THE REFUGE
Isaiah 6:5 NASBS
Oh, the inspiration of God’s Holy Word that springs forth from the heart of the prophet Isaiah. He was a master of preaching, an unparalleled teacher, a priest most high, one who pursued righteousness more than all, and his desire was for the Lord. The Lord, Whose eternal eye searches the whole earth, moved upon His heart in a day when the nation was in an upheaval. For Uzziah, The King had allowed pride to enter into his heart, and the Lord removed him from his office. So The Lord granted Isaiah the honor of seeing into the heavens with unveiled eyes. He showed him that He was the true King of all the earth and there is no earthly king who can rival His Majesty. When the Lord opened up the eyes of the prophet, he cried, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two, he covered his face, and with two, he covered his feet, and with two, he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
Oh, the fear and trepidation that must have flashed before the prophet’s eyes. In one brief moment as he stood in the presence of The infinite God, The One Who sustains the world by the breath of His word, his whole life was exposed. Every idle word that He has spoken, every thought whether good or bad he has dwelt upon, and every act of lawlessness that he had ever engaged in, is now brought into the light of the Lord’s counsel. It is here that Isaiah had to come full circle with the reality of his sinful nature and the true holiness of The Lord. It was here in the midst of this holy terror when the grace of God was revealed to him, for as it is written, “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend their prayer.” The Lord heard his prayer and took away is iniquity forgiving him of all of his sins.
What a terrible thing it is for a mere mortal creature to stand in the presence of a holy God apart from divine grace. For the illuminating light that shines forth from the eternal God is far brighter than the sun when it shines forth in its full strength. The light of the Lord’s perfect knowledge reveals the thoughts and the intentions of the heart and no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him in whom we must stand before. Come now, sinner, will you dare to tread the grave alone, as if this mere 60 to 70 years of this life is all you have? You who are but clay, will you shake your fist in the face of a holy God Who brings forth seasons, epics and times? Do you not know that The Lord laughs at the mere mortal’s ignorance when they say there is no God? May The word of the Lord pierce your hardened heart so that you will have eyes that truly see, and ears that truly hear. Today is the day of salvation. May The Lord grant you faith and repentance through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ, Whom He sent to save sinners such whom I am the foremost.