KNOWING
GOD
Isaiah 6:1-8
KNOWING GOD’S HOLINESS
Knowing God Series, #3
Pastor Peters is preaching on Knowing God’s Holiness.
What a mismatch.
Pastor Peters and no other preacher is capable
of such a task. God’s holiness,
is mostly beyond comprehension. We can
only grasp a small part of it.
Why then should I listen? Even a little understanding
of the holiness of God will change your life!
But what do we mean when we say, “God is holy”?
Something that is holy is sacred or set apart from
others.
If God is holy, and He is, he is set apart from all
others.
He is special.
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
Vs. 1 - A great king, Uzziah,
had died. This was a great sorrow. But although great and Godly people pass on,
the vision that Isaiah saw reminded him and us, that God is alive! He says, “I
SAW THE LORD!”
Who did Isaiah see on that throne? According to the Apostle John, he saw the
Lord Jesus.
John 12:41 - These
things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake
of him.
Jesus is God!
God took Isaiah’s eyes off the problems of this world
and placed them on God himself. Psalm 93:1
Vs. 1 – Notice that God is high and lifted up
I believe that Isaiah would have been awe of the vast
size of the temple in which God dwells. He saw God as high and lifted up, above
everyone. I think Isaiah probably felt as big as a speck of dust.
and his train filled the temple.
The train was the hem of his garment.
What is the garment of God?
It is a garment of light! Psalm 104:1-2, 1 John 1:5
If there is no darkness in God’s light, try to imagine
how intense that light in the
Isaiah 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.
Seraphim are angels that evidently guard the very
holiness of God. Their name means
“burning ones”. Imagine their intense
brightness as they fly around the throne in an attitude of worship. I think
that these creatures must be huge! Imagine giant wing spans, and the massive
power in those wings!
Even these creatures who have
not been tainted with sin do not look at God. They cover their faces and their
feet in humility.
If these creatures are in awe of the glory of God, we
should certainly be in awe of His glory even more so.
Isaiah 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.
These creatures, how many of them there were no one
knows, fly around God’s throne proclaiming his holiness.
And please realize that the proclamation of God’s
holiness was probably very loud. I feel
that these angels would be making their proclamation of his holiness with
booming voices.
Isaiah 6:4 - And
the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was
filled with smoke.
The posts of the doors of the heavenly temple
vibrated, perhaps in reaction to the proclamation of the seraphim, and probably
as a reaction to the awesome power and holiness of God!
The house was filled with smoke, a symbol of the glory
of God.
So this is an awesome scene, showing Isaiah and us,
just how awesome, how holy God is!
THE PRESENTATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – Vss. 1-4
THE PROBLEM WITH GOD’S HOLINESS – 5
Isaiah had a problem with God’s holiness.
Isaiah’s problem with God’s holiness was his own
sinfulness!
Isaiah 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.
In the time of Isaiah, it would have been easy for him
to compare himself with other Jews, and feel pretty comfortable. Isaiah would have been better than most of
them.
And today you can compare yourself with most
Christians and feel pretty good about your own Christianity.
But Isaiah was not comparing himself with other Jews.
And you should not compare yourself to other
Christians.
Isaiah saw God.
And when Isaiah saw God he was terrified.
When he saw the pure holiness of God, he cried, “Woe
is me for I am undone!”
THE PURIFICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS – 6-7
Isaiah 6:6-7 - 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.
The moment Isaiah came to the end of himself and admitted his filthiness, was the moment God, in
his holiness provided help.
The moment a person without Christ, comes to the end
of himself and turns to Christ God purges his sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1
Corinthians 6:9-11
The moment a Christian comes to the end of himself and confesses his sin, God purges his sin.
1 John 1:7-10
THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF GOD’S HOLINESS Vs. 8, 1
Peter 1:15-16
God did not save you so you could continue to live the
way you always did.
God saved you so your life can be productive for Him.
If you sincerely get saved, and sincerely confess your
sins as a Christian, then God’s holiness will accomplish two things.
First of all, because you appreciate the cleansing you
have received, you will be available to God for whatever purpose he has for
you.
Isaiah 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 had seen God’s holiness.
Isaiah had seen his own filthy sinfulness.
Isaiah had experienced the cleansing of his sin.
God called for a volunteer.
Isaiah answered the call, not because, he was superior
or special, but because he was cleansed, appreciative and available to do
whatever God called him to do. How would he dare not do what God called him to
do?
There’s more. Please turn to 1 Peter 1:15-16, But as he which hath called you is holy, so
be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [16] Because it is written, Be ye
holy; for I am holy.
What has God called you to? Look at verses 1 Peter 1:3-5.
This God who has given you new life
This God who has given you an incorruptible
inheritance in Heaven
This God who is holy has called you to live a holy
life!
You are God’s child if you have been born again. John
1:12
Your conversation, your manner of life is to be “Like
Father like son.” You’re Father is holy,
set apart from evil, set apart to himself.
You are to be holy, set apart from evil, set apart to the Father
himself.
Now the only way we can live holy lives is through the
power of the one who has made us holy. It is only through the work of the
Spirit of God that we have the power to live holy, Godly lives.
If you have seen the holiness of God
If you have dealt with your sin, either by being saved
or confessing them as a Christian
If your sins are purged
Then, be available, saying, “here am I send me”, and
be holy, living a holy life because the one who has called you to forgiveness
and salvation is holy.