUN DO NOT WALK TO THIS PLACE!!!! Go early and there will still most likely be a wait. NOTE - they sell out, so they will close at that point

We had the stuffed potato with pulled pork fully loaded.  What an amazing find!!  They did not skimp on the meat, the potatoes were huge and the toppings were plentiful.

We had the stuffed potato with pulled pork fully loaded.  What an amazing find!!  They did not skimp on the meat, the potatoes were huge and the toppings were plentiful.

RUN DO NOT WALK TO THIS PLACE!!!!

Now those are words of praise! In fact the first restaurant is one of the overall worst reviewed restaurants by Yelp, while the second is the second highest rated restaurant by all of yelp.

As is demonstrated by these contrasting reviews…our expressions of praise are the shaped by our experience.

This reminds me of a powerfully compelling review left by the Psalmist () Oh Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Praise is the result of our perception and our perception is the result of our experience!

I believe that Isaiah chapter 6 contains the step by step process for the the highest praise…and true praise IS a process!

And praise is

In fact, true praise is a 3 step process. While it is possible to skip to the 3rd step, which is the action of praise…without following the first two steps…it really is more imitation - Doing to what we see others do. or the result of expectation - Doing what we know we are expected to do.

Step 1 begins with an UPWARD LOOK

Isaiah 6:1–4 KJV 1900

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. 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. 3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

In the time of Isaiah writing this, Isaiah is in search of a stabilizing force. His world has been shaken. The Great King Uzziah had died after a 52 year reign as the King of Judah.

The Great King Uzziah had died after a 52 year reign as the King of Judah. Uzziah was a king that was highly respected and reverenced by the citizens of Judah, as his reign had been a time of great peace and prosperity. The Kingdom of Judah had expanded and much had been accomplished. Yet, Uzziah, who had led the nation with such wisdom, had rebelled against the Word of God and died a leper…the reality is now setting in that the peace and prosperity was but a veil that glossed over the fact that Judah had become a nation with a vile and wicked heart.

Uzziah was a king that was highly respected and reverenced by the citizens of Judah, as his reign had been a time of great peace and prosperity. The Kingdom of Judah had expanded and much had been accomplished. Yet, Uzziah, who had led the nation with such wisdom, had rebelled against the Word of God and died a leper…the reality is now setting in that the peace and prosperity was but a veil that glossed over the fact that Judah had become a nation with a vile and wicked heart.

A nation that come to trust in their economic fortune and their politically procured peace is now left without answers, as unrest and uncertainty rule the day. The air is thick with chaos and confusion. Where will the nation go from here? How will they recover from such a devastating loss?

And it is here that God lift’s Isaiah’s from himself and the problems of his world and those around him, and turns them toward the throne of heaven.

There was, of a certainty confusion and unrest on earth…but there was perfect peace in heaven: Uzziah was dead…the throne vacated on earth…but the throne is still very much occupied in heaven.

Your earthly king may have died and your earthly kingdoms may be in disarray, but God is still on the throne in heaven…and his majesty and glory are still on display. The nation of Judah is lamenting the shame of Uzziah’s death as a leper, but there is no shame or shadow of failure in heaven. Rather, the seraphim were still saying “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

These seraphims give us a glimpse into the correct approach to high praise.

Given 6 wings…these fiery angels must have been a majestic sight to look upon. I can imagine how glorious they must appear with their 6 wings rhythmically swooshing in synchronization one with another...

Yet, their approach was not to draw attention to themselves but the bible says:

With two wings they covered their feet.

Our limitations of worship are formed by our opinion of God:

- A more complete study of this verse would reveal that it wasn’t just his 10 toes that he was covering…but his lower extremities…or as states a similar vision of the same 6 winged angels…with twain they covered their bodies.

The seraphim stood covered, or as if “concealing themselves” as much as possible, in token of their nothingness and unworthiness in the presence of the Holy One.

The attitude of true praise is not showy or “look at me”…but rather “hide me”… it is not an eagerness to display but an awareness that I am unworthy.

With two wings they covered their faces -

A visible demonstration of their awe and reverence of the one seated upon the throne.

Praise that is not based in an attitude of reverence is not praise at all, but rather an emotional performance.

The one that is seated on the throne is the only lamb that is worthy!

The one seated on the throne is the only one who shed blood that has the power to wash my sins away...

There is, even toward other human beings, a reverence when we recognize elevated importance.

At a restaurant when the owner comes out and greets you…you feel important because that is the owner of the restaurant

With two they did fly - Staying in motion…ready to act upon the commands that were given.

These 6 wings demonstrate the attitude and the approach of high praise…Conceal me! Reverence Him! Ready to obey his command!

As Isaiah’s eyes are shifted heavenward to the one that was still upon the throne…even in the midst of questions and chaos that are governing his earthly world…the seraphims are declaring a very different message.

“The whole earth is full of his glory”.

looking around him at the circumstances surrounding him, there was not much glory to be seen. Looking around him, it looked discouraging…it looked bleak and dismal...

Much as we see today…we look around us and there isn’t much glory!

Coronavirus is threatening society

Politial unrest

Financial difficulties

Relationships strained and stressed

But when we begin to enter into that place of high praise…and we see the Lord High and lifted up we begin to find his glory fills the earth...

Rather than the flaws and the faults that we are so prone to find in others around us, we begin to find the glory of God at work and on display!

Step 2 We move to an inward look

Isaiah 6:5–7 KJV 1900

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. 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: 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:

A true vision of God and His holiness always makes us realize our own sinfulness and failure.

High praise must pass through this filter. Praise that doesn’t pause to consider our woeful condition will merely produce emotional euphoria and not spiritual transformation.

Those with too high of an opinion of self will never reach the pinnacle of praise

oh…i believe that there are many that come to church Sunday after Sunday with full revelation of the greatness of God. they have had the encounter of seeing the Lord High and lifted up…they have witnessed the greatness of God…and…if the circumstances are right…and the outlook is optimal…they may produce the fruit of worship…they will sing…they will clap…they will shout…they will dance…if the weather is right…if they had a good week…if they are in good health…if someone didn’t get their favorite donut before they could get to it…if they kids are acting right this morning...

Because even though they have seen the one upon the throne…they don’t believe they are too far beneath the one on the throne...

and if he doesn’t heal…i’ve always got medicade

And if he doesn’t deliver…i’ve always got A-A-A

and if he doesn’t provide…i’ll just get another job

And if he doesn’t love me…I’ll just find another man/woman

But it is when I see his righteousness up against my unrighteousness...

When i see his holiness up against my sinfulness

When I see his grace up against my sin

His relentless love up against my wicked heart

it is only then..that High praise is produced...

Woe is me! Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips!

And here is the power of praise…it is not to leave you WOEFUL! not to leave you feeling condemned and unworthy....

But when you enter into the place of high praise…there you will find an altar!

There is no altar in performance.

But when you enter into this place of high praise where you see the greatness of God, and you see the brokedness in your life…things begin to transpire in the spirit realm that produce change in our lives.

NO…praise is not a place that we should come in haughty and proud...

Nor is praise a place that we should leave beat down and unworthy

your iniquity is taken away and your sin is purged!!

high praise is a place that we begin to see the glory of God in the whole earth and through the transformational power of God at work in our lives!

Step 3 High praise should always lead us to an outward look

Isaiah 6:8–9 KJV 1900

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. 9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; And see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Isaiah 6:

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament Chapter 6

Everything to this point was a preparation. Now God can call Isaiah and use him to preach His Word. The prophet is no longer wrapped up in his own needs; he wants to do the will of God. He is no longer burdened by sin; he has been cleansed. He is no longer discouraged; he knows that God is on the throne. Now he is ready to go to work.

when all that we see is the leprosy of Uzziah…the wickedness of Judah…There is no motivation to go…in fact we feel overwhelmed…Why go? What difference can one person make?

But when we shift our focus UPWARD and we are made aware…that the whole earth if filled with his glory...

that God is on the throne!

Yes, my world might be in shambles…it may seem like society is a wreck…but God is still on the throne…and his glory fills the earth...

And…if we never make it to that second level of praise where we shift our eyes inward and see our great need of God…transform me Lord....i am a man of unclean lips...

But there is an altar...

there is a coal

there is an angel!

thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged!

When God is no longer on the throne…when he isn’t high and lifted up…he lacks the authority to “send me”.

When I forget that I was a man of unclean lips…that I am who I am today only by the grace of God…send somebody else…i’m too busy…I’ve got too much going on...

But when Isaiah realized that the earth is full of his glory! and he transformed these unclean lips into a redeemed tongue…my response is “whatever the need is…send me”

Steps 1 and Steps 2 should always produce a step 3…send me!

Our limitations of worship are formed by our opinion of God:

A

When we truly believe He is the Almighty that can do anything…our response will be

Steps 1 and Steps 2 WILL always produce a step 3…send me!

This is the highest praise! a send me worshipper...

You need someone to break an alabaster box? send me

you need someone to tear a hole in the roof? Send me

you need someone to make their way through the press? send me!