Holiness # 1

Holiness # 1

Reading: Isaiah 6:1-11

In this passage, if the text were printed in the Hebrew form, that is, translated according to the Hebrew emphasis, various words would be thrown up in clear relief, and they would be in Isaiah 6 the following words or phrases: "throne", "temple", "woe", "altar", "go", and "how long". 

So there six leading words or phrases in this passage, and these give you very largely the key to its message. What is clearly represented by this chapter is that the whole question is that of holiness. Everything else is included in that. This is not, first of all, as has so often been stressed, a message about service. Service is there, but it is not the main thing. Worship is there, and this passage has been very often used, and is constantly used, as something for public worship, to introduce the element of worship. But worship, like service, is not the primary thing; it is also conditional and contingent. There are several things here in this portion which could be dealt with as things in themselves, but everything is included in one thing, and that is HOLINESS.

God's Judgement

It relates to Israel's condition to begin with. As you see, the chapter brings that in, and the chapter itself is set within that realm with regard to Israel and then with regard to the nations beyond. It is a question of holiness. The Lord, in taking account of things, in raising up this prophet, does so because of an unholy state which has made necessary the determination to judge, and has brought into view for a time the closing of those mercies of God, and for a period, the casting off of His people, though He will not cast off for ever. Captivity is in view, judgement is in view, and it is all a matter of holiness. The terrible issue of this chapter is that what the people have been doing themselves spiritually, is now fixed by the Lord. They have been closing their eyes; now the Lord fixes that state. They have been closing their ears; the Lord takes action. They have been hardening their hearts; the Lord hardens. They have been living for themselves; the Lord hands them over to themselves. So the judgement is by reason of an unholy state, and everything has to do with holiness.

God's Call

Then so far as the prophet is concerned, first of all there is his call. He is brought in, and his call carries with it the necessity for separation. You notice that immediately the question of holiness is raised, the prophet becomes conscious of being involved in the whole state: "I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips" (Isa. 6:5). He is conscious, as he was never conscious before of his being involved in a state utterly opposed to God, and His call necessitates complete separation from that state of unholiness. And then his commission necessitates his cleansing. Notice, he is going to be the mouthpiece of the Lord in judgement. He is going, in effect, to fix the state of this people from the divine side. He is saying: "You have closed your eyes, then you shall not see if you want to. You have closed your ears, then you shall not hear, even if you want to hear. You have hardened your heart, then you will not be able to turn your heart to the Lord, even when you want to. You have lived for yourselves; very well, the Lord hands you over, and the Lord will not accept you, even when you turn to Him." Now, nobody can take action of that kind and at the same time be involved in the condition.

You and I, if we are going to preach, to testify, must be altogether outside of the condition against which we are testifying, or else we are testifying against ourselves. So that this man Isaiah, in order to fulfill his commission, must be separated and cleansed from the condition against which he is to testify, and he must not become involved in the judgements which he is to declare, so that holiness governs everything here. It is the thing which governs the judgement of God. It is the question of holiness that produces judgement. It is also the thing which governs the call of God and the commission of God. Holiness is basic, and the background to everything in the divine activities. God's judgement against sinners, and His methods with His servants; everything is directed by holiness.

God's Throne

Then there is this other thing. The throne, which is the throne of infinite holiness, and the majesty of that throne, is based upon holiness. The very majesty of the Lord is the majesty of His holiness. He is in that position as here represented, because of holiness. We must remember that in passages like this in Isaiah and elsewhere, the throne is not just the throne of the Infinite, Almighty, Eternal God. That is, it is not the throne of the Almighty One alone. It is that, but that is not the feature of the throne in this portion, and in others. It is the throne of holiness, but that holiness is by reason of something having been done. It is comparable with Philippians 2:9: "Wherefore God highly exalted Him, and gave Him the Name which is above every name." It is comparable with the Hebrew letter: "We see Jesus...crowned with glory and honor" (Heb. 2:9), because of the suffering of death. Something has been done in relation to sin which establishes that throne in holiness, and give to that throne the right to judge sin. It is not just the judgement of men as creatures, under the hand of an Almighty God. It is the judgement of a sinful state under a holy state. There is all the difference between a potentate upon his throne, governing in sheer majesty because of his superior position, and One who, because of something which has been done in relation to sin, is established in holiness, dealing with an unholy state. It is very important to see that.

The Lamb's Worthiness

I want to point out the difference which is marked in the two chapters in the Book of Revelation by this very law, that first of all you have a song in heaven: "Worthy art thou, O Lord...for thou didst create all things,and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev. 4:11). Then the next chapter brings in a new book of grace, this is the sealed book of judgement. The apostle says that he looked to see who would unlock the book, open the seals, but there was no one found who could unlock those seals and open the book of judgement. And he says: "i wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book...and one of the elders said unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah...has overcome to open the book and I saw...a Lamb..." (Rev. 5:4-6). And then another song is heard immediately: "Worthy art thou...to open the seals thereof: for thou...didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Rev. 5:9). The first "Worthy art thou" is on the basis of creation, but that was not a sufficient worthiness to unlock the seals of judgement, because judgment is not merely upon the basis of creation. Judgement is upon the basis of "redemption." Our attitude is not towards the Creator,but towards the Redeemer: not towards God in His creative power, but towards God in His redemptive work. Judgement is based upon that. We shall never be judged by God simply because we did not recognize Him as Creator. The judgement will be because men did not recognize His redemption. So that the Lamb comes in with a superior worthiness to creation, because of redemption.

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 2)