God is taking me through a time of major upheaval and uncertainty where I am learning so much more to rely on him. This is almost a reflection of what is happening in the chapter I will discuss today. So sit back with me and soak it in.
Isaiah 6 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%206&version=NLT)
This chapter in Isaiah is a little bit different to the last 5. I read a devotional on this chapter the other day. It set out to explain that what Isaiah experiences here in this very chapter is exactly when happens when a person turns to Christ. Isaiah experience - though individual - is also universal. This is something I will unpack in a little while.
However lets begin with the TEMPLE.
Isaiah has been brought before the Lord God of the Heavens and Earth. The passage gives us some context - its in the year King Uzziah died.
Who the heck was King Uzziah? King Uzziah was the king of Judah in the time of Isaiah's writing (according to my bible dictionary and its also kind of obvious in the passage as well). It is said that he was struck with leprosy for a 'cultic misdemenour' (I'm guessing for doing some form of worship that was not in relation to God).
So Isaiah is brought before God after King Uzziah has died. In this scene God is sitting on a throne, wearing a robe whose train fills the temple. He is being attended by Seraphim - from my knowledge of Seraphim they were moral beings who served and worshipped God. Their main purposes were possibly centred around guardianship and worship. My bible dictionary also describes the possibility that they had the job of Purification by Fire, they are also only described here in Isaiah chapter 6 (again according to my Bible dictionary). The passage gives a clear image of what they may have looked like (have a look at verse 2). Here they are worshipping God and their worship causes the temple to shake and fill with smoke.
ISAIAH'S REACTION to all of this is to see his own sinfulness/unworthiness in the presence of such power and might. He cries out acknowledging his sin. The reaction of the Seraphim to Isaiah is to purify him. Using a burning coal from the alter of God. Isaiah's guilt is removed and his sin is forgiven.
Then Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord! He is asking who will go and send a message to his people. Isaiah responds 'SEND ME!'.
God allows Isaiah to go and says that the people will not understand and they will not turn to God for healing. God says this will happen until they have all been removed from the land so he can rebuild.
Israel's stump a holy seed?
The final verse states the above phrase. But what does this mean? The only thing I can think to link it to is Jesus Christ. Israel is left with nothing, no land, no relationship with God and no future. However in Jesus Christ all these things are restored. I firmly believe that God shows his stubborn creation his love and our need for him by removing everything that makes us feel secure and then showing us that it is only him that can provide that. And that's what happening here in the passage. God's people will not understand until there is nothing left and God brings in Jesus.
So here's the pattern...
Isaiah shows the pattern of what happens when someone comes before God and understands his might and power. The Individual see's Gods majesty and realises their inability to match that so they naturally bow down. They profess their sins. They are then forgiven by God and then God sends them out to tell others of this forgiveness. Today we do this by coming before God in prayer. We profess our sinfulness to him and ask for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. God offers forgiveness to all and the only reason this is possible is because Jesus Christ came to earth as a man. Being a perfect man he evened out the scale of the sin done by the first man Adam. Thereby taking the punishment for Man's sin and ending the cycle. His death repairs the relationship that was broken so many years ago in the garden of Eden. Jesus resurrection conquers death, death is redundant because it is a punishment for Sin. However when we take the offer for forgiveness for our sins death has no meaning any more. Yes we may still die and physical death because we live in a world broken by sin and because of that our bodies are no loner perfect and age and get sick and die. However we do not spiritually die. He have a confidence that we will live in God's perfect kingdom for the rest of eternity. This these things in mind today was then take up the task of spreading the GOOD NEWS about Jesus death and resurrection for our sinfulness. We go into the world much in the same way that Isaiah did.
I myself although going through a lot of life changes can hold on to the knowledge that I am saved by Jesus' death and resurrection from the dead.
Here is an drawing I did a month or two ago to depict how I often feel in life in relation to God:
The hand underneath is the hand of God, the hand on top is mine. My hand is weak and limp, it lacks strength. However the hand underneath is supportive and hold up mine. I may be weak and I may be lacking in ability and emotional strength. But I have the knowledge that God will keep holding me up in this life for as long as he see's fit for me to live. God is a loving God, a God of peace and a God who supports us through life. He has decided what every day will look like and he is there for us every step of the way.
While I can't wait for Jesus to return to take me to his kingdom and sometime's I can't wait for death to embrace me, I will continue to walk in the path that God shows me and I will continue to lean on his love. I will continue to hold his hand. I will continue to do the Good Deeds he has set out for me.
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