Lesson 350 - Senior

Memory Verse

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish"  (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Cross References

 

I Isaiah's Vision of the Triune Godhead

1. Isaiah saw the vision after he was called to the prophetic office, being already a justified, godly man, [ISA:6:1];[ISA:1:1];.

2. The vision was of the omnipotent and holy Triune Godhead, [ISA:6:1-3], [ISA:6:8]; [JHN:12:41]; [ACT:28:25]; [REV:4:1-11]; [REV:5:6]; [EZE:1:1-28]; [PS:72:19].

3. The effects were supernatural in character, [ISA:6:4]; [EXO:40:34-35]; [1KG:8:10-11].

II Isaiah's View of Himself, Followed by His Sanctification

1. This vision of God's holiness caused Isaiah to see his own inherited depravity and unworthiness, [ISA:6:5]; [EXO:33:20]; [LUK:5:8]; [MAT:5:8]; [HEB:12:14].

2. Isaiah was sanctified when the coal of fire touched his lips, [ISA:6:5-7]; [PS:51:2], [PS:51:7]; [EZE:36:26].

III Isaiah's Call and Commission

1. Following his sanctification, Isaiah was called to a specific and exacting task, [ISA:6:8]; [GEN:17:1-22].

2. The willing consecration made possible a definite commission by God, [ISA:6:8-13]; [EXO:3:1-10]; [1KG:19:19-21] cf. [2KG:3:11-12]; [ACT:13:2]. 

Notes

 

The Vision and What It Teaches

The lessons that are given in this vision of Isaiah's are many, among them being the revelation of the supreme holiness of the Triune Godhead. That the Godhead is a Trinity is seen, for Isaiah saw the Lord and heard the celestial beings address him with a threefold ascription of praise. This same ascription of praise is used by the redeemed ones who are before the Throne of God while the Great Tribulation is taking place on earth [REV:4:8], [REV:5:8-10]). It is no accident that there are three parts to the ascription of praise, one for each member of the Godhead, for there are no accidents with God. And this is not the only reference to Isaiah's vision that reveals the Trinity.

God the Father was present, for He always is represented as the occupant of the Throne in Heaven. Christ is now seated at the right hand of that Throne and the blessed Holy Spirit is in the world reproving "the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" [JHN:16:8]). But John the Beloved writes that when Isaiah saw the Lord he saw Jesus! (See [JHN:12:37-41].) And in the Acts of the Apostles we read that the Holy Spirit spoke at that time! (See [ACT:28:25-27].) The threefold ascription of praise was given to a Trinity -- God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In addition to these proofs, we see that when Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, he did not hear the voice of one individual but of a plurality of Persons united in one, for the Lord said: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us.?" Isaiah was being sent as the messenger of the Triune Godhead, but the message he had to carry was from the Godhead united in one -- a unity that can never be comprehended by mortal mind. (See [JHN:17:21-23]; [HEB:2:11].)

This chapter teaches us also that the Trinity exists throughout all time and eternity. "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts" was the chant of praise indicating that Christ was then in the Godhead. Those who say Christ began His existence when He was born in Bethlehem are in gross error. He was "slain from the foundation of the world" for lost mankind [REV:13:8]), and "he ever liveth to make intercession for them" [HEB:7:25]).

We are taught also that praise and honour of the highest degree and quality are due to our God, and we should give them to Him faithfully. The most exalted attendants at the Throne covered their faces and their feet in reverence, all the while praising God with their full capabilities. If those sinless creatures who stand in the presence of the Almighty do so, how much more should we who have been bought by the precious Blood do the same. We should give Him our praise, our worship, our devotion, our service -" our all -" in the deepest of humility. These holy beings praise Him constantly -- they who have never known sin, and consequently have never felt the love of God manifested toward them in His redeeming grace. We should praise Him the more, for we have felt that love, that grace, and that mercy extended toward us day after day during our lives.

Isaiah's Sanctification

Isaiah was a godly man at the time the vision was given him. He was already a prophet of God. God's prophets were holy men, and while Isaiah had not received entire sanctification prior to this time, holiness was imputed to him as it is to all who are truly justified. But there came a time in Isaiah's experience, as there comes a time in the experience of every truly justified Christian as he walks in the light, when holiness is imparted to him in the definite and instantaneous work of entire sanctification wrought out in his heart. Imputed holiness, or holiness that is applied to one's account by the grace of God, is his only so long as he is lacking in greater light or opportunity to secure for himself that imparted holiness that is given by virtue of the gift of God's grace -" Jesus Christ, and His shed Blood -" at entire sanctification.

When Isaiah saw his true condition before God and the holiness of God manifested before him, he cried out in complete despair: "Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, . . . for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Seeing the beautiful perfections of the eternal Godhead cause him to see his own condition in its true light. He was made to realise that he still had an inbred sinful nature that needed purging. He saw his utter insufficiency. Seeing himself as he did made it possible for God to perform in his heart the work of cleansing that is called entire sanctification.

It is good for us to see ourselves as God sees us. When we do, we cry out to God in desperation. Then God can work for us and do for us what He desires. The Word of God is likened to a mirror. We should look into that mirror often, with a prayer in our heart that we shall be able to see our true likeness there. Unsanctified individuals should take courage, "for this is the will of God, even your sanctification" [1TS:4:3]). And we who have received that glorious experience can still benefit from the Word's searching examinations, for we must purify ourselves, even as He is pure, and go on "from faith to faith" and from glory to glory, until we see Him as He is and become like Him through His marvelous grace.

In the Tabernacle on earth, the fire on the brazen altar was miraculously kindled, and coals from the brazen altar were taken into the Holy Place and placed on the golden altar of incense, the smoke from which continuously ascended to God. This was a type of entire sanctification. One of the seraphim took a coal from off the altar and placed it upon the lips of Isaiah, and the announcement was made that "thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." Therefore, it can be said, with all the positiveness that one can command, that Isaiah was sanctified.

Isaiah's sanctification was not a gradual process. It was an instantaneous experience. He did not grow into holiness, and see his inherited depravity disappear a little at a time. One minute Isaiah saw himself as unclean and the next minute he heard the seraphic pronouncement that he was clean and holy. Sanctification is an act of heart-cleansing that is brought about by faith after a complete dedication, or setting apart, of the life, soul, and spirit of the individual seeking for that experience.

It will be observed that the live coal taken from off the altar was symbolic of the refining fire of the Holy Spirit and not the energising power of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Some confusion has been caused by people who try to explain away the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a third, distinct Christian experience. Isaiah was sanctified -" his iniquity was taken away and his sin nature purged -- when the coal touched his lips. He was not energised with the Holy Spirit at that time in the same sense as one is empowered who receives the Promise of the Father. Isaiah's experience was a purging and cleansing work of the Holy Spirit. It is the application of the cleansing Blood " the coal of refining fire -" that makes us ready for the entrance of the Holy Spirit in His empowering fullness. This power is given to us when we receive the third great Christian experience "- the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah was sanctified, but it was not until the Day of Pentecost that the baptism of the Holy Ghost was first given to men. The Comforter could not come until Jesus ascended, so none of the Old Testament saints were baptised with the Holy Ghost. But untold numbers of these Old Testament saints were sanctified and testified to that fact by walking on this earth in that perfection of holiness that only the sanctified can know.

Isaiah's Commission

Everyone is called by God. A few answer the call and are chosen by Him, and as they persevere in the way of godliness they are faithful [MAT:20:16]; [REV:17:14]). Some who answer the call of God to salvation are called and chosen by Him for special duties in His service [1CO:12:28]; [EPH:4:11-13]). Isaiah was called as a prophet of God even before his sanctification, but when he was cleansed of his inbred sin the commission was more specific and he was given a particular charge with regard to backslidden Israel.

Isaiah was given an important message for the people, lest they continue as they were, and darkness and bondage come upon them. He was commissioned for this vital work and especially prepared for it. The rest of the Book of his prophecies certainly bears testimony to the fact that he was faithful to his call and to his people. Sublime and wonderful things are revealed to us in the messages which he, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has brought to us from God. Fearful judgments and dire consequences, as a result of sin and rebellion against God, are set forth in Isaiah's writings. He was called, an chosen, and faithful even to his death. 

Questions

 

1. Enumerate the facts about God that are taught us in Isaiah's vision.

2. How do we know from our lesson text and from other parts of Scripture that the Godhead is three distinct Persons?

3. What effect did the Presence of God have on the Temple itself?

4. What effect did the vision have upon Isaiah?

5. What did the seraphim do and say in reply to Isaiah's statement concerning himself?

6. How do we know that Isaiah was sanctified at this time?

7. How do we know that Isaiah was not baptised with the Holy Ghost at this time?