Ready To Go For The Lord

AUGUST 1, 2021 STUDY NOTES ISAIAH 6:1-8 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES READY TO GO FOR THE LORD INTRODUCTION The church of today needs a fresh look at the Lord, to see Him anew Christians need a fresh look at self after we have looked at the Lord afresh and anew We need to be reminded of who we were before we received Christ, Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. We need to realize who we are “In Christ,” Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. There are many truths for us to learn in our study of the vision of Isaiah Isaiah saw that his people were not walking in the way of the Lord How many church members are daily walking in the way of the Lord today? Isaiah saw the holiness of the Lord and His worthiness to be worshiped A great need of today is for Christians to be aware of the truth that our God is Holy An awareness that will open our hearts to worship Him and serve Him We need to hear and commit to what we often sing, “We have come into His house and gathered in His name to WORSHIP HIM” Will you experience a true worship of God today? There are guidelines for ministry in our study of Isaiah 6:1-8, we must learn from them We must realize that God is still on His throne, and we are still His servants It is time for Christians to walk in the way of the Lord, it is time to get ready to “Go For The Lord” Isa 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. “Uzziah” was a good king, he ruled for 52 years, the last great king of the southern kingdom Judah Israel was blessed under his reign, there was peace and prosperity in the land, it was a “Golden Age” But now there was a crisis, the earthly King was dead, there was fear in the land Their confidence had been in an earthly King, they had put faith and trust in his rule over them Satan attempts to do the same thing with us today, he wants us to put our faith in government rule He wants us to trust in earthly things and earthly leaders, preparing the world for the coming Antichrist Our faith must be in God, we must see what Isaiah saw, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne The earthly King was in the grave, the Eternal King is on His Throne According to John 12:41 Isaiah saw Jesus, Joh 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. The vision of Isaiah was a “Christophany,” a preincarnate appearance of Jesus, the Son of God The King of Kings was still seated on His throne in Heaven, the Eternal King on His Eternal Throne The vision of Isaiah was the glory of the Lord, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Page 1 of 5 The word translated “high” means high in rank and to be exalted, exalted is the emphasis “Lifted up” also has the meaning of the state of exaltation, Jesus is the “Exalted One” “His train filled the temple” identifies with His exaltation, picturing His Glory Just as the “cloud” that filled the tabernacle, Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. There are many O.T. examples, types, shadows, and pictures of the Coming Messiah, which is Jesus We find their fulfillment in the N. T., such as the exaltation of Jesus, why is Jesus exalted today? A passage that is often misquoted answers the question, Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Words of praise are the result of salvation and not the way unto salvation Jesus being lifted-up, refers to His going to the cross, He must go to the cross Peter concluded his Day of Pentecost sermon with the truth of the exaltation of Christ, Act 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Isaiah saw Heavenly Examples, presenting the truth that Isaiah must recognize, we must also see it Isa 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. These Heavenly beings represent the purity and power of the Heavenly Court, the Throne of God Their action identifies with the Person and work of Jesus, which we must also identify In reverence they cover their face, the Lord is holy In humility they cover their feet, they are His servants, we must humble ourselves before Him In dedication they are ready to fly, ready to minister in His name It is time for all of us to dedicate ourselves to His service, ready to minister to others If we are going to sincerely go to work for the Lord, we must agree with the seraphims Isa 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. Many believe that the three statements of “holy” represent the holiness of the Trinity The word “holy” is often used in scripture to describe the intrinsic nature of the “Lord” “The Lord” is set apart from all others, His holiness is unique, John heard the same testimony, Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Heaven continually shouts forth praise unto God because of His Holiness, another lesson for us The most mentioned attribute of God in the Bible is holiness, the Bible instructs us to be holy, 1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. The word translated “holy” identifies something that God has set apart for His use It refers to that which God has taken out of common use and consecrated to Heavenly use Christians are set apart from all others for God’s use, Isaiah saw that God would use him Peter is telling us that God will use us, are we ready for God’s use? Page 2 of 5 2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Understanding Isaiah’s vision of the Lord will help prepare us for God’s good work All of creation shouts forth a message, the whole earth is full of his glory. God’s “Glory” is a manifestation of His Person and His presence, also His work The presence of glory states that God is present, and that God is doing something Creation is a witness unto the glory of God The life and ministry of Jesus are a witness unto the glory of God Our salvation is to be a witness unto the glory of God, Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. We sing to the “praise of His Glory, “Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness Let’s not only sing it, let’s get ready to go “Praise Him” through our daily ministry Praise is powerful, look at the next verse--Isa 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Shaking, moving, and smoke are often used to express that God is present and doing something, Exo 19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. God moved in a mighty work through the early church, Act 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. Oh, that we would shake in His presence and be moved by His power to speak “the word of God” What would it take for that to happen? We can learn from Isaiah Isa 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 tells us why he says, “woe is me,” his eyes had “seen the King” Apart from the grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness of God we all cry “woe is me” We must see ourselves as Isaiah saw himself, for I am undone, in sin his life was ruined Because I am a man of unclean lips, not like those heavenly messengers who were praising God Jesus said that which the mouth speaks comes from the heart, Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. “Unclean” speaks of anything contrary to the holiness of God, anything that does not glorify God How true the next statement is for all of us, I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Study Isaiah 1:1-6, see if there could be a comparison with the lifestyle of America today Isa 1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. Page 3 of 5 Isa 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Isa 1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Oh, that America would see what Isaiah saw, For my eyes have seen the King Further evidence that the one who Isaiah saw was Jesus Christ, the true King of the Jews He is the same one who will return to the earth at the end of this age, Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Jesus is going to return, we must be cleansed today, we must be ready to go for the Lord today Isa 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: The “live coal” was taken from the burnt altar where sin had been dealt with The “live coal” and the burnt altar are symbolic of the sacrificial offering of Christ on the cross Only through the blood of Jesus can sins be taken away, Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The coal from off the burnt altar represents the cleansing blood of Christ, which keeps on cleansing, 1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we are going to be ready to go for the Lord our sins must be cleansed Isa 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. The cleansing of his “mouth” represented the cleansing of his entire person The OT cleansing of sin was in anticipation of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, 1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: One sacrifice for sins took care of those sins committed beforehand and still takes care of the sins today, 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. With sins cleansed we are now as ready as Isaiah was Isa 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 was not ready to hear the voice of the Lord until his sins were cleansed Ears cannot hear the Lord when the heart is filled with unconfessed sin God’s question is very interesting and reveals to us a most important point Page 4 of 5 Heavenly creatures were all around the Lord But his question was not directed to the seraphims, cherubims, angels, or any heavenly being God’s call is for those who are saved, cleansed, dedicated, and committed to serve Him Where are those today who are listening to His call? Where are those who are ready to say, “HERE AM I, SEND ME We must hear Jesus today, Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Listen to Paul, Rom 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, Now listen to the song Page 5 of 5