Isaiah 6:1-8
I’m not a big pro basketball fan, but according to the sports news on the radio, LeBron James has done some amazing things during the playoffs this year. Sports casters were saying that he is in a league by himself, there is no one like him. That’s true, until there is someone else not only like him, but even better. It’s hard to imagine, but, no matter how good you are, no matter what field, sports, business, or politics, sooner or later, someone better always seems to come along.
That’s not the case with God. There was no one like him at the time of Isaiah. There is no one like him now, and there never will be anyone like him. He is Holy, Holy, Holy. He is completely separate, completely unlike anyone or anything else. He is bigger, better, stronger, faster, more exalted, more just, more loving, more gracious than anyone or anything that ever has or ever will exist. Nothing compares to God.
Isaiah had no doubt about the fact that the Lord, Jehovah, the one true God, is like no one else. He was given a vision in which he saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted. He saw him attended by seraphim, fiery spirit beings with six wings who led the great antiphonal hymn, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Armies (or of heavenly hosts)! The whole earth is full of his glory! The sights and sounds shook the heavenly temple and it was filled with smoke.
We only get to see these things through the eyes of Isaiah in the words recorded and preserved for us by the Holy Spirit, not in person as Isaiah did. But we too get a sense of the awe that filled Isaiah’s heart and mind as we realize that God is the creator of all that exists. As the Psalmist says, the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Who hasn’t looked up in the sky on a clear night and marveled at all the stars? Who hasn’t seen pictures of the earth from space and wondered at its beauty and how it stays in its orbit? Who hasn’t seen pictures from large telescopes and been overwhelmed at the thought that there are other galaxies out there? Who can imagine the wisdom and knowledge and creative power of a being who did not only imagine all these things, but then called them into being with a word, let there be, and everything was there, and working perfectly!
Just from the things we can see we are moved to join the seraphim in praise. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of heavenly hosts! There is no one like him. There is no one else who could have created the things that we see, such beautiful things, such an orderly universe, just by the power of his word. And then there are the things we can’t see. There are the seraphim and the cherubim, armies of angels who do his bidding, who he has assigned to watch over us and protect us. Every time I lead a Bible study on Angels it seems that almost everyone has a story about what they were sure was an interaction with an angel who protected them. The LORD is not only the creator of all that exists, he is the ruler of the hosts of angels whom he created to serve him by serving us.
When we think about these things we feel very small. When you look at the earth from space you can’t even find yourself, you are smaller than an ant. When you think of the wisdom and power of God, when you understand that he not only sees everything you do, and even more than that, knows everything you think, you can’t help but respond as Isaiah did. He said, I am doomed!
That’s true. Isaiah was doomed. We are doomed. In the presence of God, as we realize who he is and who we are, less than ants by comparison, as people who are contributing to the ruin of his once perfect creation, we are doomed. He should stamp us out like ants. As people who dare to shake our fist at the all wise and all powerful God who made us and question his wisdom; who say things like, “why did you make me this way? Why did you let this happen? If I were you God, I would have done better. If you would just do things my way, if you would only do what I ask, then my life would be great, and this world would be a much better place;” we are doomed. We deserve to have the Almighty cast us into a lake of burning sulfur where our suffering would never end.
Isaiah knew he was doomed, that he deserved to have the Lord doom him to everlasting punishment because he was a man with unclean lips. Maybe he remembered times when he had tried to give advice to God. Maybe that’s why he focused on the sins of his lips. But whatever the sins of his lips were, the LORD does something wonderful and unexpected. Instead of giving Isaiah what he deserved for his sins he specifically addressed them. One of the seraphim flew to me, carrying a glowing coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look, this has touched your lips, so your guilt is taken away and your sin is forgiven.
There is no one like the LORD our God! He didn’t treat Isaiah, nor does he treat us, as our sins deserve. He not only doesn’t give us the punishment we rightly deserve, he gives us the forgiveness we don’t deserve. Isaiah was guilt-ridden over the sins of his lips and God graciously gives him a visible sign that he is forgiven, his guilt is removed, his lips have been purified!
How is that possible? How can God, who is perfectly just like no one else, who accepts no bribes and is never swayed by personal connections, not punish us for our many sins against him and others? Jesus gave the answer to Nicodemus. The father gave up his Son. He sent his one and only perfect son, the one who was with him from eternity, the one who is just as holy and perfect as he is, into this sin infested world in which we live. He sent him as our substitute. He sent him to live under the law in our place. Unlike us, “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. He did not have sinful lips. He never questioned his father’s will, but always said, not my will, but your will be done. The father gave up his Son by sending him to the cross where he gave him the punishment for all the sins of our lips. He let him be doomed in our place, for he cried out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, as he suffered the forsakenness we should suffer for all the times we have spoken against God or dared to think we could instruct him; and for all our other sins too.
Telling us that he loves us so much that he gave his son to be our substitute, to redeem us and pay for all our sins would have been enough. But in his great love, as he did for Isaiah, he gives us something we can see, and feel, and taste. As we prepare for communion, as we examine ourselves in the mirror of God’s law, we have to say with Isaiah, “I am doomed! I have sinned against a holy and just God and I deserve to have him condemn me to hell for all eternity.” But then, in a wonderful and unexpected way, our Lord addresses our sins. He says to us, “Look, this ordinary bread is the body of Jesus, this wine is the blood of Jesus. These are the very things by which Jesus has redeemed you. These were given and poured out for the forgiveness of your sins. Your guilt is taken away. Your sin is forgiven.” There is no one like God, who pardons sin and forgives transgression.
As you think about God sitting on his throne, high and exalted, the creator and ruler of all that exists; you can’t help but be like the seraphim and cover your eyes and your feet in humble awe. As you hear the words of Jesus to Nicodemus, as you hear the words of institution and receive the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, you can’t help but think, “Wow, I sure don’t deserve this! There is no one as gracious and forgiving as God.” And then the Spirit lets us hear the LORD’s voice saying, Whom shall I send? Who will go for us? Who will serve me? Who will tell others the truth about me, that I am not only Holy and Righteous, but also Loving and Gracious; that I am the Creator, and the Redeemer? Who will use the gifts I have given them to my glory not their own? Who will be willing to suffer for the sake of the truth? Who will proclaim the unpopular truth that there is only one true God who has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three persons yet only one divine being? Who will proclaim the unpopular truth that this one and only true God had provided a way for all to be saved, but it’s only through faith in Jesus? Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Will you?
There is no one like God. There is only one who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet only one divine being. There is only one who is Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier all at once. By the power of the Holy Spirit who has brought you to faith in Jesus so that you rejoice in the forgiveness he has won for you, may you join Isaiah and say to the Lord each day when you get up, here I am, Lord. Send me! Help me to do your will. Enable me to witness boldly that there is no one like you, that you are the one and only true God.
