Isaiah 6, 1. In the year that King Uzziah
died, I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted
up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims,
each one had six wings, with twain he covered his face, And
with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And
one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
of hosts. The whole earth is full of his
glory. And the posts of the door moved
at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with
smoke. Then said I, woe is me, for I am undone, because I am
a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean
lips. For mine eyes have seen the King,
the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims
unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken
with the tongs from off the altar. And he laid it upon my mouth
and said, lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity
is taken away and thy sin purged. We hold our place there and turn
to the last book of the Bible, Revelation chapter four, Revelation
chapter four. We're going to be referring back
to both these passages, Revelation four. After this, I looked and behold,
a door was open in heaven. And the first voice, which I
heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said,
come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the
spirit and behold, a throne was set in heaven and one sat on
the throne. And he that sat was to look upon
like a jasper and a sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round
about the throne in sight like unto an emerald. And round about
the throne were four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw
four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and
they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne
proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. And there were seven
lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven
spirits of God. And before the throne, there
was a sea of glass like a crystal. And in the midst of the throne
and round about the throne were four beasts full of eyes before
and behind. And the first beast was like
a lion and the second beast like a calf. And the third beast had
a face like as a man. And the fourth beast was like
a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each
of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within,
and they rest not day and night, saying, holy, holy, holy, Lord
God Almighty, which was and is and is to come. And when those
beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the
throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and 20 elders
fall down before him that sat on the throne. and worship Him
that liveth forever and ever. And cast their crowns before
the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and
for Thy pleasure they are and were created." That's reading
the entirety of Revelation chapter 4, and also in Isaiah six. So we want to look at these together. The Lord helped me greatly as
I prepared for this morning, but I know that if it means anything
to you, it'll be the Lord's doing. I can't help you. I can't even help me. I'm not religiously trained to
give motivational speeches to make you anything other than
what you are. But I repeat, the Lord helped
me with this. So we're going to look at it
for a little bit this morning, and I trust he'll help you. Isaiah
6 and Revelation 4. Our message is two visions. And that's what we've read this
morning. We read about one in the Old Testament, given to Isaiah
the prophet. And another in the New Testament,
Revelation 4, given to John the apostle. And putting these two
together, Old Testament and New, has helped me so much to grasp
the overall message of the Bible, the unity of all scripture, the
one big thing God is doing, has been doing, and shall be doing
to the dawn of eternity. And though there's many settings
and characters and experiences throughout, the message is one. One, what Isaiah saw and what
John saw are the same. The New Testament vision is by
far the clearest because in John's vision, Revelation
4, Christ has already come. He has already accomplished what
he came to accomplish in this world. So two visions given to
two men, Isaiah, prophet, John, apostle. Paul tells us in Ephesians
two and verse 20, that the church made up of Jew and Gentile made
one body in Christ. is built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets. That's what we've read
about this morning. What is that foundation? It's
what they saw by divine revelation about Jesus Christ. Who is he? What has he done? What is he
doing? This foundation is what they
believed with God-given faith concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only foundation we
have. That's the most important thing.
That's the all-important thing in your life is God-given revelation,
understanding, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It involves much
more than head knowledge. But it involves heart change
and infusion by God, the Holy Spirit, something only he can
do in us and for us. Now, these two men, Isaiah and
John, I'm going to have to hurry along because I could be two
hours on this. But these two men, Isaiah and
John, they lived some 800 years apart. and yet God's message is the
same. The crowning feature in both
these visions is the declaration of the awesome holiness of God. In Isaiah 6, verse 3, the seraphim,
the angels, cried one unto another and said, Holy, holy is the Lord
of hosts. The whole earth is full of His
glory. Then Revelation 4, 8, And the four beasts had each
of them six wings about him. These are angels, same as in
Isaiah 6, with six wings. And they were full of eyes within,
and rest not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which was and is and is to come. In each vision, Isaiah and John,
the angels cried continuously, rest not day and night, holy,
holy, holy. Holiness is the chief attribute
of our God. Above all else, He is holy. His love is a holy love. His justice is a holy justice. His wrath is a holy wrath. Above all and in all, God is
holy. Before anything, He is holy. Throughout everything,
He is holy. And after all things, He remains
holy. From the eons of eternity past
to the timeless eternity future, God is ever and forever holy. Holy. Now we may not have such
a clear vision as these two had, but I'll say this, any professing
believer in Jesus Christ who has not a glimpse of God's holiness
deposited in the heart by God himself is no believer at all. This faint, dim, blurry glimpse
or grasp of God's holiness will so affect us as to bow at his
feet and cry, holy, holy, holy. That is the missing link in today's
fleshly religion. designed to praise and entertain
people, politic people, rob people, a
religious circus with all the bright lights to excite and entertain
flesh, but nothing for the spirit, nothing for the heart. That's
why You know this well as I do. That's why religion is a joke
in this world today, all around us. But I'm telling you, God's
salvation involves and includes a new heart that longs for and
strives for holiness. And it's not just Old Testament
doctrine. 1 Peter 1 15, But as he which
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,
because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. We've quit believing nowadays.
I want to tell you this. We've quit believing nowadays
that God has us as individuals right where we are. Right where
we are. in a position to make a difference
in our generation. I'm not where you are. I don't
know the people you know. I don't see the people you see
in a course of a week. And you don't see the ones I
see and know the ones I know. God has us everyone in a position
to make a difference in our generation. Not so much by our religious
doing I'm not talking about a bunch
of legalistic rules and regulations, but to make a difference by who
we are. With a glimpse, at least, of
God's holiness. To live with this conviction
that God is holy. In Acts chapter 4, Peter and
John made a difference. Not with a bunch of showmanship,
religion, and boasting in self, but by the influence of the Holy
Ghost in them. The people perceived that though
they were ignorant and unlearned men, they marveled at them. and took knowledge of them that
they had been with Jesus. That's what it means to make
a difference in this world. I fear most of us have not made
much. I've had many people ask me through
the years, especially young folks, is such
and such a sin? Is it wrong to do this or that?
Do you think This is okay. Do you think this is wrong? Here's
the answer to it all. God is holy. God is holy. And if He lives in your heart,
you don't need anybody to answer anything for you. You'll know. So that's the crowning
statement in both these visions. Holy, holy, holy. Isaiah in the Old Testament,
before Christ came. And that verse continues, holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His
glory. And Revelation, holy, holy, holy
is followed by Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come. Now I want to back up and look
at circumstances both these men were in when these visions came. They were both brokenhearted.
They were both crushed in their spirits. They were overwhelmed
with sadness in their hearts. In Isaiah, we read that it was
in the year that King Uzziah died. Isaiah, young prophet of the
Lord. Isaiah, excuse me, Uzziah, the
king, was one of his heroes. Uzziah
was among the greatest kings of the Old Testament. People
admired him and honored him, including Isaiah. Uzziah had been in Isaiah's mind
and heart. King Uzziah had been God's instrument
to move toward turning the people back to the Lord. Uzziah reigned
in Jerusalem 52 years but now he's died. Isaiah's heart is torn and he
goes to the temple Not expecting to see and experience what he's
about to see and experience. John likewise was overwhelmed
with grief. Being torn and taken from home
and loved ones and many persecuted and struggling saints under the
cruelty of the Roman empire. Believers, young converts that
he felt needed him to encourage, strengthen their faith. But now
he's been placed a prisoner in exile on the isle, which is called
Patmos. And he's not expecting to see
and experience what he's about to see and experience. So both
these men are sad and brokenhearted. when the divine vision comes.
The two are brought to the same place, caught up in spirit to
the throne of God. The king on his throne, thus
the importance of the throne. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon
a throne, high and lifted up. And his train, meaning the skirt
of his rope, filled the temple, his glory, the throne. John saw Revelation 4.2, and
immediately I was in the Spirit. And behold, a throne was set
in heaven, and one sat on the throne. In this fourth chapter
of Revelation, we read the word, we did read the word throne twelve
times. in these 11 verses. So that's
the scene, the throne, that both these men are brought to. Now,
the effects that it had on both of them, when they saw the activity,
the worship, the praising God, the continuous declaration, holy,
holy, holy, what effect did it have? Well, Isaiah the prophet had been crying out to Judah
concerning their sins and their waywardness from God. In the
previous chapter, Isaiah chapter 5, six times the prophet pronounces
woe on Judah. In chapter 5 and verse 8, He
addresses their greed. All of these things are so up
to date in our generation. Greed, materialism, woe unto
them that join house to house, that lay field to field, that
just want to keep buying and accumulating till there'd be
no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth. consumed with having more and
more material things. Second, woe in verse 11. He charges
drunkards. Chapter 5, verse 11. Woe unto
them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow
strong drink, that continue until night, till the wine inflame
them. Thirdly, in verse 18, He condemns
living only for pleasure. Woe unto them that draw iniquity
with cords of vanity and sin, as it were, with a cart rope. In verse 20, he charges them
with perverted values. Woe unto them that call evil
good and good evil. That put darkness for light and
light for darkness. That put bitter for sweet and
sweet for bitter. Number five in verse 21, he pronounces,
woe on pride. Woe unto them that are wise in
their own eyes and prudent in their own sight. And then finally,
verses 22 and 23, he pronounces, woe. on deliberate injustice. Woe unto them that are mighty
to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink, which
justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness
of the righteous from him." Six woes. Woe unto them. But now, in chapter 6, in this
vision, when he sees and senses awesome holiness of God. Isaiah
no longer says, woe unto them, woe unto you. But in verse five,
then said I, woe is me. Woe is me. A glimpse of God,
who he is in his holiness will give a realization of what we
are personally. Most people I know who claim
to be spiritually superior to the rest of us walk around with head in the
air, quick to condemn and well qualified to tell everybody else
what's wrong, ready to declare woe unto you Oh, but a glimpse of God in His
holiness puts our own faces in the dust.
And we cry out, woe is me! Isaiah sees it's not just them
that's filthy before God. It's me. I'm a man of unclean lips. In Revelation 4, the effect,
John is overwhelmed with his lack of understanding in this
vision. And going on into chapter 5 and verse 1, I saw in the right hand of him
that sat on the throne a book written within. and on the back
side sealed with seven seals, a book containing God's purpose, all He's doing in time from eternity
to eternity. But none can open the book. Verse 3, no man in heaven nor
in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, nor
to look thereon. And that had great effect on
John. Those who never see God never
weep to see more. But John did. He wept much. Verse 5, And one of the elders
said unto me, Weep not. The Lion of the tribe of Judah,
that's Jesus Christ. The Root of David, that's Jesus
Christ, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seals
thereof. And here's what he saw, verse
6, and I beheld and lo, in the midst of the throne, still at
the throne, And the four beasts in the midst of the elders stood
a lamb as it had been slain. This is Christ crucified. The
lamb slain. He's in the midst of the throne.
He's in heaven. He's in control. The New Testament
epistle says he's After having purged our sins by Himself, He
sat down, the right hand of the Majesty on high. Now, here He
is appearing in the throne. He's been there all the time.
In the mind and purpose of God, He's the Lamb slain from before
the foundation of the world. So these visions are visions
of victory. In the Old Testament, it's not
as clear 700 years before Christ came. We don't know how clearly
Isaiah understood what he was seeing. But back there, the picture
is darkness. It's fear. Verse four said, the
post of the door moved at the voice of him that cried. The
temple, the building trembled and the house was filled with
smoke. It was a fearful thing because
Christ had not yet come. And yet Isaiah is assured all
is in order. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
of hosts. And here's how it is Isaiah.
The whole earth is full of His glory. Everybody, everywhere,
all the time throughout the earth are walking in the flow of God's
eternal purpose, which He has purposed in Christ Jesus before
the world was formed. All the heathen, the ungodly,
the godly, the politics, the economy, Hollywood, the church, everything
and everybody is within this earth which is full of the
glory of God. The whole earth But in Revelation,
the atmosphere is that not of fear and darkness and dread,
but of peace. Revelation 4 verse 6, John said,
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal. Meaning a sea that was as smooth
as glass. The waters are calm and still. There's no turmoil. The storm
is over. Christ has come and conquered
sin and Satan, death and hell. And the picture is peace, a sea
of glass. And there's a rainbow round about
the throne. Isaiah didn't see that. John
did. The rainbow is the picture of
God's promise back yonder to Noah. And he said, I won't do
this no more, destroy the earth, destroy the family with water. So the picture is peace. John's vision is fuller than
Isaiah's. He sees Christ as having already
come and conquered. Now here in Revelation 5 verse
6, And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the
four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb,
as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which
are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Don't go to try to literalize everything here. We had this
in our study in the Revelation, the number seven, is symbolic
in so many ways, so many times. He came, the lamb did, and took
the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne.
The father gave to the son the book. He had prevailed to open
the book. When he had taken the book, the
four beasts and four and 20 elders fell down before the lamb, having
every one of them harps and golden vows for the voters, which are
the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song. saying
thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof.
Why? For thou was slain and hast redeemed
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and
people and nation. Here it's not just the angels,
it's all the saints, all the redeemed, all God's elect are
in on the worship and the praise. And he's made us kings. He's
made us under our God kings and priests. And we shall reign on
the earth. See that? This is not just how
it is in heaven, but how it's going to be on earth. We shall
reign on the earth. Everybody, everywhere. Every knee shall bow, even in
hell. Every tongue confess. that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And I beheld
and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne,
the beasts of the elders, and the number of them was ten thousand
times ten thousand and thousands of thousands. The word thousand is symbolic
as totality. All there is. See? A lot of people argue about the
144,000. Well, it's symbolic. 12 12s. It's all there is. It's symbolic of the totality. And so it is here with the thousands.
This is not a definite number. Not a definite number, the number
is 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands. Innumerable. The Lord owns the cattle on a
thousand hills, the Bible says. What about hill number thousand
and one? Don't he own that too? Sure he does. Thousand is symbolic
of totality. saying with a loud voice, worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and
wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in
the sea and all that are in them heard I saying, blessing and
honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the
throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts
said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped
Him that liveth forever and ever." We tied these two visions together to see this. God in His wholeness
has been doing one thing. His purpose hadn't changed. From
eternity, he's been working what Paul called the eternal purpose,
which he purposed in Christ before the earth was formed. And he'll
continue working this purpose till it's complete, perfectly
and precisely complete. I do thank God that he's turned
the light on. in this heart of mine. He's given
me a new heart to see these things. I don't feel like I'm that far
up the road, but I do want to say I thank God that I'm not
part of a religion that's worshiping today's struggling
and failing God. wishing to do and hoping to do
a whole lot more for folks than he's able to get done. Oh no,
our God is marching on. So we look at these two visions.
May the Lord open our eyes that He's on track. He's not misted in His holiness. His eternal purpose, He's working
it out. He's calling, converting, conforming
His elect people. And as Paul wrote to Timothy,
God saved us, not according to our works, but according to His
own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus
before the world began. in the mind and purpose of God,
this thing was done before it was ever started. We can't get
that, but that's what He says. The wheels have been turning
since before God hung the stars. And nothing can happen in time
that will stop Him. So I say today, Let religion play the fool. Let
politicians play the fool. Let greedy materialism consume
the multitudes. Our God is marching on. He's
saving His people just as He's been doing from eternity to eternity. And that's why He came. Matthew
121, Thou shalt call His name Jesus. For he shall save his
people from their sins. Bless his holy name. Okay. I better stop right there. Thank
you for so much for listening. We're thankful you could be here,
but I wanted to share with you tying these two visions together. How great it is. The crowning
feature being the holiness of God. And then that he in his
power, omniscience, omnipotence is working out that purpose. All is well. All is well in heaven
today. Thank you. Thank you.