Leaping Forward Through Worship - A Divine Encounter
Text: Isaiah 6:1 - 8 Introduction There are three main points that we could derive from this text: Revelation (1 - 3); Repentance (5 - 7) and Readiness (8).
Isaiah was likely in the Jewish temple when he received this vision of the Lord in His heavenly temple.
God was in the Most Holy Place.
This was the innermost part of the sanctuary and contained the Ark of the Covenant.
Only the high priest could enter this area and he could only do so once a year on the Day of Atonement.
The word for seraphs is taken from a root that means burning; it communicates the purity of these angelic beings.
Even as holy and as pure as these creatures were, they could not gaze at the glory of God.
The title LORD Almighty is Jehovah tsaba or Yahweh-sabaoth (LORD of Hosts).
God is the Lord of the angelic hosts who respond in obedience to His every command.
The seraphs cried "Holy, holy, holy"- the repetition of which underscores God's infinite holiness.
Isaiah was dismayed because anyone who saw God expected to die immediately.
Coals of fire were taken inside the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:12) when sacrifice was made to atone for sin.
Isaiah first had to receive a revelation of God before he could go to take His message.
One definition of missions says, "Missions exists to make God known universally so that He can be worshiped universally.
" Too often, we try to do for God when we don't really know God.
Revelation Like Isaiah, we need a revelation of God.
That revelation comes first through His Word then through a personal experience with/of God.
Believers must have more than theological and intellectual knowledge; they must have revelation where the Holy Spirit gives insight into who God really is.
Then we must have experience, God moving in our lives in tangible ways.
The Old Testament saints and the New Testament church had experiential encounters with God that clearly established in their minds and hearts the reality of who God was.
God is Lord (Adonai); He is the Creator and owner of all things and people.
The Bible emphatically declares the earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it...
(Psalm 24:1).
God is sovereign-directing the affairs of men and history.
Nothing in our world takes God by surprise.
Various tragedies and trends in our world may make us wonder about God's control, but God in His sovereignty will use them for the realization of His purpose.
Life has a goal.
God is the Alpha and the Omega: He knows the end from the beginning and ultimately His kingdom of truth and righteousness will be established in the earth.
The concept of Adonai also includes the absolute power exercised by the master over the slave.
We who are redeemed have been bought with a price and therefore belong to God; we are His love slaves who must submit to His leading.
God is holy - He is utterly distinct from His creation and exercises sovereign majesty and power over it.
Everyone and everything else has been created.
There is no one like God; He is unique.
He is the absolute ruler over the world.
The devil is nothing but a usurper who exercises limited authority in the earth, but that is only for a season until God establishes the fullness of His kingdom.
By holy, we also mean that God is morally perfect, pure, set apart from sin.
Some people have a problem with God because they have a problem with there being a perfect being, so they try to bring God down to their level.
But God is absolutely perfect; there is no fault in God.
He is a God who does not and cannot practice sin because of His purity.
He is also a God of glory.
This glory is His majestic beauty and splendor.
It is the expression of God's character (His power, transcendence and moral perfection).
It is His very presence.
Glory can be translated as weight, wealth, worth and dignity.
God is King.
He is the absolute ruler of the universe.
However, He has some rebellious subjects in the form of demonic spirits and human beings who have not surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The great hope of the church is that we anticipate the return of Jesus Christ, which will lead to His messianic reign over the earth during the Millennium.
This will ultimately culminate in God's eternal reign, a rule filled with righteousness where evil will be completely eliminated.
God's kingship is characterized by love, wisdom, power and faithfulness.
Let's look at some of the various words used of God.
The word El emphasizes strength.
Scripture tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
No one can overcome God.
He is able to accomplish what concerns you.
God can and will intervene in your life in supernatural ways.
Don't be discouraged or afraid; the Lord will come through for you and He will do so at the right time.
The word Elohim is connected to God's creative power and providential care of the universe.
Only God can bring something out of nothing (ex nihilo) and only God can sustain it when it comes into being.
You can be assured that God is looking out for you.
He is able to provide whatever you need, at times in miraculous ways.
The word Yahweh is God's covenant keeping name.
God has made an agreement with you that He does not go back on.
He is faithful.
Yahweh has the sense of He will actively continue to be.
God shows what kind of God He is by what He does: He is both a God of talk and action.
He does what He says He will do.
Yahweh has various compounds.
Yahweh-jireh means that The LORD Will Provide (Genesis 22:14).
If God could give us Jesus for our salvation, there is nothing that we need that He will not give us.
Yahweh-rapha means I am the LORD, who heals you (Exodus 15:26).
We have become so comfortable with sickness that we don't pursue healing as aggressively as we should.
Where is the widespread use of the gift of healing? No doctor can heal like the Lord: Jesus healed all those who came to Him.
Yahweh-nissi means The LORD is my Banner (Exodus 17:15).
There are some battles that you cannot fight, but the Lord will fight for you.
Yahweh-shalom means The LORD is Peace (Judges 6:24).
We live in a stressful world, but God has promised to give us a peace that surpasses all human understanding and that guards our heart and mind.
Yahweh-ro'i means The LORD is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1).
The fivefold responsibility of God as Shepherd includes provision, restoration, guidance, protection, and security.
Yahweh-tsidkenu means The LORD our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6).
You can only have a relationship with God when you are made right with God.
We were sinners; our good deeds weren't good enough, but God delivered us and made us righteous when we accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
Finally, Yahweh-shammah means The LORD is There (Ezekiel 48:35).
God is with you wherever you go.
This is what makes the church, the church and a believer, a believer; it is about the active presence of God.
Let's talk about the nature of God.
For one thing, God is infinite, which means that He is without limit or limitation.
He is greater than the universe because He created it (1 Kings 8:27).
God is also transcendent; He is above, beyond and greater than the universe He has created.
He is also immanent; He is present and active within the universe.
Deism teaches that God created the universe, but that He is not actively involved in its operation.
He simply put the laws of nature into effect then left the world to function without His interference.
This is unbiblical and repudiates every major truth of Scripture including the reality of Jesus' incarnation and the presence and the moving of the Holy Spirit.
God is also immutable; He does not change; He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Having looked at the nature of God, let us consider some of His attributes.
God demonstrates omnipotence.
He has all power and is sovereign over everything that has been created.
God is omnipresent; He is everywhere present (Psalm 139:7 - 10).
He is in heaven, but He is also present in the earth.
He is in Barbados, but He is also in every other country in the world.
God is also omniscient; He has infinite, universal, complete knowledge and insight.
Simply put, God knows all things; He is intimately aware of the details of our lives including our thoughts.
Conclusion God is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Worship is much more than an intellectual, emotional and physical experience.
Worship is our spirit connecting with God's spirit.
Worship happens at a deep level.
It is a powerful encounter with the living God that involves all that we are.
Worship is based on the revelation and experience of God.
This is why some Christians struggle to worship God; they simply have not had a life changing encounter with the awesome and majestic God.
The more you come to know God the more it will energize your worship.
Take the time to really come into His presence and like Isaiah, experience God in a greater way.
God is willing to reveal Himself to you.
If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.
Isaiah was likely in the Jewish temple when he received this vision of the Lord in His heavenly temple.
God was in the Most Holy Place.
This was the innermost part of the sanctuary and contained the Ark of the Covenant.
Only the high priest could enter this area and he could only do so once a year on the Day of Atonement.
The word for seraphs is taken from a root that means burning; it communicates the purity of these angelic beings.
Even as holy and as pure as these creatures were, they could not gaze at the glory of God.
The title LORD Almighty is Jehovah tsaba or Yahweh-sabaoth (LORD of Hosts).
God is the Lord of the angelic hosts who respond in obedience to His every command.
The seraphs cried "Holy, holy, holy"- the repetition of which underscores God's infinite holiness.
Isaiah was dismayed because anyone who saw God expected to die immediately.
Coals of fire were taken inside the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:12) when sacrifice was made to atone for sin.
Isaiah first had to receive a revelation of God before he could go to take His message.
One definition of missions says, "Missions exists to make God known universally so that He can be worshiped universally.
" Too often, we try to do for God when we don't really know God.
Revelation Like Isaiah, we need a revelation of God.
That revelation comes first through His Word then through a personal experience with/of God.
Believers must have more than theological and intellectual knowledge; they must have revelation where the Holy Spirit gives insight into who God really is.
Then we must have experience, God moving in our lives in tangible ways.
The Old Testament saints and the New Testament church had experiential encounters with God that clearly established in their minds and hearts the reality of who God was.
God is Lord (Adonai); He is the Creator and owner of all things and people.
The Bible emphatically declares the earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it...
(Psalm 24:1).
God is sovereign-directing the affairs of men and history.
Nothing in our world takes God by surprise.
Various tragedies and trends in our world may make us wonder about God's control, but God in His sovereignty will use them for the realization of His purpose.
Life has a goal.
God is the Alpha and the Omega: He knows the end from the beginning and ultimately His kingdom of truth and righteousness will be established in the earth.
The concept of Adonai also includes the absolute power exercised by the master over the slave.
We who are redeemed have been bought with a price and therefore belong to God; we are His love slaves who must submit to His leading.
God is holy - He is utterly distinct from His creation and exercises sovereign majesty and power over it.
Everyone and everything else has been created.
There is no one like God; He is unique.
He is the absolute ruler over the world.
The devil is nothing but a usurper who exercises limited authority in the earth, but that is only for a season until God establishes the fullness of His kingdom.
By holy, we also mean that God is morally perfect, pure, set apart from sin.
Some people have a problem with God because they have a problem with there being a perfect being, so they try to bring God down to their level.
But God is absolutely perfect; there is no fault in God.
He is a God who does not and cannot practice sin because of His purity.
He is also a God of glory.
This glory is His majestic beauty and splendor.
It is the expression of God's character (His power, transcendence and moral perfection).
It is His very presence.
Glory can be translated as weight, wealth, worth and dignity.
God is King.
He is the absolute ruler of the universe.
However, He has some rebellious subjects in the form of demonic spirits and human beings who have not surrendered to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
The great hope of the church is that we anticipate the return of Jesus Christ, which will lead to His messianic reign over the earth during the Millennium.
This will ultimately culminate in God's eternal reign, a rule filled with righteousness where evil will be completely eliminated.
God's kingship is characterized by love, wisdom, power and faithfulness.
Let's look at some of the various words used of God.
The word El emphasizes strength.
Scripture tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
No one can overcome God.
He is able to accomplish what concerns you.
God can and will intervene in your life in supernatural ways.
Don't be discouraged or afraid; the Lord will come through for you and He will do so at the right time.
The word Elohim is connected to God's creative power and providential care of the universe.
Only God can bring something out of nothing (ex nihilo) and only God can sustain it when it comes into being.
You can be assured that God is looking out for you.
He is able to provide whatever you need, at times in miraculous ways.
The word Yahweh is God's covenant keeping name.
God has made an agreement with you that He does not go back on.
He is faithful.
Yahweh has the sense of He will actively continue to be.
God shows what kind of God He is by what He does: He is both a God of talk and action.
He does what He says He will do.
Yahweh has various compounds.
Yahweh-jireh means that The LORD Will Provide (Genesis 22:14).
If God could give us Jesus for our salvation, there is nothing that we need that He will not give us.
Yahweh-rapha means I am the LORD, who heals you (Exodus 15:26).
We have become so comfortable with sickness that we don't pursue healing as aggressively as we should.
Where is the widespread use of the gift of healing? No doctor can heal like the Lord: Jesus healed all those who came to Him.
Yahweh-nissi means The LORD is my Banner (Exodus 17:15).
There are some battles that you cannot fight, but the Lord will fight for you.
Yahweh-shalom means The LORD is Peace (Judges 6:24).
We live in a stressful world, but God has promised to give us a peace that surpasses all human understanding and that guards our heart and mind.
Yahweh-ro'i means The LORD is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1).
The fivefold responsibility of God as Shepherd includes provision, restoration, guidance, protection, and security.
Yahweh-tsidkenu means The LORD our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6).
You can only have a relationship with God when you are made right with God.
We were sinners; our good deeds weren't good enough, but God delivered us and made us righteous when we accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
Finally, Yahweh-shammah means The LORD is There (Ezekiel 48:35).
God is with you wherever you go.
This is what makes the church, the church and a believer, a believer; it is about the active presence of God.
Let's talk about the nature of God.
For one thing, God is infinite, which means that He is without limit or limitation.
He is greater than the universe because He created it (1 Kings 8:27).
God is also transcendent; He is above, beyond and greater than the universe He has created.
He is also immanent; He is present and active within the universe.
Deism teaches that God created the universe, but that He is not actively involved in its operation.
He simply put the laws of nature into effect then left the world to function without His interference.
This is unbiblical and repudiates every major truth of Scripture including the reality of Jesus' incarnation and the presence and the moving of the Holy Spirit.
God is also immutable; He does not change; He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Having looked at the nature of God, let us consider some of His attributes.
God demonstrates omnipotence.
He has all power and is sovereign over everything that has been created.
God is omnipresent; He is everywhere present (Psalm 139:7 - 10).
He is in heaven, but He is also present in the earth.
He is in Barbados, but He is also in every other country in the world.
God is also omniscient; He has infinite, universal, complete knowledge and insight.
Simply put, God knows all things; He is intimately aware of the details of our lives including our thoughts.
Conclusion God is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Worship is much more than an intellectual, emotional and physical experience.
Worship is our spirit connecting with God's spirit.
Worship happens at a deep level.
It is a powerful encounter with the living God that involves all that we are.
Worship is based on the revelation and experience of God.
This is why some Christians struggle to worship God; they simply have not had a life changing encounter with the awesome and majestic God.
The more you come to know God the more it will energize your worship.
Take the time to really come into His presence and like Isaiah, experience God in a greater way.
God is willing to reveal Himself to you.
If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you.
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