I Will Not Ask = I Will Not Pray

 

   

Isa 7:10 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,  11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!"

 

 “I will not ask.” It’s just another way of saying, “I will not pray. Asking is not the only facet of praying but it is a major one.  Let me give you a small sampling of what the Bible says about asking:

2Ch 1:7 On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, "Ask! What shall I give you?"

 Mt 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

 Mt 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

 Joh 14:14 "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

 Eph 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

 1Jo 5:15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

A refusal to petition God is an admission of a lack of faith in God: Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

 

The spirit of Ahaz, the spirit of, “I will not ask,” is very much alive in our world today. How often have you heard someone say, “You are in my thoughts, but avoid at all costs adding, “and in my prayers.” Sometimes it almost seems that they take great pains not to say the “P” word!

 

Thanks for your thoughts, but your thoughts are powerless. I need you to ask El Shama, the God who hears, to step into my situation. If you have any thoughts concerning me, let them be in the form of a prayer to the only One who can do something about my need.

 

When an unbelieving acquaintance of yours needs divine intervention. Certainly, let them know you are thinking about them, but also let them know that when you think, you pray!

The Attitude of Ahaz

 

Isa 7:10 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,  11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!"

I want to talk a bit about the attitude of Ahaz. He makes a big show of piety as he tells Isaiah, “I will not ask nor will I test the Lord.” In reality Ahaz was banking on help from the Assyrians to defend Jerusalem. Why ask for a sign when your mind is already made up? He was already in pretty deep with the King of Assyria!

2Ch 28:21 For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him.

 

Let us learn from the attitude of Ahaz.

 

YOU ARE NEVER SO DEEP INTO SIN THAT GOD CAN’T TURN YOU AROUND!

 

No matter what you have invested in your sin, and no matter what that sin is, God can pull you out, heal you and deliver you. Just think of some of the “chief sinners” in the Bible.  The Holy Spirit penned that phrase through the Apostle Paul who said in  1Ti 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

 

Paul hated Jesus so much that he hauled believers out of their homes, imprisoned some, killed others, and God pulled him out of that sin and used him in a mighty way.

 

David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband Uriah, and God stirred his heart unto repentance and pulled him out.

 

Then there’s the example of the Prodigal Son. Spent all of the grace of God on wine, women, and song. He was bent on investing all he had on sin, but He remembered His loving Father and returned home, pulled out of his life of sin and restored to the relationship with his father.

 

Then there’s me! If God can save a sinner like me, He can save you too!

 

No sinner! You are never in too deep that God can’t pull you out. And if you find yourself in that situation, by all means ask God for a sign. Ask Him for the sign of Jonah, ask Him to resurrect you to the new life in Christ.

Jesus was brought back to life. God is able to breathe new life into you as well.

 

 

What Would You Ask For?

 

Isa 7:10 Moreover the LORD spoke again to Ahaz, saying,  11 "Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!"

Ask for a sign to please God, or ask for a sign to His displeasure. Which is it? What’s the difference? Gideon asked for signs and got them, but Jesus said this about signs: Mt 12:39 , “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

 

It always boils down to the attitude of the heart doesn’t it? The evil and adulterous generation are those who will only believe if God performs a dog and pony show for them. They ask for a sign from God and not receiving what they ask for they conclude that there is no personal God for them. (Never mind all the other evidence that speaks of His loving and just existence.)

Ps 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” And in Ro 1:20, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

 

Never mind all that stuff God, when I say, jump, I want you to respond with “how high?”

 

In our text today, remember that King Ahaz was a wicked king. He didn’t want anything to do with the ways of God. “he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God,” (2 Kings 16:2)

In spite of his rebellion God offers to give him a sign to prove that the Assyrians and the Northern tribes of Israel will not conquer Jerusalem. And not just an ordinary sign! Anything from the deepest part of the earth to the highest thing in the sky God would perform it for him, if he just asks!

 

(I wonder, what would I ask for should God give me such a personal invitation? What would you ask for?)

 

I think that’s a good place to stop for today. Ponder your honest answer to that question, and ask!

Inviting the Judgment of God

 

Isa 7:8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, And the head of Damascus is Rezin. Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be broken, So that it will not be a people. 9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, And the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If you will not believe, Surely you shall not be established."'"

The Lord speaking to King Ahaz through the prophet Isaiah tells him, “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Rezin has designs on Jerusalem but God says that while Rezin  may be the head of Damascus, that’s as far as the Lord will let him go.  Jerusalem will not be conquered by him! As far as Ephraim. (the northern kingdom of Israel) within 65 years they will be broken, so far broken that they will never be a people again.

This amazing prophecy was fulfilled on all counts. The ten tribes of the northern kingdom (referred to as Ephraim) were carried away and dispersed when conquered by the Assyrians. The Assyrians then resettled the northern kingdom with people of their own choosing, and these people mixed with the remaining Jews and became known as Samaritans.

2Ki 17:22-24 tells us: “For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them, 23 until the LORD removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day. 24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.

So what can we take home from this account? First of all, the fulfillment of this prophecy should remind us again that God is Sovereign, He is in control. Nations conquer and get conquered at His beck and call and not their own.  Secondly, we should note the reason for being conquered.

 

This conquering was a judgment from God against Israel because they lived in the sins of Jeroboam and refused to repent of them. What were the sins of Jeroboam? We read about them in 1Ki 12:28-33, “Therefore the king (Jeroboam) asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!" 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense.

 

In a nutshell, Jeroboam made following the Lord, a matter of convenience. No crosses to bear, just change the rules, make your own rules as you go along. Ignore the Word of God and live as you please.

 

This kind of attitude and shunning of the true God and His Word invites His judgment. Always has….always will. Therefore, remember the words of Jesus who said: Joh 12:48 "He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

It’s not about our convenience, it’s about surrendering to and following Jesus. He is Lord, He makes the rules not us!

Stand and Be Strong and Brave

 

Isa 7:4 “'Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.  5 'Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah have plotted evil against you, saying,  6 "Let us go up against Judah and trouble it, and let us make a gap in its wall for ourselves, and set a king over them, the son of Tabel" - 7 'thus says the Lord GOD: "It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass.

Remember those little brown things on a stick that you lit and then let smolder using them to light the fuses on your firecrackers. They are called “punks.” God was telling King Ahaz) That  Rezin and Pekah were punks!  They were not to be feared. Their plans would not stand and they would not come to pass.

 

Something worthwhile noting here too, that God was present in their war room when they were making their plans. He knew exactly what they were up to and of course this battle strategy is as old as the hills, but also very effective. Make a gap in the wall, penetrate the city and force the enemy to fight on two fronts.

This is a strategy of the devil in spiritual warfare as well, and we in the church would do well to pay attention to it. The gap in the wall in spiritual warfare is compromise with the world. Once the church starts allowing the world in, the world starts to dictate what’s right and what’s wrong, the gap is created and the compromised church is given over to a king (pastors, spiritual leaders) who are simple pawns of the world. (make that the devil’s) choosing. They are leaders who won’t rock the boat with truths of Scripture  or seek to roll back the compromises.

Beware of these gaps! Be on the lookout for them. The attempt at forced compromise is increasing every day. The pressure is mounting but you and I must remain steadfast! The Holy Spirit tells us in 1Co 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. This is what it’s going to take. Are you ready? Remember, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you (Phil 4:13)

 

 

Be Still and Know That I Am God

 

Isa 7:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up to Jerusalem to make war against it, but could not prevail against it. 2 And it was told to the house of David, saying, "Syria's forces are deployed in Ephraim." So his heart and the heart of his people were moved as the trees of the woods are moved with the wind. 3 Then the LORD said to Isaiah, "Go out now to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-Jashub your son, at the end of the aqueduct from the upper pool, on the highway to the Fuller's Field, 4 "and say to him: 'Take heed, and be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted for these two stubs of smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria, and the son of Remaliah.

For some reason, no account given here of Isaiah’s activity during the reign of Jotham. The account moves from the year that Uzziah dies to sometime during the reign of Ahaz.

 

Rezin, the king of Syria and Pekah, the king of Israel had joined forces before in a successful attack against Ahaz. We read about it in 2Ch 28:5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter. 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

 

This initial war against Judah under the reign of Ahaz took place about 740 B.C. Rezin had conquered the harbor city of Elath and Pekah soundly defeated a large army under Ahaz., killing 120,000 men!  Nevertheless, Jerusalem stood and was not taken.

 

But now, the combined forces of Rezin and Pekah amassed in Ephraim and prepared for a siege against Jerusalem.

 

The threat of these armies caused a great deal of consternation to Ahaz and the inhabitants of Judah and the hearts were moved like trees in a strong wind.

How would you feel if you were in their shoes, knowing that Peka’s armies alone had killed 120,000 fighting men of Judah?

 

Would not your heart be trembling as well? Maybe you’ve been given some news lately that has caused your heart to flutter in fear.  If so, listen to the words found in verse 4: “be quiet; do not fear or be fainthearted,”

I know that’s hard to do, but it boils down to trust in God. Whatever your situation may be, do not fear or become fainthearted, rather be quiet, (be still) and know that God is aware of your situation and He will work it out in accordance with His perfect will.

What A Grace To Be Included!

 

Isa 6:11 Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered: "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate,  12 The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 But yet a tenth will be in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy seed shall be its stump."

Isaiah has the message and now he wants to know how long he should preach it. And the answer is until God’s judgment is complete. In the short run, this means until the Babylonians have completely uprooted the southern kingdom from their homeland.

Even the 10% left behind will be for the consuming judgment of God and all that will be left of God’s chosen people will be a stump. But that stump is all God needs to restore and raise up the new spiritual Israel! Jesus will come up out of stump of Jesse as we read in Isa 11:-5, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. 3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, And faithfulness the belt of His waist.”

Yes, this is Jesus, and He will forever stand as a banner, lifted high on a cross outside Jerusalem, drawing all men unto Him. (Joh 12:32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."

Isaiah continues in verse 10, “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious." 11 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time To recover the remnant of His people who are left, From Assyria and Egypt, From Pathros and Cush, From Elam and Shinar, From Hamath and the islands of the sea. 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, And will assemble the outcasts of Israel, And gather together the dispersed of Judah From the four corners of the earth.

What a grace to be included in this holy recovery operation. Our part is similar to that of Isaiah in that we too have  a message to proclaim until the Lord’s final Judgment.

Mt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

You Have Heard! Be Grateful!

 

Isa 6:9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.'  10 "Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed."

Having been cleansed of his sin, the willing servant Isaiah has volunteered to serve as God’s messenger. I bet he could hardly wait to see what the desired message would be. Would it be, “God loves you!” Or “God has a plan for you.” Or maybe a John the Baptist like message of repentance?

 

Alas, that’s not the message Isaiah gets. Rather he gets to tell the people, “just keep on ignoring the mercies and faithfulness of God. Don’t pay attention to what you hear from His Word or what you see with your very own eyes! Rather, keep putting your own God-denying spin on things!

 

This is a most serious judgment from God. This passage from Isaiah is mentioned six times in the New Testament! The first mention is found in Matthew 13. I include it today because I want to be reminded of the gift given to me. If you are reading this or listening to it, chances are you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and you need to be reminded too!

In Mt 13, the disciples come to Jesus and want to know why He speaks to the masses in parables. We pick it up in Mt 13:10, And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their  ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.' 16 "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

 

Two things to remember here. This insight unto salvation is (1) GIVEN! And (2) you are blessed to have received it.

 

Many, who hear this same word and observe the workings of God remain deaf and blind unto eternal life. No sense into trying to figure it out1 God’s grace forever remains “amazing.” “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

 

Faith came to me by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, (Rom 10:17)  The timing of it all, remains a mystery to me, but I am ever thankful for the gift. Ever thankful for those who faithfully preach the Word and trust the Spirit to bring forth the fruit.

A Three Word Prayer To Start Your Day

 

Isa 6:8 Also 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."

“Also….oh by the way, as I was in the midst of all this display of holiness, broken by my sin, and assured of my forgiveness, I overheard the Lord speaking either to the Seraphim or the other two members of the Trinity, “whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”

 

That’s my first question, “who is the Us?” Most likely the “Us” is the other members of the Trinity, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost,  who have showed up in other similar conversations, specifically in the Book of Genesis: Ge 1:26 says, “Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”

So, are we made in the image of Seraphim, or the image of God?  The answer is obvious and points to the existence of the Trinity.

Then there’s Ge 3:22, “Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.

 

Only God knows the dividing line between good and evil, again this points to the existence of the Trinity.

At any rate, Isaiah jumps into the holy conversation and volunteers for the mission! He utters the three words that all followers of Jesus would do well to have ready on their lips. “Here am I!” Think of the saints that have gone on before you and the number of them who responded in like fashion to the call of God! Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and Ananias in the New Testament.

 

This is the three word prayer that sums up the call to action in Ro 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

 

Isaiah, cleansed by the mercy of God, eagerly presents himself as a living sacrifice to God. He viewed it as a reasonable service. In light of what God has forgiven you and I, shouldn’t we do likewise?

A daily prayer of “here I am Lord, what will you have me to do,” will open up amazing opportunities to be used by God in His kingdom and for His glory.

Look for them and respond in the name of Jesus. You will, as the late Dr. Bob Cook would say,” walk with the King and be a blessing.”

Fired Up and ready To Go

 

Isa 6:6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.  7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."

Oh that I would grasp the holiness of God and just how far short I fall from the glory of God!  Hab 1:13 reminds us: “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.” And the Psalmist says in Ps 5:5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.

Isaiah knew his dilemma and there was nothing he could do about it. If there was to be further business conducted with Isaiah,  God had to step in…and He did!

But why a live coal from the altar? Why the searing of the lips? What’s that got to do with removal of sin?

It’s fairly simple. Fire is a purifying agent and is often used in the Bible as an example of burning off dross, that unwanted slag, that pollutes the pure metal in the refining process.

 

That fire is used to purify the lips of Isaiah is more for his sake than ours. As a sinner who had been “undone,” in the presence of the Lord, he might be feeling a little inadequate to continue as a prophet of God, but God assures him that the fire that came from the holy altar has made him fit for the office. His sin has been purged and his iniquity taken away!

 

His slate wiped clean, he is now fit to be a spokesman for God! And if you look at the next verse of Isaiah, you’ll see how quickly he jumped at the opportunity!

Isa 6:8 Also 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."

There can be no better spokesperson for God on earth, than the one who has knowledge of the holiness of God! The one who thereby sees his total depravity and has experienced the cleansing fire of the Gospel!

 

He, like Isaiah is “fired up,” and ready to go!

Conversation: It's A Lot More Than Yakking

 

Isa 6:5 So I said: "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 my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

Isaiah has been stunned by the awareness of his utterly sinful condition in the presence of the holiness of God! I think it would be useful here to look at an old and basically unused definition of the word, “conversation.”

In modern usage, we have limited its definition to the dialogue spoken amongst people. But years ago the word was used to depict conduct or behavior. The King James version of the Bible uses the word 20 times in that vein! Do you see the value in uncovering this definition again as it relates to this passage? The lips in this passage then become a barometer of the behavior of men.

 

Let me give you some examples from the Scriptures on the use of the word, “conversation”

 Ps 37:14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. {such...: Heb. the upright of way}

Ga 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

  Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

  Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

Now we get a better understanding of why Isaiah was bewailing the unclean condition of his lips. Isaiah was basically confessing that his behavior, his conduct, his “conversation” and the conversation of his people was unclean or sinful in the sight of God!

 

Something has to be done about this condition or Isaiah will have to leave, the presence of God.

 

More on that next time. For now, what would unbelievers (Gentiles) say about your conversation in this world? Is it God-honoring and worthy of the Gospel by which you were saved?

 

1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Undone! "Put A Sock In It"

Isa 6:5 So I said: "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 my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."

Isaiah has been brought into the presence of the Lord through a vivid vision. Smoke everywhere, and a booming voice declaring the holiness of God. His eyes have caught a glimpse of the King of the Universe, the Lord of hosts! In this environment, Isaiah has no other response than to be silent. Sinner that he is, he can do nothing but “put a sock in it.” The essence of the Hebrew word here for “undone,” is to be utterly silent.

His personal confession of sin and his confession for the sins of his nation is summed up in the statement that he and his people have unclean lips. These unclean lips are to be silenced in the presence of a holy God!

But what does this confession mean? How does it tie into the sin of men? Is Isaiah admitting that he and his people are a bunch of “potty mouths?” Well, I’m afraid it goes much deeper than that.

These “unclean lips,” are meant to be a picture for us of the totality of sin that starts in our hearts and inevitably spills out in our daily living. Jesus put it this way in Mt 15:18-20, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 "These are the things which defile a man”

 

If your Bible doesn’t have these verses listed as a cross-reference to Isaiah 6:4, I would write it in the margin. It will go a long way in helping you understand the dilemma of Isaiah and the dilemma of you and I!

All these sins are what defile us and they start in the heart of man and spill out into all of creation, all of what God has deemed to be holy and full of His glory. None of us can deny our sinful state. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Rom 3:23)

Therefore when it comes to your self-perceived righteousness…..”put a sock in it,” and humbly come to the only one who can forgive sins! God!

Mr 2:7b "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 

The Permeating Glory of God

 

 

Isa 6:3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

Whoever this particular Seraphim is, he certainly had a booming voice, as we read that it shakes the very doorposts of the temple! Imagine if you will a threefold sonic boom fly by, or a thrice repeated 4^th of July booming fireworks, and then note the emphasis here on the holiness of God! The voice so loud that the inanimate door posts tremble at the word, how much more then should we tremble at His holiness?

 

Then we are told that the house was “filled with smoke.”  Here’s the thing about smoke, it permeates everything. It hangs in the air after the fireworks are finished. It causes your clothing to testify that you have been near a campfire. And anyone who has experienced a housefire can tell you of the lingering effect of the smoke that permeates!

This smoke described for us in Isaiah is meant to be a picture of the glory of God! Ex 40:34 Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

 Moses couldn’t handle the glory of the Lord!

Neither could the priests found in 1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. 12 Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.

Truth is, no one is able to handle the presence of the Lord!

Re 15:8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

And you and I have the audacity to think we are “good enough” to earn our way to heaven? Give me a break! We need help just as Isaiah will need help and we’ll look at that help next time.

Full of His Glory

 

Isa 6:3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

The fullness of the glory of God is something well worth considering! It’s something that God has promised:

Nu 14:21 “but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD-

It’s something the Psalmist prayed for:  Ps 72:19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen.

It’s something the prophets have foretold: Hab 2:14 For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.

Hab 3:3 His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of His praise.

 And here in Isaiah, the Seraphim fully aware of the glory of God assert: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

No wonder our hearts are so stirred when we break out in this anthem of holiness: May I suggest that you sing this as part of your devotion today?

 

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee

Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy!
Though the darkness hide thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Oh thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea

Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity
Oh God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!

This Ain't Clarence Odbody Part 4

 

Isa 6:2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

The final pair of wings on the Seraphim are for flight. And God’s angels are fully equipped to show up in any part of God’s creation at a moment’s notice, and they are always on time! Hence, Gabriel for example, shows up in Babylon with a message for Daniel. It was Gabriel who, at just the right time, brought the message of the birth of Jesus to Mary, and then there’s those unnamed angels who came to Abraham as part of the Sodom judgment team!

By the way note that these angels appeared as mere wingless men to Abraham and he immediately exercised his gift of hospitality to them, something we should be aware of as we are reminded in Heb 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

The angels of God are always on time! Remember the time Peter was arrested and about to join James the brother  of John as another martyr, but look what happened:

Ac 12:6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, (for martyrdom) that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison.  7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals"; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me." 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

Let this sink in! God would determine the timing of Peter’s martyrdom, not Herod. Peter rightly thought he was dreaming. I mean how else could you explain what was actually happening! Once safely outside the prison Peter realized what had just happened! Ac 12:11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people."

Angels, always on time strangers who provide what is needed for your situation. You and I have likely bumped into a lot more of them than we think! Maybe Clarence Odbody isn’t that far off from the real deal!

This Ain't Clarence Odbody Part 3

 

Isa 6:2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

 

So what are we to make of the six wings? Let’s start with the two covering the eyes. Simply put, the eyes are covered because even the angels are blinded by the glory of God! That’s the easy one!

The significance of the covered lower part of the body is a little more difficult for us because we are so far removed from the mores of the society in the days of Isaiah.

In Isaiah’s day this covering of the body was an acknowledgement of submission. It was a sign of respect for the authority of one person or office over another. These wings then were a sign of the angel’s complete submission to God. It is as Ps 89:7 says, “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him”

 

This same principle comes into play later on in the New Testament church at Corinth, where we read in 1 Cor 11:10. “For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.”

Whoa preacher! What’s that got to do with these Seraphim being covered? Again, it is a cultural thing, difficult for us to grasp because we are so far removed from it today. But in the day this was written women typically covered their heads to demonstrate submission to their husband. It was a cultural thing!

Paul was dealing with a little rebellion in the church where some women were refusing to wear the covering. This was not a fashion statement by the women but an outward sign of rebellion against God’s created order. It wasn’t so much the clothing, but rather the attitude!

The Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul emphasized the created order in 1Co 11:3, “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

 

Putting it as simple as possible, in heaven, covered angels are an acknowledgement of  their submission to the authority of God,  and (please note the emphasis here) on earth, women likewise should acknowledge their submission to the authority of man in  accordance with God’s created order.

 

That’s why Paul adds the phrase, “because of the angels.” They set the standard for submission!  Because these angels exhibit submission in heaven, women are to do likewise on earth.

Now, having said that, this head covering thing is no longer a statement of rebellion in our culture. Women do not need to wear hats in church! We have other ways in our culture to show disdain for God’s created order and unfortunately, we do.

Please note too, that this created order does not allow for maltreatment of women, or in your face rebellion by women. Both sides of the coin come into play in this relationship.   

 

Read the rest of this portion of Corinthians and you will see that Paul was not lessening the importance of women, he was merely making sure that the created order is never thrown under the bus.

Indeed, he pointed out how much we need each other! 1Co 11:11 Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord.  12 For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

 

And then there’s the great portion of Ephesians dealing with the relationship between husband and wife, where the wife is called to submission and the husband is called to sacrificial love for his wife, loving her as Christ loved the church! (Eph 5:25)

 

Let’s be honest both men and women have work to do in this area. The angels have set the standard for us way back in Isa 6:2, and we need to get back to it. Quite frankly I believe that the whole transgender issue that we are currently dealing with is God just showing us what happens when His created order is confused.

 

The remedy starts with each one of us, repenting of our abuses in this area and then seeking to take on our God-appointed roles as male and female.

This abuse of God’s created order is spoken of in  Jude 1:6-8, when angels led by Satan decided to step out of their role of submission to God. “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

 

Food for thought from the Word of God.

This Ain't Clarence Odbody Part 2

 

 

Isa 6:2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

 

Seraphim: Fiery, (holy and zealous) unfallen angels. But what’s this? Six wings? I thought angels only had two of those!

Again, this is a vision, and what Isaiah sees with his eyes is a message in itself. It doesn’t tell us what angels look like, but rather more about their station in creation and what they do.

 

Six-winged creatures show up in one other area of Scripture and they are found in Re 4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!"

Note the similarities: Six wings, and the same unending song: “Holy! Holy! Holy! The wings are an indication of the swiftness in which angels carry out the will of God’s providence.

The plethora of eyes an indication of loyal agents of God (angels) always looking to the throne and seeking the dispatch of God to carry out his will, and as they carry it out, no detail escapes them. No mistakes are made, mission is always accomplished. (Note, there may be delays as evidenced in the Book of Daniel when an angel sent by God was delayed due to some opposition from the enemy.)

Da 10:12 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 "Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come."

What a comforting piece of Scripture. God heard the humble plea of Daniel and responded. There was a delay due to the opposition from Satan, but God took care of it and once again His providence and good and gracious will prevailed.

 

Take heart from this passage, you who have been wondering where God is in your situation. He knows the humble and He hears their cry. But God’s will is much more complicated than your own situation. That’s why these angels have all these eyes. They see every possible angle as they carry out the good and perfect will of God.

These angels aren’t just for the Daniel’s of this world either, they are for all who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool"? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

Know this! Believe this! Then wait and trust in the Lord. It will all ultimately work out for His good, for just as the seraphim said, “The whole easrth is full of His glory!

 

This Ain't Clarence Odbody

 

Isa 6:2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

 

Isaiah’s heavenly vision continues, and God gives him a look at seraphim. Seraphim? What’s a seraphim? The word literally means, “burning.” These angels appear to Isaiah as “fiery creatures.”

Remember, this is a vision, and as a vision it contains much symbolism. Symbolism is used to help us grasp heavenly realities and their connection to what’s going on in the rest of God’s creation.

These seraphim are not a flaming mass of feathered wings but they, first of all, as fiery angels, they are portrayed as holy, and secondly, they are portrayed as being on fire for their Master, God Almighty. They are holy agents of God with fervent zeal for His service and for His glory.  

 

Incidentally the word “seraphim,” can also be used figuratively for a “fiery serpent.” Isn’t that interesting? Who does that make you think of?

 

Obviously, these seraphim, in Isaiah are not meant to portray Lucifer, but it makes you wonder if the devil didn’t start out as a seraphim, but then decided to rebel against God. He took a third of the angels with him in the rebellion (Rev 12:4) and certainly, he is oft likened to a snake. But he and his fiery snake demons are always ultimately subject to God. Never forget that biblical truth! He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 Jn 4:4)

 

God may allow the devil and his demons to operate in rebellion against God and His creation, but only within God’s limits, and only for His ultimate will and glory.

 Job is the classic example of course, Job 1:12 reads: And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person."

Perhaps, even more to the point is the time that God allowed “fiery serpents’ into the camp of the complaining Israelites in  Nu 21:6 So the LORD sent fiery serpents  among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

It’s like God was saying, you want to complain against Me? Let me show you what happens when I set the master complainer loose against you.” And the deadly bite of rebellion against God (sin) led to the death of many.

 

But God in His mercy provides a solution to the rebellion problem. Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."

 

I always thought that a lamb upon a pole would’ve been more appropriate here, but that all changed when I realized the fiery serpent on the pole was meant to be a representation of sin and a picture of Jesus in the sense that when He went to the cross on Calvary, He, who knew no sin but became sin for us that we might live. 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

I know this is a bit of a sidetrack from the text, but its also an opportunity to remind us that there is a cure for the deadly bite of sin and it is found in Jesus Christ. Look to Him and live.