The Review and Herald
"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high
and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim:
each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he
covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and
said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his
glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the
house was filled with smoke."
As
the prophet Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he was amazed, and,
overwhelmed with a sense of his own weakness and unworthiness, he cried,
"Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man
of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine
eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts."
Isaiah
had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees himself exposed to the same
condemnation he had pronounced upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold,
lifeless ceremony in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision
was given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom
and talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the sanctuary.
How unworthy he was! how unfitted for sacred service!
His view of himself might be expressed in the language of the apostle Paul,
"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me
from the body of this death?"
But
relief was sent to Isaiah in his distress. He says: "Then flew one of the
seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the
tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath
touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged."
In the previous chapter Isaiah had
pronounced a woe upon the people who had separated themselves from God:
"Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were
with a cart rope." Men may seek to strengthen their forces by
confederating together, making, as they suppose, strong societies to carry out
the plans they have formed. They may lift up their souls in pride and
self-sufficiency; but the One mighty in counsel does
not plan with them. Their unbelief in his purposes and work, and their
confidence in man will not permit them to receive the messages he sends. They
say: "Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let
the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!"
But God says: "Woe unto them that call evil good,
and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their
own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to
drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: which justify the
wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from
him."
The class here
represented, in order to exalt their own opinions, employ a reasoning
which is not authorized by the word of God. They walk in the sparks of their
own kindling. By their specious reasoning, they confuse the distinction that
God desires to have drawn between good and evil. The sacred is brought down on
a level with common things. Avarice and selfishness are called by false names;
they are called prudence. Their rising up in independence and rebellion, their
revenge and stubbornness, in their eyes are proofs of dignity, evidences of a
noble mind. They act as though ignorance of divine things were not dangerous
and even fatal to the soul; and they prefer their own reasoning to divine
revelation, their own plans and human wisdom to the admonitions and commands of
God. The piety and conscientiousness of others are called, fanaticism, and
those who practice truth and holiness are watched and criticized. They deride
those who teach and believe the mystery of godliness, "Christ in you the
hope of glory." The principles underlying these things are not discerned
by them; and they go on in wrongdoing, leaving the bars open for Satan to find
ready access to the soul.
All self-exaltation and self-admiration are
the result of ignorance of God and of Jesus Christ, whom he has sent. How
quickly will self-esteem die, and pride be humbled in
the dust, when we view the matchless charms of the character of Christ! The
holiness of his character is reflected by all who serve him in spirit and in
truth. If our lips have need of cleansing, if we realize our destitution, and
come to God in contrition of heart, the Lord will remove the uncleanness. He
will say to his angel, "Take away the filthy garments," and clothe
him with "change of raiment."
Let every soul who claims to be a son or a
daughter of God examine himself in the light of heaven; let him consider the
polluted lips that make him "undone." They are the medium of
communication. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil
treasure bringeth forth evil things." Then let
them not be used in bringing from the treasure of the heart words that will
dishonor God and discourage those around you, but use them for the praise and
glory of God, who has formed them for this purpose. When the cleansing coal is
applied from the glowing altar, the conscience will be purged from dead works
to serve the living God; and when the love of Jesus is the theme of
contemplation, the words coming from human lips will be full of praise and
thanksgiving to God and to the Lamb.
How many words are spoken in lightness and
foolishness, in jesting and joking! This would not be so did the followers of
Christ realize the truth of the words, "Every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words
thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."
Harsh and unkind words, words of censure and criticism of God's work and
his messengers, are indulged in by those who profess to be his children. When
these careless souls discern the greatness of God's character, they will not
mingle their spirit and attributes with his service. When our eyes look by
faith into the sanctuary, and take in the reality, the importance and holiness,
of the work there being done, everything of a selfish nature will be abhorred
by us. Sin will appear as it is,--the transgression of God's holy law. The
atonement will be better understood; and by living, active faith, we shall see
that whatever of virtue humanity possesses, it exists only in Jesus Christ, the
world's Redeemer.
The seraphim before the throne are so filled
with reverential awe in beholding the glory of God that they do not for an
instant look upon themselves with self-complacency, or in admiration of
themselves or one another. Their praise and glory are for the Lord of Hosts,
who is high and lifted up, and the glory of whose train fills the temple. As
they see the future, when the whole earth shall be filled with his glory, the
triumphant song of praise is echoed from one to another in melodious chant,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts." They are fully satisfied to
glorify God; and in his presence, beneath his smile of approbation, they wish
for nothing more. In bearing his image, in doing his service and worshiping
him, their highest ambition is fully reached.
The vision given to Isaiah represents the condition of God's people in
the last days. They are privileged to see by faith the
work that is going forward in the heavenly sanctuary. "And the
The object of this great and solemn work of God is to gather together
the sheaves for the heavenly garner; for the earth is to be filled with the
glory of the Lord. Then let none be dismayed as they see the prevailing
wickedness and hear the language coming from unclean lips. When the powers of
darkness set themselves in array against the people of God; when Satan shall
muster his forces for the last great conflict, and his power seems to be great
and almost overwhelming, the clear view of the divine glory, the throne high
and lifted up, arched with the bow of promise, will give comfort, assurance,
and peace.
(Emphasis
Supplied)