Isaiah 6:1-9 Fresh Vision: SHOCKED back to life

A healthy heart is a very large powerful muscle.

It beats rhythmically as a pump at a normal rate of 60-100 beats a minute - 100,000 times a day – over 2.5 billion times in a lifetime.

It pumps 2-3 ounces of blood with every beat or 2,000 gallons of blood per day – 50 million gallons in a lifetime.

Internally the body sends electric impulses and directs all the muscle cells to work together.

However, for various reasons the cells can start operating independently.

The heart can go into a useless trembling and/or erratic beating during cardiac arrest.

In this dysfunctional state, the heart no longer pumps blood – without blood flow and oxygen supply the body will die in about 5 minutes.

To treat this dysfunction, a moderately high voltage of electric current can be sent through the heart. This is called defibrillation. The heart receives about 300 joules of electric energy - about as much electric energy as an incandescent lamp uses in 3 seconds.

The shock stops the uncontrolled trembling and resets the heart to a normal beating pattern.

Survival rate of an automatic defibrillator is 45 percent when done shortly after the heart attack occurs.

Sometimes we get this way spiritually. Instead of aligning with our Lord, our life becomes a set of random and independent actions. And even more so in the church – random action with no focus. Could this be what happened in Isaiah’s life as chaos surrounded Him? But into this lifeless chaos the Lord steps in. And in the shock of the Lord revealing Himself comes life. Isaiah walks out the encounter with focus.

And so it is with us. Perhaps we too need to encounter the Lord. Shocked into a new realization. Recognizing who He really is. Recognizing who we are. And find new purpose and meaning in serving Him.

(ESV) Isaiah 6 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.

I. Fresh vision – See Him in every situationapap

The Lord is there in every situation – recognize He is there

A. In the good days

He is there

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,

1. Uzziah was a pretty good king – early all was well / strong / stable environment / godly --- all had been good

B. In the failures

But things change - He is still there

Isaiah 6:1

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,

1. Prideful downfall to end a time of faithfulness

a. Strength led to destruction

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 26 16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.

b. Suffered consequences of sin

(NKJV) 2 Chronicles 26 21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord.

c. With it came instability – uncertainty – a cloud of coming days of trouble

C. In the tragedies

And then he died. He is there in the tragedy

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,

1. Died - Isaiah –cousin? to Uzziah – young person in the mainstream of life – total change is about to occur

D. The Lord is still on the throne

He is there regardless of the changing situation

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,

1. The human king dies – the heavenly king remains

2. Not out of control to Him / Not chaos to Him

3. He is in charge

4. He gives it all meaning and purpose

See Him: In every situation even as it changes – He is there

II. Fresh Vision – – See Him in His proper place

See the Lord appropriately

A. Exalted

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 1 … I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.

1. Isaiah's vision

a. Only one seeing the Lord there – others don’t know but it is still the true reality

b. Throne

1) Ruling as sovereign 2) Judging the affairs of men 3) What a contrast to Uzziah!

2. He is in His proper role – exalted – it’s about Him

B. Mightiest of all

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

1. Even the angels are subservient to Him

2. Angels as an example (burning ones)

a. Humility – cover face

b. Unworthiness – cover feet

c. Readiness to obey – flew about

C. Holy

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

a. Three unheard of (two times to express the greatest extent / gold gold is purist gold – no measurement here - complete holiness

b. Completely other – absolutely pure and sinless

D. Omnipresent and honored

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 3 … The whole earth is full of His glory!”

a. Not a tiny God hidden in the temple between the wings of the cherabim on the ark of the covenant / totally set apart yet also here and present

E. Altogether Awesome

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

1. Creation quakes in His presence / Hidden from view in His greatness

2. Take your breathe away / mysterious / powerful / frightening / not to be toyed with

See Him: This is the Lord who is our Savior and God

III. Fresh vision – See ourselves as we are

See ourselves in our real state – what a contrast to Him!

A. Sinners

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 5 So I said: “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 my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”

1. Funeral dirge --- Undone - Doomed

a. Tense implies it is so imminent that it has already occurred

2. No hope in self

a. Words reflect who I am – totally unclean

b. No chance of satisfying the Lord on one's merit

c. No ability to praise the Lord – unworthy lips

3. True of Isaiah – me – the world

4. Unable to stand before the perfect Holy judge

B. Forgiven in Christ

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

1. The Lord intervenes - He sent a messenger from the altar of sacrifice

a. A coal from the sacrificial altar in heaven – the one on which Jesus would offer His own blood

2. The sacrifice had been made - Needed to be applied

3. Guilt is removed

a. True Guilt from known wrong doing

b. Taken out of the path – removed as an obstacle

4. Sin is atoned for

a. Inner corruption – specific wrong - deserving of divine displeasure

b. Covered over (like pitch over ark to seal out water – payment to "cover" a debt found in the Law canceling by satisfactory payment

1) No longer sees it 2) Anger against sin is gone 3) Wrath has been satisfied (against another) 4) Sees only the sacrifice as He looks upon him

C. With Personal access to God

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

1. Now near rather than far

2. Able to understand the Lord's plan and interact with Him

See Him: And realize what He has done for us

IV. Fresh Vision – See the great opportunity

See the opportunity and responsibility that we now have

A. The need to go

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 8 … “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”

1. Chooses to partner in the salvation of men

2. Rhetorical request - Not that He doesn't know

3. Gives opportunity to respond – to go

B. The appropriate response to engage

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 8 … Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

1. Engages the Lord personally – free to speak

a. No longer afraid before the Lord –

b. confident (bold) in the effects of the sacrifice

2. Responsive

a. Immediate recognition

b. Available

c. Aware of the message

d. Received personal benefit

3. Acts with his will

a. Discerns responsibility

b. Readiness to respond

c. Commits

4. Even before he knows what his commitment entails

C. The commission to speak

(NKJV) Isaiah 6 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

1. Required action to go out

2. Required action to speak up

3. Even though it will not be easy