‘In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth. The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.’
Isaiah 6:1-4
If you happen to be in a shopping centre this Christmas (although no doubt that is the last place many of us would want to be… Praise the Lord for Amazon) it is interesting to observe how different children approach Santa in the popup money-hoovering Santa’s grotto. Maybe you remember going there when you were a child… or maybe you have taken your own children (or grandchildren!) there. Some kids are just REALLY EXCITED… Some are more nervous or apprehensive… Some have been there/done that are so are not interested… Some are arrogantly dismissive or worse pulling at Santa’s beard trying to show him what they really know…
All these attitudes might be understandable when approaching Santa’s popup (magical?) home, but the problem is (as with most of Christmas to be fair) we often treat God in the same way many treat Santa. We have been talking about ‘being home with Jesus’ this Christmas, about finding ‘abundant joy in God’s presence’… BUT today’s passage should cause us to assess how we should approach God’s presence. Whether that is in our own quiet times, or when we come in that special way to worship him together as a church, we need to make sure we are approaching God rightly. And Isaiah 6 gives us 4 ways to do that.
First we should approach God with reverence. In Isaiah 6 these sinless angelic beings (the Seraphim) cover their face and feet when approaching God because they realise how amazing, how transcendent, how HOLY HOLY HOLY God is. We’ve already seen how no one can see God’s face and yet live, so when we approach God we should do that reverently. Aware of who he is and so whose presence we are in. We don’t approach God in a blaise way like the most cool kids approach Santa. God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, it is a privilege to be in his presence, and we should treat it as so.
Secondly we should approach God with mourning. In v5 Isaiah says ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.’. Although the people of Israel no doubt think Isaiah is the best of them, Isaiah counts himself with the worst of them. He knows he is a sinner. He knows he is not naturally welcome in God’s presence because of his own rebellion. Therefore, he knows his sin is a big BIG deal. And he mourns it. His sin grieves him. And ours should grieve us too. It’s not a wee thing is the WORST thing. And although we, because of Jesus, know it can be forgiven… we should still approach God with mourning because (by nature and choice) we too are people with unclean lips and hearts.
Thirdly we should approach God with hope. In v6 of this chapter an angel brings a hot coal from the sacrificial altar and touches Isaiah’s lips with it, this is a picture of the atoning work God has done to cover Isaiah’s sin. And the wonder of the gospel is that we too, when our hope in in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done, are forgiven for ALL of our sin. That is how sinners like us can be welcome in God’s presence. It is because of Jesus that, although we should approach God with reverence and mourning, we too can approach God with hope, fully assured of his love and grace for us.
And then finally from Isaiah 6 we should approach God with expectation. Perhaps the most famous words from this chapter are from v8: ‘Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me’. These are Isaiah’s great calling as a prophet. He had been able to approach God and so he was willing to go from God and do whatever God asked of him. He was saved and then he was sent. This is the great gospel call, when we are saved by Jesus we are sent by Jesus. When we know Jesus, we make Jesus known. Now the task Isaiah was sent to was no easy one, in fact the people who he was sent to would ultimately be exiled for their unbelief. And the task we are sent to do is not easy either… We live in a culture who gives God no second thought the vast majority of the time. And yet Isaiah 6 ends promising Isaiah that one day (for him and them) hope would come at Christmas. Verse 13 says ‘Like the terebinth or the oak that leaves a stump when felled, the holy seed is the stump’.
At Christmas we celebrate that the holy seed came. And because of the coming of Jesus, yes we should approach God with reverence… and with mourning… and with hope… and with expectation but we should also approach God with joy. Jesus came to us so we could go to him. That’s where true joy is found. That’s why we should approach him rightly, for abundant joy is found in his presence. And that’s why we who have been saved by him are then sent by him. At Christmas we have a wonderful opportunity to go spread the news of Emmanuel. Let’s take it today and in the days ahead. For, because of Jesus, all who repent and believe really can approach the presence of God and therefore in his presence know abundant joy forevermore.
Rejoice!
Written by Pete Stewart
A thought to remember: Approach Emmanuel with reverence, mourning, hope and expectation.
A bit more to read: Isaiah 6
A question to ask: What should change about how you approach the Lord?
A song to sing: Adore