IS YOUR GOD TOO SMALL

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Isaiah 6 records Isaiah’s life-transforming vision of God and subsequent call to prophetic ministry. It is arguably one of the most well-known passages in Isaiah’s prophecy. And rightfully so, for it contains the dramatic testimony of a sinful man who had a violent encounter with God and lived to tell about it. Isaiah’s gaze was lifted above and beyond his physical surroundings and he received a vision of God that immediately, completely, and permanently changed his life. And God’s Spirit moved Isaiah to record his testimony in order to call you and me to a high view of God. No, we cannot have Isaiah’s personal vision of God. But we can, must, and need to have his resulting view of God. A.W. TOZER was right: “The greatest need of the moment is that lighthearted, superficial religionists be struck down with a vision of God high and lifted up, with his train filling the temple.”

In his book The Supremacy of God in Preaching, JOHN PIPER writes of using Isaiah 6 as a pastoral experiment. He preached this text, trying his best to exalt the glory, majesty, and holiness of God. But he intentionally omitted any personal applications. The test was this: “Would the passionate portrayal of the greatness of God in and or itself meet the needs of the people?” A young family was present that day, which had just discovered that their child was being sexually abused by a close relative. Several weeks later, Piper learned about the incredibly traumatic story. The husband took him aside one Sunday after service and said, “John, these have been the hardest months of our lives. Do you know what has gotten me through? The vision of God’s holiness that you gave me… It has been the rock we could stand on.” Here’s the point:

YOUR VIEW OF GOD IS EVERYTHING!

I repeat: A right view of God is everything. Without it, you have nothing.

Only when God is put in the right perspective is everything else brought into focus.

So, let’s walk through Isaiah’s vision as it teaches us three essential elements of a high view of God.

Jeremiah 9:23 ESV

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,

Jeremiah 9:24 ESV

but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

YOUR VIEW OF GOD IS EVERYTHING!

I repeat: A right view of God is everything. Without it, you have nothing. Only when God is put in the right perspective is everything else brought into focus.

YOUR VIEW OF GOD IS EVERYTHING!

So, let’s walk through Isaiah’s vision as it teaches us three essential elements of a high view of God.

GOD IS GREAT.

The Bible is clear that we cannot see God with the naked eye.

John 4:24 ESV

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

1 Timothy 6:16 ESV

who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

1 John 4:12 ESV

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

“I saw the Lord.”

Yet Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord.” How could Isaiah see the invisible God? Well, we get an indication of what Isaiah actually saw in the title ascribed to God:

“I saw the Lord.”

“The Lord.” The title “Lord” is used here in verse 1. And it’s also used in verse 3, but with a distinction. In verse 1, the L is capitalized, with the “o-r-d” in lower case letters. But in verse 3, the L is capitalized, with the “O-R-D” in small capitals.

“I saw the Lord.”

This is the translators’ way of indicating that two different Hebrew words are being used in the original. In verse 3, and throughout the OT, when the word “LORD” is in all capitals, it translates the word Yahweh. Later, vowels were added and the name was pronounced “Jehovah.”

THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE

It’s the proper name of the one true God, which means THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE. But in verse 1 the word “Lord” is spelled with lower case letters. It translates the word Adonai, which is a title meaning THE SELF-EXISTENT ONE.

GOD IS GREAT.

Notice that Isaiah did not see God’s essential nature. Rather, he saw a vision of God’s sovereign authority; which is further indicated in the fact that God was sitting on a throne.

GOD IS GREAT.

In verse 5 Isaiah says, “My eyes have seen the King.” And let me add that John 14:39-40 declares the rejection of Jesus’ ministry to be the fulfillment of Isaiah 6:10. Then John 12:41 says,

John 12:41 ESV

Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

CHRISTOPHONY

John says that Isaiah saw a CHRISTOPHONY – a preincarnate vision of Christ. Before the birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, Isaiah saw the Lord Jesus enthroned in heaven, the Uncreated reigning over all creation.

GOD IS GREAT.

This vision of the Lord enthroned in heaven gives us a descriptive definition of the sovereignty of God.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL.

Verse 1 dates Isaiah’s vision: “In the year that King Uzziah died...” Uzziah was the 9th king of Judah. He took the throne at the age of 16, and reigned for 52 years. According to 2 Chronicles 26, Uzziah was “marvelously helped” by God to lead Judah to political, military, and economic greatness.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL.

But when he became strong, Uzziah’s heart was lifted up in pride to his own destruction. He defied God’s sovereignty and violated God’s holiness by intruding into priestly service. So God struck him with leprosy. And he died in isolation from the kingdom he built.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL.

But in the year Uzziah died, God revealed himself to Isaiah as the Holy One who is enthroned in sovereign authority forever. A hundred years from now, every head of state in the world today will be off the scene.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS ETERNAL.

But as these earthly rulers relinquish their power, God will still be sitting on his throne in heaven.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS TRANSCENDENT.

Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up.” God’s transcendence was revealed to Isaiah by the infinite height of his throne.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS TRANSCENDENT.

Not only is God still on his throne, when men have to give up their thrones. But while men occupy their thrones, God’s throne is high and lifted up above all. Psalm 46:10 says,

Psalm 46:10 ESV

“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE HE IS TRANSCENDENT.

Let me translate that command to “be still.” It basically means to give up, surrender, and quit striving; for God will be exalted above all the nations of the earth.

Philippians 2:9 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Philippians 2:10 ESV

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Philippians 2:11 ESV

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE THE LORD IS MAJESTIC.

Notice verse 1 again: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” In the ancient Near East, a king’s greatness would be displayed by the length of his train.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE THE LORD IS MAJESTIC.

But while human kings competed with one another for greatness, Isaiah saw the all-consuming majesty of God, blanketing everything like an overflowing robe. Isaiah saw the Lord, the train of his robe filled the temple. In Jeremiah 13:22, God speaks to his people about impending judgment, warning,

Jeremiah 13:22 ESV

And if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things come upon me?’ it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up and you suffer violence.

HE IS GREAT BECAUSE THE LORD IS MAJESTIC.

God judges men by lifting their robes and showing their bare legs. But while man’s skirts are lifted in shame, God’s majestic train fills the temple.

GOD IS HOLY.

Holiness is arguably the most neglected attribute of God in the contemporary church. If asked to describe God, many Christians would mention his power, love, wisdom, or a list of other attributes, before they mention holiness.

GOD IS HOLY.

Yet in scripture, holiness is God’s central, defining, and foundational attribute. In fact, the word the Bible uses to describe God more than any other word is “holy.” And God is so holy that everything associated with God becomes holy.

Any attempt to understand God apart from holiness is idolatry.

Holiness is what makes God God, which is why holiness is the most difficult attribute to define. Defining holiness is like defining God. It can’t be done.

Any attempt to understand God apart from holiness is idolatry.

But if we are going to know God, we must understand the concept of holiness. And Isaiah’s vision gives us a descriptive definition of the holiness of God.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DISPLAYED IN THE SERAPHIM’S POSTURE.

Isaiah 6:2 ESV

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.

What are seraphim?

The word “seraphim” means “burning ones.” Every other place in scripture refers to fiery serpents. But here, and only here, it refers to a special order of angelic beings.

What are seraphim?

Apparently, they look a lot like humans. Verse 2 mentions their faces and feet, and verse 5 mentions their hands. But they are unlike humans in two specific ways.

Seraphim – burning ones – tells us that they looked something like humans on fire!

Second, they had six wings – with which they did two things.

They flew.

Verse 6 suggests they flew to fulfill divine assignments. But until given a specific assignment, they apparently hovered over the throne.

They flew.

Verse 1 tells us that God’s throne was high and lifted up. Then verse 2 says, “Above him stood the seraphim.”

They flew.

These seraphim hovered over the throne as guardians. They used two wings to guard the throne of God from others,

They used their other four wings to guard themselves from God’s throne.

God’s holiness is so great, his separation from his creation infinite, and his moral excellence so brilliant that the seraphim used two of their wings to cover their faces.

Cover their feet.

The seraphim were on holy ground above God’s throne. They used them to cover their feet.

The consuming holiness of God

Notice how God’s holiness is displayed in the seraphim’s posture: Four of their six wings were used to shield them from God's consuming holiness.

The consuming holiness of God

In verse 5, Isaiah said, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” That is the appropriate response when sinful people enter God's presence, but seraphim are not sinful.

The consuming holiness of God

They are holy angels who guard the throne of God. Yet they are still creatures, so it is necessary for them to shield their eyes from a direct gaze at the face of God. That’s how holy God is.

The consuming holiness of God

God is not just set apart from sin; he is set apart from all creation. So even the angels that guard his throne had better beware lest they become objects of his holy wrath.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

Notice that the seraphim do not guard God’s throne with fire, even though they are “burning ones,” nor with their six wings.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

They guard the throne with antiphonal chants of high praise: “And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.’”

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

In biblical literature, repetition is used for emphasis. Saying that God is holy once is enough. Saying that God is holy twice is emphatic. But saying that God is holy three times is superlative.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

God is so holy that our minds cannot fully comprehend it, and our mouths cannot fully express it. Holiness is the only attribute of God that scripture mentions in triplicate like this.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

The Bible never calls God loving, loving, loving. Or powerful, powerful, powerful. Or wise, wise, wise. But it does say he’s holy, holy, holy. In John’s description of God’s throne room, Revelation 4:8-9 says,

Revelation 4:8 ESV

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Revelation 4:9 ESV

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

None of us would naturally describe the earth as being full of God’s glory. It’s too full of hate, war, crime, etc. But the seraphim did not define the condition of the earth based on the evening news.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

They looked at the world through the lens of God’s holiness and saw that God’s righteousness will one day be vindicated in the world. So even with sin, sorrow, and suffering in the world, they were able to say, “The whole earth is full of His glory.”

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

God’s holiness and glory are inexorably linked. If you see one, you automatically see them both. But miss one, and you fail to see them both. Exodus 15:11 says

Exodus 15:11 ESV

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

Notice how verse 4 records the effects of the seraphim’s praise:

Isaiah 6:4 ESV

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

GOD’S HOLINESS IS DECLARED IN THE SERAPHIM’S PRAISE.

Isaiah was closer than any man since Adam. Yet he was never farther away.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

Some years ago, a conference on comparative religions argued the question, what makes Christianity distinct from other religions. Is it Incarnation? No, there are other religions that claim God became man.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

It is resurrection? No, there are other religions that believe that dead people can rise again? So what is it that makes Christianity distinct?

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

While they debated, C.S. LEWIS wandered in late to the meeting. He asked what the subject was, and they told him. And Lewis responded by saying,

That’s an easy question. The thing that makes Christianity unique is the doctrine of grace.

He was right. The good news of amazing grace is uniquely Christian. Every other religion teaches people how to reach out to God in some way.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

Christianity begins by declaring that all of us are sinners who can never earn the righteous merit needed to fully satisfy God’s demands.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

But God in his grace has reached down to reconcile us to himself by the impeccable life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9 says,

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:9 ESV

not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

God is gracious. Isaiah’s vision shows this grace as the focus on heavenly furniture shifts.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

In verses 1-4, the focus is on the throne. But in verses 5-8, the focus is on the altar. If Isaiah’s vision had ended with this view of God’s sovereign goodness, it would have been a living nightmare of condemnation, judgment, and wrath.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

What a tragedy it would be to have the throne without the altar, holiness without grace, and guilt without forgiveness.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

Praise God for being a God of unmerited favor, sparing mercy, steadfast love, unfailing compassion, and unchanging goodness. God’s grace is seen in Isaiah’s contrition, cleansing, and commission.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S CONTRITION.

Isaiah 6:5 ESV

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!”

WOE

The word “woe” refers to more than grief, sorrow, and regret. It is a word of divine judgment. Yes, Isaiah declared judgment on himself.

WOE

In fact, that’s why the story of Isaiah’s call is in chapter 6 rather than chapter 1.

WOE

Chapters 1-5 record messages of judgment. And in Chapter 5, the word “woe” is used seven times in six different messages of judgment. But “woes” usually come in sevens.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

So God placed this story logically, rather than chronologically, in order to show that the first “woe” was declared on the prophet who declared the other six. Isaiah said, “Woe is me! For I am lost.” Undone. Ruined. Why?

For I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.

We are not told what sin of speech Isaiah was guilty of because it did not matter.

Unclean lips are the result of an unclean heart.

Isaiah was convinced that his unclean heart had ruined him. Here’s why: “For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Unclean lips are the result of an unclean heart.

Isaiah thought he was about to die in the presence of God.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

Isaiah thought he was going to die, but he didn’t, and that’s the point.

GOD IS GRACIOUS.

God's graciousness is demonstrated in the fact that you ought to be dead because of your sin, yet, God has spared your life another day.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S CLEANSING.

After Isaiah’s confession, God dispatched one of the seraphim from the angelic choir to minister to Isaiah.

Isaiah 6:6 ESV

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

Isaiah 6:7 ESV

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S CLEANSING.

Iniquity refers to Isaiah’s sinful nature, and sin refers to Isaiah’s sinful acts. God cleansed both.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S CLEANSING.

Notice how Isaiah’s cleansing illustrates the sovereign grace of God that saves us through Jesus Christ. First,

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS AUTHORED BY GOD’S WILL.

Isaiah thought he was about to die. He didn’t think forgiveness was available. He didn’t ask for it or expect it. But although forgiveness was not on Isaiah’s mind, it was on God’s mind. Likewise,

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY GOD’S WORK.

The live coal that touched Isaiah’s lips is significant because it was taken off the altar – the place of sacrifice.

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY GOD’S WORK.

In Leviticus 16:11-14, we find that burning coals were a part of the sacrifice the high priest was to make for himself on the Day of Atonement, lest he die in the presence of the Lord.

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY GOD’S WORK.

But God himself provided the offering of coal on Isaiah’s behalf. Finally,

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS AFFIRMED BY GOD’S WORD.

Not only did God assign the seraphim to apply Isaiah’s cleansing, but God also assigned the seraphim to announce it, saying:

Isaiah 6:7 ESV

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS AFFIRMED BY GOD’S WORD.

And here’s another reason why I know some of us don’t have a high view of God.

ISAIAH’S CLEANSING WAS AFFIRMED BY GOD’S WORD.

because we are not awed, amazed, or appreciative for the forgiveness God has graciously provided through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

Let me insert here that grace is free, but it’s not cheap. Of course, it cost God his only begotten Son. And it cost Jesus his life.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

But grace also cost the one who receives it. It doesn’t cost you in order to receive it. But it does costs once you receive it.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

And the text illustrates this in the burning coal that touched Isaiah’s lips. It was so hot that verse 6 says that the burning one wouldn’t touch the burning coal.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

He used tongs to take if off the altar and placed it on Isaiah’s 8 lips. This teaches us that grace is free, but repentance if painful.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

And repentance is painful because God not only wants to cleanse your past sin; he wants to consecrate you for future service.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

In verse 8, Isaiah overhears God speaking in his divine court, saying,

Isaiah 6:8 ESV

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

Isaiah wasn’t a part of this conversation, but Isaiah butted in. He knew he should have been dead, but here he was alive and forgiven. So he said,

“Here am I! Send me.”

He didn’t even he know what the mission was, but that didn’t matter. Since God had spared him and saved him, Isaiah was willing to do whatever God wanted him to do.

GOD’S GRACE IS SEEN IN ISAIAH’S COMMISSION.

That’s another reason why I know many of us don’t have a high view of God. You got to beg us, twist our arms, or stroke us to get us to serve.

“Here am I! Send me.”

But if you really understood what it means to be spared and saved and sanctified, you would say, “Here am I! Send me.”

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