THE VISIONS THE LORD GIVES US
Isaiah 6:1-13
INTRODUCTION
What is our future? Are we headed to a world depression? To chaos and anarchy? To good times or bad times?
The song writer put it best for the child of God, “I don’t know about tomorrow … but I know who holds tomorrow.”
The truth is, the future we face tomorrow we will make today. We can’t blame politicians, or bosses, or family or church. We have the ability at our disposal to make or break our future.
Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” The word perish that is used here does not mean to die but to loose, to ignore, to reject counsel, to become lawless, like sheep going astray.
If we do not have God’s vision of the past, the present and the future, we will perish. What does it mean here to perish? It means we will lose our direction in life. We will began to ignore God’s message to us as individuals. We will begin to reject the counsel of godly people who have God’s vision. We will become lawless, everyone doing that which is right in their own sight. Therefore, we will perish in our Christian life, it will be no more.
But we don’t have to perish. Like Isaiah we can have a fresh vision from God
THEME: BECAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
I. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE LORD 6:1-4
A. Though Others Die vs. 1a
1. King Uzziah
a. Reigned 52 years
b. “Power of Jehovah”
2. A sad disappointment
a. Died a leper for his sin of pride cf. so did Israel
b. The national glory of Israel died with Uzziah and has never recovered to this day
NOTE: It is significant that shortly after Uzziah’s death Rome was founded, the power that would destroy Jerusalem and scatter the Jews
B. I Saw Also The Lord vs. 1b
1. Isaiah at the end of Israel’s glory; John at the end of the New Testament
2. The Lord
a. Adonia; sovereign or absolute Lord
b. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God Matthew 5:8
NOTE: Isaiah did not see God because he was more spiritually attuned than others; he saw God because God chose to reveal Himself to him
3. His train filled the Temple
a. Train; hem or fringe of His robe
b. His garment consists of light (Psalm 104: 1-2) and fills the Heavenly Temple, just as the cloud filled the earthly Temple
C. Isaiah Saw The Heavenly Servants Of God
1. The seraphim
a. Only place in the Old Testament they are mentioned
b. Guardians of God’s holiness
2. Their function before God 2-3
a. They fly (with two wings
b. They cover their face before God
NOTE: Angels do not look upon His face
c. They cover their feet
NOTE: The part of the body that touches the world
d. Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory
NOTE: His glory is seen in His ministry to us
3. Their environment vs. 4
a. The Temple vibrates with their testimony cf. our testimony reverberates through out our city
b. House filled with smoke
1) Sacrifices before God
2) Prayers of God’s people as incense
3) The presence of God
T.S. BECAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
I. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE LORD
II. WE WILL GET A VISION OF SELF 6:5-7
A. Woe Is Me! vs. 5a
1. A vision of God gives us a true vision of self
NOTE: The closer we get to God, the clearer we see ourselves
2. Unclean lips vs. 5b
a. The seraphim can praise God but Isaiah was filthy
b. Praise is a privilege only for those whose guilt has been removed
3. I dwell in the midst vs. 5c
a. Not blaming others for his condition
b. Acknowledging sin is all around him
4. Mine eyes have seen the Lord of hosts vs. 5d
a. To see God was to suffer death Exodus 33:20
b. His vision of God reduced him to be just like everyone else in his nation
NOTE: Bumper sticker: Christians are not perfect, just forgiven
B. Our Iniquity And Sin Is Removed vs. 7
1. Beginning with our lips
NOTE: The external manifestations of what we really are
2. Not salvation of our souls but salvation of our life for service
3. Our iniquity and sin is no longer a hindrance to service
T.S. BECAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
I. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE LORD
II. WE WILL GET A VISION OF SELF
III. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE NEED 6:8-13
A. By Responding To The Word Of God vs. 8
1. Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?
a. Not addressed to the angels
b. Only those who have been unclean can go
NOTE: Once forgiven and guilt removed we possess a new freedom and insight that make us fit for service
2. Here am I; send me
a. He did not look for someone else to go
b. He immediately responded
B. Go Tell This People vs. 9-10
1. This people
a. Not, My people
b. Sin drives people away from God
2. Heart, ears, eyes
a. Heart – understanding
b. Ears – comprehending
c. Eyes – visualizing
3. Lest they see, hear, understand, convert, be healed
C. We Are To Witness Until Destruction Comes Upon Them vs. 11-12
1. Destruction in their cities
2. Destruction in their houses
3. Destruction in their land (jobs)
4. Until the Lord removes them from all their possessions vs. 12
NOTE: Many people will not allow God to work in their lives until all else fails
D. We are to witness until some come to God vs. 13
1. A tenth; a small portion will return to God
2. They will be purified
NOTE: Teil (oak) tree
Tree in the middle of a field, catches on fire; cut down, stump left; new tree grows out of the stump
CONCLUSION
BECAUSE WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF GOD:
I. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE LORD
II. WE WILL GET A VISION OF SELF
III. WE WILL GET A VISION OF THE NEED
Sermons And Lessons From The Old Testament 