In very lavish weddings, the
amount of money spent on the wedding dress is sometimes manifested
in the length and ornate detail of the train which is attached
to it. One does not expect to see a
train of great length and beauty in a more modest wedding, but
when the bride is of a station of wealth and pomp, then no expense
is spared, and her train bespeaks the dignity which she would seek
to put on display. So too is the train of a king's
robe. When Isaiah describes the train
of the Lord, he says that it filled the temple. His description
leaves us no doubt as to the absolute glory and majesty of
the one who sits upon the throne which is said to be high and
lifted up. The declaration of the seraphim
which surround that throne speaks clearly as to who this one is
and the extent of his dominion and reign. Isaiah's vision was
given to him at a particular time, for he says in the year
that King Uzziah died. Isaiah prophesied for many years,
yet we have no indication that he was ever privileged to behold
such a vision either before or after. Thus we see that such
revelation is given only by the sovereign prerogative of the
one who sits upon that throne, and its timing cannot be dictated
by men. Yet such was the nature of this
revelation that it would be impossible for him to ever forget it. The
object of Isaiah's vision was the same one which John saw in
the book of the Revelation. As he said, I saw the Lord. There
is one true God, and he has seen fit to enable us to see him only
in one person. Even as he said to Philip, he
that hath seen me hath seen the Father. No man hath seen God
at any time. The only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Jesus Christ
is indeed the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him alone
can any look upon the face of God. And the Word was made flesh
and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The glory is of the
Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Isaiah's
vision enabled him to see the Lord in the station where he
is, high and lifted up. He walked among men, making himself
of no reputation for a short season. Yet he is now forevermore
in that place of rightful glory which he had with the Father
before the world was, and does now occupy forever. Wherefore
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which
is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, things in heaven, and things in earth, and things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Isaiah's vision
enabled him to see the Lord in the everlasting fulfillment of
that work which he came to perform as the Redeemer of his elect. The redemptive work of Christ
and his office as Mediator and High Priest is not an afterthought
on his part, but is the very reason for which he created the
world, that he might display the glory of his grace and the
salvation of a people which he loved with an everlasting love.
John tells us that in his vision he saw that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. This he identified
as the bride, the Lamb's wife. This glorious bride, his church,
receives all of her riches from him. Is this not what Paul speaks
of to the Ephesians when he says, He hath put all things under
his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church,
which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all? It is impossible that a man could
ever know who Christ is without having seen him as he is, high
and lifted up. The universal desire of every
one of the born-again sons of God is to see the name of Jesus
Christ exalted, to see His person magnified, and to bow down and
worship before Him. Not everyone is given as dramatic
a vision as Isaiah had, yet every one of those for whom the Lord
is purposed to redeem, He will gather to Himself, revealing
the same glory which He was pleased to unfold to Isaiah. For God,
who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in
our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at ForThePoor.net.