“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!’” (Isaiah 6:1-3)
Isaiah’s vision describes for us the utter majesty of God. I suppose someone who viewed such an awesome sight today would try to pull out his phone and get a selfie with God or one of the seraphim or would have tried to record the event it and post it on YouTube. That would be impossible however. Isaiah was overwhelmed with terror when he beheld the Lord God Almighty in all His glorious splendor and holiness. He feared to stand in the presence of our Holy God because he knew he was an unclean sinner unworthy to be in the presence of Divine holiness. That’s what should happen to all of us. We are all unclean and unworthy sinners who cannot stand in God’s presence. None of us!
These days human beings need to realize God’s awesome majesty once again. Many no longer believe in Him. Many act in ways that show they have nothing to fear from Him or from the authority He has established on earth. Millions engage in violence, terrorism, and sexual perversion for they do not believe there is a God who will hold them accountable. They have become their own gods judging right and wrong. Sadly, without faith in Jesus, these all face a terrible judgment on the last day.
And then there are the Christians who are so overly impressed with man-made splendor, with celebrity and talent that they have lost sight of God’s grandeur. Millions glory in the opulence of manmade buildings, art, and attractions. Still many more glory in the talents of exceptional singers, actors, and musicians. These all, as splendid as they may be, pale into insignificance in the presence of almighty God which Isaiah saw. Even the best singers, the most lauded and gifted cannot compare with the magnificent unparalleled singing of the Seraphim. The very thought of this should humble all men and women so that they cannot boast in their own talents. The awesome majesty of Almighty God should cause all humans to fall down in submission at His feet. There they will find forgiveness for their sin and healing for their brokenness.
Did you ever feel the kind of terror Isaiah experienced? Did you ever feel that sense of your own disgusting sinfulness? I hope you have. Because without a sense of our own sinfulness we will never know how serious sin is or how hopeless our condition without a proper atoning sacrifice is. We will never see how much we need God. We will never see that gap between us. We will then not see that there is a bridge over it. That bridge is Jesus.
Theophany: Meeting With God In His Word 