22. The Call to Service (1)

Hymns: RHC 8 Holy, Holy, Holy 240 Breathe on Me, Breath of God 559 Near the Cross 428 I Have Decided to Follow Jesus 

Isaiah 6:1-8

¹ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. ² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. ³ And one cried unto 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 moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. ⁵ Then said I, 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 mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. ⁶ Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: ⁷ And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. ⁸ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

The Call to Service

OUTLINE

(1) Heavenly Vision – Fear and Trembling (v1-4)

(2) Holy Cleansing – Confession and Cleansing (v5-7)

(3) Hearty Consecration – Call and Consecration (v8)

INTRODUCTION

The call of God to service is solemn and sure. It is the beginning of a commitment to fulfil the holy purpose of God for His glory. It is the affirmation of the voice of God beckoning and nudging and preparing His servant for His holy mission. Moses was called from the vision of the burning bush. The Apostle Paul from the vision of Christ as a bright light from heaven. God’s holy purpose, His sovereign choosing and His irresistible call, His Spirit’s prompting through His Word.

In the call of Isaiah God was revealed His glory, majesty, holiness, and grace. It  changed Isaiah’s entire life and launched him into a life-long mission for the Lord. We shall try to catch a glimpse that life transforming vision of Isaiah, may it also inspire us to burn out for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as we live in this last last hour of history.

First a historical background of the setting. The nation of Israel divided after the death of Solomon, ten tribes in the north was organized as Israel, and two tribes in the south as Judah. The capital of Israel was Samaria; the capital of Judah was Jerusalem. Isaiah ministered in Jerusalem, but his messages touched both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. Isaiah lived to see Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and decline and finally go into ruin under Assyria.

King Uzziah has died and the throne of Judah is empty. Like all devoted and loyal citizens, Isaiah had respected King Uzziah. For 52 years, king Uzziah had lead Judah on a program of peace and prosperity. It was an era of expansion and achievement. It was unfortunate that the king had rebelled against the Word of God and died a leper. 

Isaiah realized that though the nation had prospered materially, it was in a terrible condition spiritually. The economic growth and temporary peace provided a sense of false security for a nation. 

I recall in a speech by our prime minister in 2005, he said “Singapore had every reason to rejoice. This year, our ecomony continues to grow steadily. Growth in the first half was 4 percent. For the whole year, we expect growth between 3.5% and 4.5%. Looking ahead, the signs are favourable. Asia is prospering, and our neighbours in Asean are doing well. I expect the next 5 years to be better than the last five.”

As we survey the scene in Singapore, we noticed that the first ever gay parade was held last December 2004. Bar top dancing has now become a permanent feature in the night spots in Singapore. A local company has partnered with an infamous French company to stage a top less show and are actively recruiting Asian women, the plan is to make this a permanent feature in Singapore. 

This year we see the taking down of the law section 377A. In the scene of the last days, the church is called to preach the gospel that men may be saved from the wrath of God to come.

Isaiah, a major prophet of the Old Testament, son of Amoz, who prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the days of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah is author of this prophetic book. Tradition has it that he was sawn asunder in the trunk of a carob tree by king Manasseh and that this is the incident referred to in Hebrews 11:37 in the hall of faith.

We have seen from Isaiah 1-5 three sample sermons of Israel, vehement preaching that the people of Judah will turn from their sins and come back to God. 

(1) Heavenly Vision – Fear and Trembling (v1-4)

¹ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. ² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. ³ And one cried unto 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 moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Uzziah intruded into the temple of God to offer sacrifices. It was the perview of the high priest. Uzziah had an illustrious reign as a king until pride took hold of his heart.

2 Chronicles 26:1-23 (KJV) Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gur-baal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men of valour were two thousand and six hundred. And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 

And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 

Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 

And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write. So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

For Isaiah, he saw the judgment of a holy God. He was as it were freezed as he beheld the heavenly scene before him.

Israel had such a vision at Mount Sinai – Exodus 24:10-11 (KJV) And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

Moses had the privilege to meet with God to receive His holy oracles – Numbers 12:8 (KJV) With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Matthew Henry said well, “The vision which Isaiah saw when he was, as is said of Samuel, established to be a prophet of the Lord (1 Samuel 3:20), was intended to confirm his faith, that he might himself be abundantly satisfied of the truth of those things which should afterwards be made known to him. This God opened the communications of Himself to him; but such visions needed not to be afterwards repeated upon every revelation. Thus God appeared at first as a God of glory to Abraham (Acts 7:2), and to Moses (Exodus 3:2). Ezekiel’s prophecies and St. John’s, begin with visions of the divine glory. To work upon his affections, that he might be possessed with such a reverence of God as would both quicken him and fix him to his service. Those who are to teach others the knowledge of God ought to be well acquainted with him themselves. … See His temple, His church on earth, filled with the manifestations of his glory. His throne being erected at the door of the temple (as princes sat in judgment at the gates), his train, the skirts of his robes, filled the temple, the whole world (for it is all God’s temple, and, as the heaven is his throne, so the earth is his footstool), or rather the church, which is filled enriched, and beautified with the tokens of God’s special presence.”

Isaiah had to meet with God and understand the Person of God. He saw the holiness and glory of God.

(2) Holy Cleansing – Confession and Cleansing (v5-7)

⁵ Then said I, 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 mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. ⁶ Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: ⁷ And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

We saw in chapter 5 Isaiah pronouncing woe upon the children of Israel, here we see him pronouncing “woe” upon himself. He realized his own sinfulness before a thrice holy God. With confession comes cleansing.

The best men in the world have reason to be ashamed of themselves, and the best of their services, when they come into comparison with the holy angels. The angels had celebrated the purity and holiness of God; and therefore the prophet, when he reflects upon sin, calls it uncleanness; for the sinfulness of sin is its contrariety to the holy nature of God, and upon that account especially it should appear both hateful and frightful to us. The impurity of our lips ought to be the grief of our souls, for by our words we shall be justified or condemned. [Matthew Henry]

It was a vision of the cross, where Christ died for our sins – Isaiah 53:4-5 (KJV) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

to be continued…