Sermon Tone Analysis

A "For Prophet" Encounter

Spring Valley Mennonite; July 31, 2022; Isaiah 6:5-13

In further study this week of Isaiah 6 I found a parallel passage in Revelation 4 where the Apostle John also saw the Throne of God.

We find there another type of heavenly being, different from the Seraphim, yet their message remains the same: Revelation 4:8 "The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within, And they do not rest day or night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"

The great 18th century scholar Matthew Henry comments, "power, without purity to guide it, would be a terror to mankind1" My thoughts of this led to consider our enemy Satan, whose power is completely without any hint of purity, who certainly is a terror to man.

Likewise are those in leadership who are without the inner guidance of God.

"Power without purity to guide is a terror to mankind."

We are continuing to examine the 6th chapter of Isaiah where Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord Jesus in all His glory and holiness.

In this encounter with God the Son, Isaiah fell on his face with the words "Woe is me!"

The task of being God's spokesman often entailed the pronouncement of judgment on both those oppressing God's Chosen, and upon the Chosen themselves when they turned their backs on God.

His words in pronouncing doom on himself are at the same time revealing and convicting.

I.

A MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS

Look at verse 5 of chapter 6: "Woe is me, for I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips."

Notice the personal pronouns-me and I-Isaiah is taking personal responsibility for his actions.

He doesn't blame those around him, or those in leadership in the nation, he doesn't try and excuse his unholy actions in any way.

Each person stands on his own before God.

This is why we each must have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Our sin is personal, and we need to individually ask forgiveness.

It is popular in our culture to excuse our actions, blaming our wrong choices on anyone or anything other than ourselves.

Our parents are to blame, or our circumstances, or the situation in which we grew up, or lack of opportunity, or poor education, or any number of other cop-outs which allow us to avoid taking responsibility for our bad actions.

And while these things can place challenges in front of our achievement, none of these excuses will hold water when we stand before God.

What a tragedy to go through life and only find out too late that I, and only I, am responsible for my wrong actions!

Isaiah was possibly the most righteous man in Judah.

After all, God chose him to be the prophet.

But God knew that Isaiah couldn't stand and speak for Him until he truly understood His absolute holiness and absolute hatred of sin.

That was one reason God allowed Isaiah to see Him in His absolute holiness.

At that moment, Isaiah not only saw God, but he became aware that this Holy God saw him.

At that moment, Isaiah was filled with self-awareness of his own unholiness.

One of the unpleasant realities of driving a car is that occasionally something goes wrong and it stops running.

The standard procedure is that we pull off to the side of the road, pop the hood latch and raise the hood.

We may not have the slightest idea of what we are to look for, but that seems like the right thing to do.

If this happens at night you stand the chance of getting grease on your hands.

It isn't until you get into the light that you notice how dirty your hands are.

The stronger the light, the worse it looks.

I suppose if we lived in perpetual darkness, it wouldn't matter how dirty we were, for no one would notice.

As my eyes have aged, I need help to read small print.

I found this nifty magnifier which has a rechargeable light.

It really works well!

When Isaiah came into the brilliant light of God's holiness, his sin was revealed in startling clarity.

As long as he was living in the shadows, his sin wasn't so apparent, and perhaps seemed small.

In the magnified clarity of absolute holiness, his sin took on its true significance.

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world..." Light reveals.

People reject our Lord and His message of salvation because they love the darkness rather than the light.

But those who come to the light find that there is cleansing from the stain of sin.

That is what Isaiah found as he fell on his face before God.

Isn't it interesting how he articulated his sin: "I am a man of unclean lips."

One would think that he could have thought of other sins rather than saying bad words!

Actually, Isaiah isn't confessing that he occasionally used profanity.

In a Bible study on lips, mouth and tongue, I found over 600 separate uses of those terms and most of them are not referring to the physical parts of our anatomy.

They pertain rather to the words which come out of our mouths.

Isaiah is using a metaphor which refers to his deepest motivations which come out in his speech.

One doesn't have to listen to someone's conversation for very long before much can be learned about them.

Even casual conversation communicates much as to what is important to them and where their values lie.

I would hope that as Christians, people wouldn't need to listen very long to us before our Christlikeness would become apparent.

The Bible clearly connects what is in the heart with what comes out of the mouth.

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when tempted in the wilderness, that man lives not by bread alone but by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God.

God's words express His character.

This connection is made throughout the Bible: our words reveal our inner character.

This connection is spoken of in Psalm 34:12-13: "Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good?

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit."

Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles."

Jesus summarized the issue when He addressed the Pharisees, as recorded in Matthew 12:34-37: "You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

The good man out of his good treasure brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings forth what is evil.

And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.

For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."

Isaiah not only saw his own sin, but the sin of all Judah.

"I dwell among a people of unclean lips."

By their speech, the nation was demonstrating that God was no longer first in their hearts.

Here is a thought for your consideration: If we evaluate what we hear from our culture, what do we find?

Do we not find that God is far from us?

It is not considered socially correct to mention Jesus Christ, except as a curse.

Talking openly about one's Christian faith is seen as bad taste or "intolerant."

Can anyone disagree that our speech condemns us as a godless nation?

And while profanity is not primarily the focus of Isaiah's words on unclean lips, profanity is certainly an indication of what is in the mind and heart.

Have you noticed how subtly profanity has become part of the dialogue on television?

It is so common, we hardly notice it anymore!

I wonder if the use of profanity is an "indicator sin" which appears when a nation is in spiritual decline?

As Isaiah cried out in realization that he was condemned for his sinful heart, God mercifully dealt with his sin: in verses 6 and 7 we read of...

II.

THE CLEANSING OF THE PROPHET'S SIN

(READ VV. 6-7) One of the angelic beings took a coal from the altar in the heavenly temple and touched Isaiah's mouth with the words, "Your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven."

We observe here a two-part transaction: Isaiah confessing his sin, and God forgiving his sin.

The realization of his condition as a sinner, and articulating it was necessary before forgiveness could be extended.

God did not leave Isaiah on his face but provided a means for dealing with his sin.

In this instance, God took the initiative using a coal from the altar.

In our time, since the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, forgiveness comes through the Cross.

Notice that the forgiveness was not without personal pain.

The lips and mouth are one of the most sensitive parts of the body.

Think of a red hot coal touching your lips!

Sin always causes pain in the long run.

Yes, sin may be pleasurable for a short time but there are always consequences to sin.

One never sins without hurting himself as well as hurting others.

There is also pain involved in resolving the issues created by our sin.

There is pain and humiliation if our sin is revealed to others.

Yet this pain was a healing pain, a cleansing pain, as was the pain our sin caused Jesus on the Cross.

2nd Corinthians 7:10 adds a crucial element to this discussion.

"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret leading to salvation; but sorrow of the world produces death."

Often, I have counseled people who are in pain as a result of their bad decisions.