Reading — Isaiah 6.1-8

A retired lawyer made what most of us would consider a sound business decision. He bought the rights to an apartment which belonged to Jean Clevence. The attorney agreed to pay Jean one hundred dollars a month for the rest of her life. What made this such a sound investment was that Jean was ninety years old. Insurance tables calculated that Jean’s life expectancy was less than five years. But, thirty years later and $180,000 poorer, the attorney had yet to take ownership of the apartment. Each year on her birthday Jean would send the attorney a card saying, sorry, I’m still alive. Three years ago Jean died at 123, verifiably, the oldest person on the earth. This attorney and all of us are reminded of how little control we actually have over our future.

This is the lesson Isaiah and the Jews of His day were learning in Isaiah chapter six. In this text, Isaiah has a strange and interesting encounter with God. This encounter occurs against the backdrop of verse one. Don’t miss this significance. It was a time of national emergency for the nation of Judah. Uzziah had reigned for 52 years. In this 52 years, Judah had enjoyed unprecedented prosperity and splendor since the days of Solomon. Not only had they enjoyed prosperity, they also enjoyed unprecedented military security. You see, the faith, presence and leadership of Uzziah had paralleled the prosperity of Judah and her people. Scripture tells us that, as long as Uzziah sought the Lord the Lord gave him success. But, then late in his reign, Uzziah seemed to forget the source of his success and his pride led to his downfall.

Church, it is much more difficult to be faithful to God in times of success and abundance than in times of failure and need. This was true for Uzziah and it is true for us today. You see, most of us can’t stand to be blessed anymore than we are. God knows our limits and as His children, he may very well protect that limit in each of our lives or else we fall as did Uzziah.

The reason some of us don’t have more than we do is because of God’s protection. Because we might well be tempted beyond what we can handle. Maybe, just maybe what we have today is all that we can handle and still be faithful to God. Praise God for His providential protection... RIGHT? Uzziah’s pride led him to offer sacrifices in the temple, something that only the priests were commissioned to do.

When confronted by the Priest for his disobedience, Uzziah contended that he was king and could and would do as he pleased... Immediately he was struck with leprosy. Uzziah died in loneliness and seclusion. As Judah watched their king die in shame and lonely seclusion, Assyria was growing in power... They began to flex their military might threatening Judah. The only country that Assyria had not conquered was Judah... They knew they were next. So,

• With their prosperity dwindling,

• Their security gone,

Judah was in serious trouble and they knew it.

• With Assyria threatening,

• Uzziah dying,

It was crises time for Israel.

• Their world was falling apart.

• Life is tumbling in .

• The hour is indeed dark,

So, it is against this national emergency that Isaiah comes to the temple to consult God.

Isaiah’s encounter with God gives us three principles that we must not miss in a world that is so dark and a future that appears so uncertain.

• First, there is God’s holiness... We addressed that this morning.

• Secondly, there is God’s sovereignty.

• Thirdly, there is God’s transcendence.

In the year that Uzziah dies, I saw God seated on His throne high and exalted. The King James says, high and lifted up. As life tumbles in, Isaiah sees God is still on His throne. Church, we’ve seen this repeatedly in our study of the book of Revelation. When the darkest hour came for the Seven Churches of Asia, John was taken into the throne room where he saw God still seated firmly on His throne... Still ruling... Still very much in control of world affairs. God’s throne being high and lifted up signifies His sovereign nature. The train of His robe filled the temple... Says to us that his power fills the earth. There was, there is no nook, corner, or crevice... Nothing.... NO THING that God does not have authority, power over. He is omnipotent.

Church, there is:

• A throne

• A kingship,

• A lordship

That is superior to Uzziah, Assyria, Caesar, or any other world power threatening us. Isaiah is shown that it is not Uzziah that is the source of Judah’s:

• Prosperity,

• Protection,

• And provision,

But Jehovah God.

Do we understand this principle today?... Do we?... WE MUST! If your world is dark, uncertain and seems out of control, don’t forget, God still reigns. God is sovereign.

So often:

• We look to the wrong king,

• We allow the wrong king to rule over our lives.

• We trust in the wrong things. We all have our Uzziahs...

• Earthly thrones...

• Earthly kings...

• Earthly things that God uses to make life better.

But we must know that they are NOT to be trusted as the ultimate ruler of our lives.

Church, who or what is your Uzziah?

Is it your health?

The Uzziah of good health has a way of fading into obscurity. The diagnosis is poor. Church, be careful that we don’t confuse a diagnosis with a verdict. Doctors, diagnosis, and drugs are not responsible for our health. They are simply the Uzziahs which God uses for our protection and provision. Place your trust in God. He is still on His throne, high and lifted up. He is still in control. God is sovereign.

Is your Uzziah, your finances?

Maybe that $50,000 a year salary is dying. Perhaps all those material THINGS that we trusted in are disappearing. Remember, God is on His throne, high and lifted up. God is sovereign.

Maybe our Uzziah is our career.

Has your Uzziah of a good job disappeared... Been dethroned? Perhaps a new boss who does not know us or does not prefer us has come to the throne. This happened to the children of Israel in Egypt when Jospeh’s Pharaoh died... Remember? Maybe we can’t find a job in our field of expertise. This doesn’t mean that God has vacated His throne... Look to Him. He is high and lifted up, and the train of His robe fills the earth. God is sovereign.

Perhaps our Uzziah has been our education.

So many of us today have placed our total trust in education. Our parents told us, you get a good education, a college degree, and you’ll always be OK. Folk, we need a proper education, but a degree does not supply prosperity, provision and protection... God does!!

To some our relationship with others has become our Uzziah.

In the past few years, we have so many in this church who have lost their Uzziah of a great spouse... A husband... A wife... Or perhaps a parent or child. No, I can’t possibly know how that feels, because I have not experienced it. But I know this, just because they’re gone doesn’t mean that God has left our life. He is still there... High and lifted up. His authority still extends to every facet of our lives. He is still sovereign.

You see, regardless of how dark, how uncertain, how out of control life may appear, remember God is sovereign.

• In spite of what everybody says around us.

• In spite of everything we see going on about us.

• In spite of all our fears.

• In spite of everything we feel within.

• In spite of these dying Uzziahs.

• In spite of our Assyrias that are threatening.

God is seated on the throne, high and lifted up. He is in control of it all... OF IT ALL. Nothing... NO THING is beyond His authority... Trust Him... Trust Him.

Not only is God sovereign... He is transcendent.

What do we mean by, God is transcendent? When we say God is sovereign... We mean that God is OVER it all. When we say God is transcendent, we mean God is in the midst of it all.

Isaiah sees something else... Verse three, the earth is full of His glory. Not only is God over it all, He is in it all.

• God not only rules from His press box view.

• He is in the midst of it all... He is out on the playing field with us.

He is with us... In us. The whole earth is filled with His glory.

The word glory speaks to us of His visible presence.

• His glory was visible on Mt. Sinai.

• His glory was visible in the Tabernacle.

• His glory filled Solomon’s temple.

• His glory appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus.

• His glory overshadowed Peter, James, John and Jesus at the

transfiguration.

• His glory blinded Saul on the Damacus Road.

Now I know what you’re thinking... Your thinking, I’ve never seen His glory. Yes you have... Yes you have! Listen to Paul in romans 1.20, For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. The glory of God today is seen in His creation. Church, the finger print of God is on everything around us.

Isn’t that what David said in Psalm 19.1?... The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

These Seraphim tell Isaiah and us tonight that God is everywhere in everything... He is omnipresent and omniscient.

David asked in rhetoric, where can I go to escape His presence, O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.... (LISTEN NOW!) If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

In fact church, the Bible tells us that God even lives in us if we are His children. First John 3.24 says, Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. This same John record Jesus saying, Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Will you tolerate a personal story? Our son Keith applied for the directorship of the Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter. After a couple of interviews they told him that the job had been offered to somebody else with more experience in the field than he. However, they told him that the person had not accepted the position and that because of the time lapse, it would appear that they might not take the job. The selection committee told Keith that he was number two on the list. And that the job was his if the first individual did not accept. Friday afternoon Keith was preparing to go on a retreat with the young people from the Center Street congregation. Overshadowing his having a good time and encouraging these young people was whether or not he was going to get this job. He stopped and in silence said, God, I know if it is best for me in your scheme of things, I will get the position, and if it is not I won’t. But Lord, I promise, if you make it possible, I will serve these children to the best of my ability. Keith said, daddy, I felt better, and I had taken only a few steps and my cellular phone rang. It was the chairman of the selection committee saying, Mr. Caselman, we are ready to offer you the directorship of the children’s shelter.

He is transcendent, in the mist of it all.

IMMANUEL... GOD WITH US!

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me... Good news!... Good news!

In 1937 Walt Disney released the first full length animated movie, Snow White. Artist drew 1.1 million pictures to produce the movie. Each picture flashed upon the screen for one-twenty-forth of a second. But, when we watched that movie at regular speed, it all flowed together in perfect smoothness. We had no concept of what went into making the movie.

Our lives are like this... Right? With our lives running at regular speed, we have no concept of the kind of attention, provision, detail and intervention that God gives to make it all possible.

Life is like apiece of tapestry, from underneath it is filled with:

• Knots,

• Ties

• And tangles,

But when viewed from the top, it is one beautiful picture.

You see, God is a player coach. He is a coach... He is in the press box... He is over it all. But, at the same time... He is a player... He is in the mist of it all... He is on the field. This is what John 1.1 and 1.14 says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Remember what Ephesians 3.20-21 says?... Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Let me make two suggestions.

First, we should worship Him and sing His praises.

This is what these Seraphim were doing. They were loudly... Repeatedly... And reverently singing God praises. For too long, too many of us have been whispering His praise.... And then doing it so seldom... RIGHT?

Listen to Paul from Ephesians and Colossians, Be filled with the Spirit. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord with gratitude in your hearts. Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything through His Son Jesus.. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord.

Church, we have used this passage to prove accappella music in worship, but we seldom use it to prove that we should worship Him and sing His praises for all that He has done for us.

• For His provision.

• For His protection.

• For His prosperity.

No wonder, no wonder the Hebrews writer admonishes to forsake not the assembling of ourselves together as the habit of some has become, but that we should encourage one another and so much the more as we see the day approaching. Our response to God’s sovereignty and transcendence is to worship and sing his praises.

Secondly, we should respond by becoming a changed people and person.

This is Paul’s admonition in Romans chapter 12... He says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Then Paul goes on to tell us what it means to become transformed, converted, changed people in the rest of the book, chapters 12-14.

• Changed in the way we view our selves.

• Changed in the way we use our talents in the kingdom.

• Change in the way we view, serve, and love others.

• Changed in the way we see our enemies.

• Changed in the way we view and obey those in governmental authority.

• Changed in the way we view and treat those who are weak in the faith.

The question tonight becomes this: Do you believe in the sovereignty and transcendence of God?... If you do... If we do... Then we will obey Him.

If you need to obey Him in becoming His child, then you have an opportunity to do so by:

• Faith,

• Repentance,

• And New Testament baptism, immersion in water for the forgiveness of your sins.

Perhaps we need to rededicate our lives.... Starting today to:

• Worship Him, singing His praises for what He has done for us.

• And by becoming a changed people and person.

What is our response to the sovereign transcendence of God?

— Randall Caselman