When God Showed Up For Isaiah

When God Shows Up For Isaiah

Text: Isaiah 6:1–8

Isaiah wasn’t living in open rebellion.

He was a prophet. A preacher. Religious, righteous and chosen by God. Yet when God showed up, Isaiah fell apart.

He saw the Lord “high and lifted up.”

Angels were crying“Holy! Holy! Holy!” The doorposts shook. Smoke filled the room.

How do you respond to that? What would you do or say? Isaiah had no choice. When you are standing in the presence of God, you don’t say, “Thanks, Lord! You have made a great decision in choosing me.”

He doesn’t list his accomplishments. He doesn’t defend himself or think he is wonderful because God showed up for him. He cries: “Woe is me, for I am ruined!”

Why? Because when God shows up, we finally see ourselves clearly. There is this amazing paradox of nearness to God that takes place:

The closer we get to God, the further away we realize we really are.

That sounds backward but it’s profoundly biblical. The closer Isaiah got to holiness the more sinful he felt. Not because he suddenly became worse but because he so clearly saw Truth.

Charles Spurgeon once said:

“The more light you have, the more dust you see.”

You don’t notice dust in a dark room. But open the blinds and suddenly everything is visible. God’s presence is that Light.

Job, after arguing with God for 37 chapters about righteousness, finally encountered Him.

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5–6)

Hearing about God didn’t change Job. Seeing His glory did. Likewise, when Jesus performed the miraculous catch of fish, Peter said to Him:

“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8)

Being close to Jesus didn’t make Peter feel righteous and pure. It made him feel exposed.

When the Light of God shines upon us, we see everything more clearly. We see all the dirt, the cracks, the imperfections and the jagged edges.

But, it doesn’t end there. We will continue tomorrow when we take a closer look at Peter’s response to God’s presence.