KESWICK AT PORTSTEWART 2025
EVENING CELEBRATION - FRIDAY 11 JULY 2025 - DAI HANKEY
ISAIAH 6 VERSES 1 TO 8
"In the year that King Uzzi′ah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for 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!” 6 Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having in his hand a burning coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin forgiven.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Notice the sending happens at the end of these verses so we have a lot to get through first of all! The context of this passage - 750 years before Christ was on this earth. The exact time frame is given in verse 1. In the Jewish monarchy Uzziah was king of Israel and as we read in 2 Chronicles 26 he largely did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. He grew proud to his destruction, got cocky. The Lord had blessed him. One day he decided to go into the temple to offer his own sacrifices because he was king. And because he tried to present his sacrifice when the priest should have done this leprosy was the result. It was on his head until the day of his death. He had to live in confinement until the day he died. When he died I do not doubt the way he ended up was on everyone's lips. Remember when Queen Elizabeth died? A lot of people talked about what she had done. Uzziah was synonymous with not finishing well. It is terrifying what happened to the king when he tried to approach God on his own terms and in his pride.
Isaiah has a vision that is compelling - verses 1 to 4. It was a glorious vision where God was almost setting his reset button. I need to remind you who I am and you are not the one to set the terms. I am God. He gives Isaiah a vision and reveals some great things. it is important and helpful to have in your mind who God is. Maybe you are saying 'I do not personally know this God.' Maybe you are asking questions and want to know the truth because everything is not satisfactory. Here we see the truth about God. First we see God is a king sitting upon a throne. Who sits on a throne? The king and queen. As Isaiah sees the vision unfolding we are dealing with a cosmic royalty. This is the King of Kings, the greatest king to end all kings. God is king. That is what we see. Not only that but he is an exalted king. He is high and lifted up. He is greater than us, above us in every way. We need to have a greater view of God. He is awesome. He is bigger than my mind can handle. His ways are higher than my ways. He is glorious. He is above you not beside you but above you. "The train of his robe filled the temple". The robe was a symbol of majesty and splendour and victory and honour. This massive temple could hardly contain it. God is also glorious. He does not filter help. There is no-one to help him be the better king. More glorious than any king. No king comes to matching the glory of our God. So wonderful and praiseworthy. Now enter some of the coolest angels you have ever seen. The word seraphim means burning ones. Their job eternally is to bask in the presence of a holy God, to burn with worship and joy. They had wings, two to cover the face and 2 covering their feet and two to fly. They have a song - "holy, holy, holy" When the bible says something twice you pay attention but when it is thrice you stop what you are doing and take it down. God is set apart. Nothing or no-one that compares to our God. There is nothing I could compare with to show you what he is like. God is different than us. He is pure or bright in purity, perfection. Not one moment of flaw or weakness or insufficiency. Glorious, beautiful, perfect. The angels are crying "holy, holy, holy". You are so set apart from everything else. You are also wonderful. While the temple is struggling to contain the robe they sin "the whole earth is full of his glory." God's earth is full of his glory. The heavens declare the glory of the Lord and as Psalm 103 verse 11 reminds us "for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him." The things he has given to enjoy in this world are signs of his glory. Every time you eat good food it is God showing you his glory. Every time you hear music it is God declaring his glory. Here Isaiah is looking and seeing a king exalted and glorious. The scene is so awesome. If you are a Christian this is your God. We get so flippant and familiar and forget who it is Christ has given us access to. This isn't the Father Isaiah sees in the temple, it is Christ. Look at John 12 verses 36 to 41 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him; it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfiled: “Lord, who has believed our report, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” Therefore they could not believe. For Isaiah again said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and turn for me to heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." This is Jesus, the King of Kings in this temple. Jesus gives us access and glory to him. It is interesting how this story unfolds from here forward. Isaiah is confronted by this heavenly vision.
It turns into a glorious confession - verse 5. Maybe as we read the first 4 verses we think it is awesome. Isaiah didn't respond with 'wow' but 'woe is me, I am lost, all undone, stuffed, there is no way I am getting out of this situation. I am in trouble. I am in his glorious presence. He describes himself as man of unclean lips. Isaiah was a prophet. He was not only most holy and righteous. He was a man whose job it was to proclaim God's word. "My lips are unclean. I am out of my depth. I am lost." As we consider God's heart to sending us into the world to do his mission, I am so aware how many of us feel unqualified to do anything for God. It might not be your lips that God can use. Maybe your sin has stained you so that you are unclean. Maybe your mind is unclean. Maybe your heart burns with anger and lust. Everyone is the exactly same. Isaiah puts himself at the top of the list. Do you believe the lie of Satan that you are no use to God? Things in the past show that but Isaiah has something to say to you. In the presence of our holy God we are unclean, we all have fallen short of God's standard. None of us could feel anything different. If I am unclean God you don't want to be anywhere near me. I know what I am really like. You know me better than anyone. Isaiah's glorious confession for himself and his nation. It is so relatable. I am just the same as you. I am no more righteous or holy than you. Some of you have grown up in church, you have been taught every week how bad you are. Maybe you have never grasped how loved you are. Grace doesn't make sense until you receive that diagnosis - "all have sinned and fallen short of God's standards. There is none righteous no not one." We need to accept that about ourselves. We are not good enough for God. Allow the truth, the secret truth that you bury to be true for a moment.
After his glorious confession there is such glorious provision - verse 6. He takes a live coal from off the altar and touches Isaiah's lips. He speaks some incredible words to him - verse 7. Isaiah your confession is true. You are unclean. You don't measure up in his presence. There is provision for you. When you know there is sin, I am bringing restoration to you. The altar is the place of sacrifice. On that altar blood was shed and would be shed regularly for the forgiveness of the sins of the people. None of that blood brought forgiveness, just a foreshadowing of one day when sin would be cleansed because there was another place of forgiveness. The Lord hung on the cross outside Jerusalem for the sins. Where is it you need cleansing? What is it in your life that is unforgiveable, disqualifies you having anything to do with Christ? "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son cleanses us from all unrighteousness." There is cleansing available for everyone. If they would come to the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world. None of you are beyond the forgiveness of God. You cannot forgive your self from that sin. Forgiveness is freely available. There is an enemy in our ear who likes us to chirp about those things we have done and tells us we have not been forgiven from that one particular sin. What does God say? He blots out your transgressions "for my own sake" and remembers your sins no more. God doesn't forgive you for your sake, it gives him glory to forgive your sins. When God forgives you, you are going to receive the glory of reveling in my presence. God has provided a way to be forgiven. If I chose not to accept that I am doing a disservice to God. If you let God forgive you it is not good news for you, it is glory for him in heaven. If you choose your past to speak louder voice over your life you are doing God a disservice. "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." It is good news. Jesus wins. Forgiveness is good for us all. God is not the ultimate benefactor of his grace. I know where to go when I feel guilty, go back to the king in whose presence Isaiah is. This king who is exalted laid aside his glory. Philippians 2 verse 7 tells us he took on himself the form of a servant. This glorious king, is high and lifted up on Calvary's cross. Never lose sight of the cross. I reckon Isaiah's life was never the same again. He says to Isaiah "your guilt is taken away." Isaiah went from being "woe is me" to "send me". A glorious visitation an d a gracious provision.
God has his angels for all sorts of things. This is the first time we hear God speak in this scene. A question is asked - "whom shall I send and who will go for us?" There is work to do in this world. Not something specific. We need grade A sinners to go and do something. To hear God's voice. Isaiah is completely changed and asks to be sent. "Here I am send me. I will do it because of what you have just done for me. Now I have something to say. Now I have a message. I have been given the answer for cleansing, for forgiveness, for mercy and grace." If we have to cajole one another to do God's mission we have already missed the purpose. The more amazed we are by God's grace in Christ the easier it is for people to respond. The whole Christian life is a response to God's grace. We are not saved by good work, saved by grace for good works. We are pointing one another to the cross of Christ. All of a sudden Isaiah says "pick me" because it is a easier option. 1 Corinthians 7 verses 19 and 20 "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." You are not your own if you are in Christ. He paid for you with the greatest price. This is the mission I have for you. If anyone is wrestling with being a Christian and the cost. If you know what Christ has done for you it is a harder life. If you are willing to lay down your life as a sacrifice on the altar you will know the joy of his presence. Are you willing to say "here I am, send me?" There are 4 ways you can respond:
recognise God's glory and revere him
repent of your sin (all of it)
receive God's grace and revel in it
(re) commit your life to serve him
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