Holy Trinity Sunday: Isaiah 6:1-8

May 28, 2013; Holy Trinity Sunday; Texts: Psalm 29; Isaiah 6:1-8; Rom 11:33-36; John 3:1-15; Before the Thrice Holy God; Rev. Tim Beck

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

The divinely inspired writer records “In the year that King Uzziah died…” There’s a good reason the priest Isaiah lets us know the year.  The nation of Judah had been blest by God, but in 758 B.C. the 52 year reign of Uzziah was over.  During his reign Judah grew strong militarily and economically because Uzziah was marvelously helped by God, so Isaiah says. During his long reign the king built fortified cities, a world-class army, and installed technological military innovations so exciting that Uzziah became internationally famous. But after all his years of godliness, after successes by God’s help, he grew proud. After a full life he tragically ended it with that pat on the back saying “Look what I’ve done,” claiming credit for what God gave. Uzziah and the nation became hard of heart toward their Creator. So for their sake, that Uzziah not lose the only thing of lasting value, and that the nations know there is a God in Judah, devastation would swoop upon her.  The glory Uzziah said he gave Judah would be wiped away like a rag wipes a dish.

          That’s why we are told it is the year of Uzziah’s death because the name Uzziah was a stinging reminder of pride’s cost, pride before God. People remembered how Uzziah decided to worship God in his own way. On a whim he chose to burn incense before the Lord, to do what only the priests were commanded to do. But when the priests courageously warned him, Uzziah became angry incense censor in hand, and was struck with leprosy. He died a leper, cut off from the Temple and from Israel’s worship. Read 2 Chronicles 26:17 ff. for that history. Uzziah’s death is a warning for our day too. Let us repent pride, independence from the Living God, all attempts to re-define Him, and re-shaping His things in our hands. 

          On the other hand, Isaiah did his duty as a priest. He entered the temple after the ceremonial purifications. He enters to present his service as commanded. Isaiah enters the Temple to offer sacrifice for the people.  With all the priesthood, he remembers Uzziah, and that the Living God is holy. Then the terror: I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”  And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.  His eyes unexpectedly see what is always true. Isaiah sees into realities beyond our earthly capacity to perceive. He sees the LORD, YHWH, sitting upon a throne.  He sees the Divine Glory in the temple, even if that glory is not contained in the temple for what created thing can contain the True God? 

          Seraphim soar in the fire of their own beings while continually veiling their faces and feet in reverence before the Supreme Holiness. They forever and ever sing the Te Deum, praising the LORD’s overwhelming perfection in the purity of the thrice holy God. The foundations of the temple shook, the building trembled with reverential awe, and that house filled with the cloud of smoke from the song of the seraphim. Heaven is on earth, revealed on earth.  Isaiah in his vision heard, felt, touched, smelt, and saw the glory of the Lord in the year Uzziah died. The vision is too powerful, too revealing, too holy. It lays Isaiah bare, despite his piety. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

          Seeing God, Isaiah doesn’t look to his obedience to the laws or his privileged position as a priest. He expects to die. God’s righteousness cuts him open like a corpse in an autopsy.  Despite his piety, despite his care to follow God’s law, his lips are too filthy to mouth priestly words before this thrice holy God.  Isaiah sees. Compare that to King Uzziah’s arrogance and the tribe of Judah’s hardness of heart. Nevertheless, Isaiah awaits his end, seeing God’s righteousness. Seeing God’s righteousness he sees himself truly. He is a sinner among sinful men. He has nothing to offer God but shame. It’s always what way before the Living God. Peter too cried out before the LORD, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” The Apostle John records in his revelation, seeing the Lord he fell down as one dead. How do we dare gather here in the presence of the thrice holy God? Do we dare take His name upon our lips, dare sing “Holy, holy, holy, as if we can put ourselves in the place of seraphim and enter God’s presence? We would be undone except for another righteousness of God, a righteousness that is not of the law.

          Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.  What joy for the grace God reveals so that we may live! The holy God did not reveal himself to kill Isaiah. He instead restores the repentant Isaiah to life. The angel flies from the altar of incense, where coals of fire were taken from inside the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. What King Uzziah earlier grasped in pride, what caused his leprosy, his exclusion and death, one of the seraphim now takes and applies. The angel takes a burning coal, a remainder of the burnt offering, a bit of the sacrifice by which the Loving God forgives and purifies. With it he touches Isaiah’s impure lips. Isaiah’s sin is removed by burnt flesh that suffered the fiery wrath of God in the flames of the purifying altar.  Isaiah’s sin, and all Israel’s sin, is atoned for in this Sacrament of the altar. Isaiah is declared righteous.

          By this cleansing Isaiah is called anew to his holy office, prepared to declare the Word of the Lord.  He is made acceptable to serve God. And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”  Have you ever seen such a transformation!  Isaiah went from expecting death to praise. By imputed righteousness he was turned into a willing messenger. His mouth was cleansed, his guilt gone, absorbed by that burning coal. This gift is sufficient so that Isaiah can serve God without fear.  He responds in unabashed joy to the invitation of the Lord, saying “Here am I, send me!” What a transformation from being confounded by his un-holiness, now purified and made alive. Isaiah’s boldness is the opposite of Uzziah’s pride. Isaiah responds from receiving the righteousness that cleanses sinners, the one given by the perfect sacrifice that felt the holy fire of Divine wrath. 

          Jesus Christ is that holy sacrifice, His body and blood cleansing us from all sins; the Holy Spirit convicting you that this is true. How marvelously the One God, the Triune God blesses us, applying His righteousness to you and me in these last days. He revealed Himself not to destroy us, but in an earthly incarnation.  God made flesh is revealed in the humiliation of the cross. This is the burnt-offering of God for you, the LORD’s righteousness for you.  On the cross Jesus fills the earth with glory and bids you enter the heavenly temple through the blood-stained door.  Enter heaven friend; come into the very presence of the Almighty who extends fatherly mercy in the Son incarnate, the Lamb slain who lives.

          What could we possibly want to lift up in His stead? What could we possibly want besides that sacred coal upon our lips? Jesus Christ paid the full price of sin…Isaiah’s, Uzziah’s, Judah’s and yours. Jesus Christ places on your lips and tongues His cleansing self in His most holy Supper.  Indeed, it is a Supper as holy as righteous, as glorious and pure as the vision of Isaiah. Eating and drinking we enter heaven, as we with the angels around us sing that terrible yet joyful hymn: holy, holy, holy; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. In reverential awe we receive the glory of God given to the unworthy and impure. The fruit of Jesus’ sacrifice is poured over our lips. 

          He freely gives you the righteousness that does not consume the sinner, but cleanses unto everlasting life.  So go in peace, in joy, and in the boldness of the justified. And where do we go?  We go into the world of Uzziah and Judah and Isaiah.  We go not by our own will, but commissioned by the word that brings peace. We go into the world in our vocations, sent by God. We too sing the sacrifice of praise, “Here am I, Send me!”  And we are sent, not by the law’s demands, but as instruments of Christ’s righteousness. We go as Holy servants of the Most High, of the One God thrice Holy. We go in peace.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Amen).