An Awe-Inspiring, Life-Shaping Encounter with God
December 15, 2013 Speaker: Ken Ramey
Topic: Encounter with God Passage: Isaiah 6
- Listen
- Downloads
Sunday Service
Isaiah 6
In Isaiah's testimony of when and how God commissioned him as a prophet, there are FOUR PHASES involved in awe-inspiring, life-shaping encounter with God.
1. CAPTIVATED BY GOD (vv. 1-4)
King Uzziah violated God's holiness and suffered the deadly consequences of disobeying God's command concerning ministry in the Temple (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). Uzziah disobeyed because he had lost his reverence for God. Isaiah may have witnessed this event, but more directly, he was shown God's majesty when he was drawn up to directly witness the things of Heaven.
King Uzziah violated God's holiness and suffered the deadly consequences of disobeying God's command concerning ministry in the Temple (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). Uzziah disobeyed because he had lost his reverence for God. Isaiah may have witnessed this event, but more directly, he was shown God's majesty when he was drawn up to directly witness the things of Heaven.
2. CONVICTED BY GOD (v. 5)
Isaiah's response to witnessing God's holiness was to pronounce judgement on himself. The experience gave Isaiah an overwhelming sense of his own sin and the sins of God's people. This was supremely convicting, because for the first time, he saw God for who He really was and himself for who he really was.
Isaiah's response to witnessing God's holiness was to pronounce judgement on himself. The experience gave Isaiah an overwhelming sense of his own sin and the sins of God's people. This was supremely convicting, because for the first time, he saw God for who He really was and himself for who he really was.
3. CLEANSED BY GOD (vv. 6-7)
Isaiah responded to the experience with a broken and contrite heart, which led to him confessing his sinful state in the presence of a holy God. God had compassion and pardoned Isaiah's iniquity (Isaiah 57:15). Although God is preeminent, He is at the same time with us - even when we stray from His presence.
Isaiah responded to the experience with a broken and contrite heart, which led to him confessing his sinful state in the presence of a holy God. God had compassion and pardoned Isaiah's iniquity (Isaiah 57:15). Although God is preeminent, He is at the same time with us - even when we stray from His presence.
4. COMMISSIONED BY GOD (vv. 8-13)
God had a method and was preparing Isaiah to be His messenger to the people of Judah. His aim was to refocus Isaiah, for He wanted a messenger who had not lost his sense of awe for Him.
God had a method and was preparing Isaiah to be His messenger to the people of Judah. His aim was to refocus Isaiah, for He wanted a messenger who had not lost his sense of awe for Him.
Have you experienced these phases, or do you have yet to experience all or some of them? Praise God for His holiness and thank Him for clothing you in Christ's holiness so you can enter His holy presence. Ask Him to help you never lose your sense of awe of Him but live in daily awe of Him.