Defenseless Praise

Beyond the historical reference, we don't know much of the circumstances surrounding Isaiah's vision of the Lord but what he saw was nearly his undoing. Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs -- six winged creatures likely far beyond anything Isaiah had ever comprehended with his physical eyes. These creatures consistently call to one another, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

The seraphs were creatures of magnificent proportion and strength. The mere the sound of their voice shook the doorposts and the temple filled with smoke. Their awe and splendor alone must have been a magnificent sight... but there was one encounter Isaiah knew he quite likely would not survive.

"Woe to me!" Isaiah cries. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Instantaneously, Isaiah's position is defenseless. He realizes it is foolishness to run, and where would he go anyway? He is caught, captivated by the magnificent, holy presence of God. He has seen the Lord Almighty and immediately his own sinfulness is exposed and he is aware of his ruin.

As a people, we don't take much to being defenseless. We are a defensive people, a people of power and might who live among a people of power and might and if there is domination in any equation, we want to be in the position of power. How ridiculous this is when we come into God's presence. "Woe to me," I cry!

Sin is a power we can't overcome alone. We try, even in the name of righteousness, but ultimately speaking, sin has our number and we are ruined because of it. When our sin finally is exposed in the face of God's righteousness, we melt like wax. We find ourselves on our backs -- knocked unconscious in the center ring of life -- and the referee is calling the count... 4, 5, 6, 7... "Stay down... stay down... you can't get up!" is the cry of the demonic crowd around the ring... you are defeated! Some never want to see you get up -- they'll cheer or shame your loss.

I am sinful. If there is any righteousness in me, Isaiah would agree that it is as "filthy rags" in God's presence. We are all like diseased people and we shrivel up like leaves and our sins sweep us away (Is. 64:6-7). This is our reality. It is our consciousness when we enter into the presence of God. We can't escape the reality of our sin. We're fallen people before our first breath. Our sinfulness makes us defenseless. We are on our backs, down for the count...eternally.

As Isaiah was ready to breathe his last and accept the destruction of his sinfulness, one of the mighty seraphs flew to him with a live coal from the altar of the Lord and touched his lips with it saying, "See, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." What an amazing moment... will Isaiah rise up from the mat? It is almost as if the referee starts a new count... a count of resurrection from the dead... The sinner begins to rise up from certain defeat, from death itself.

This amazing encounter with God is not reserved for Isaiah. Every believing person in Jesus Christ accepts by faith that "we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense -- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2).

Perhaps we won't ever fully accept the atonement of Christ, until we begin to fully understand the depths of our sin. "I am ruined!" I cry. Who will save me? Forgive God for all I've been and all I even pretend to be! Who will saved me? I am ruined! Death is my reward! Who will save?

Praise be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. I am defenseless before Him and to Him I offer defenseless praise.