Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-12


In the year that King Uzziah died OF
leprosy, impotent to carry on his WORK
even though at the zenith of his power
and contaminated by his disease so that
he had TO live apart from his people and
could not even be buried in the royal
sepulchres, when judah and Israel were
temporarily prosperous but spiritually
noverty stricken, Isaiah had the vision
which preceded his call to serve these
nations as Gods man.
He had been raised in Jerusalem and
was thoroughly familiar with the tenn
Die ritual, so that naturally this Is the
form or background Of the vision In
which God revealed Himself to him. He
saw the Lord seated on a throne high
and lifted up, and so TREMENDOUS IN MS
mower that only the skirts Of His robes
could get in the temple and these filled
that great building He was attended
nv shining creatures. the seraphim, eacn
of whom had six wings, four or Whlch
each used for covering his body IN the
presence Of the mighty Aord God OF Sa-
haoth the other two being used with
which to f1y. One cried to another in an
tinhonal strains, melting each TO remem-
brance Of the holiness and power OF Goa,
saving. holy, holy, holy, Is the Lord
God of Hosts; His glory Is the fullness
of the whole earth" At the voice OF MIN
that cried, the foundations OF the tnresn-
hold of the mighty temple vibTated Win
the strains, and the smoke that Went
up from the altar in praise to him nlleq
the temple.
What was Isaiah's vision of God? what
did he seer why was It signihcant tna'
h. saw this in the year that King Uzziah
dtad9 He saw Jehovah, God of Hosts,
ali powerful and all holy. He saw the
real King of Israel powerful and molly
IN +he wear that the recognized king oleo,
utterly weak and contaminated. he was
thus led to look to Him instead or fret-
ting over the sad circumstances sur
rounding the death Of the king of judah.
HIS VISION OF SELF AMP HIS
PREPARATION.
THE vision Isaiah had of God made a
nrofound impression personally on MIN
He had been a pious man; he had Done
some service for God; but no" tilat ne
had seen the King, the Lord Of Hosts,
he Gees himself as utterly opposite. Alas,
alas. am as weak as can be, he said.
T am a man of contaminated lips, and
dwell in the midst of contaminated
neonle God was holy and powerful;
isaiah saw himself to be weak and con-
taminated. -
Note that Isaiah was not corrupt ou
contaminated. His contact with the peo-
nile about him had soiled his garments
he was contaminated, unclean, so that ne
co,1id not serve. Are you? Do you allow
ANYTHING in your life which prevents your
serving God with that abandon tha'
spells success, and acceptance? Has your
contact with the world about you con-
taminated YOU. and rendered you unn'
until cleansing comes?
Note also that as. soon as lsalan nae
seen hirnslef in the light of Gods holiness
and power. God endues him. He sent
one of the seraphim to separate Cor con-
secrate) him, and to prepare him for
service. The seraphim takes a burning
coal from off the altar where the offering
for sin had been made, and touches Isaiah
wherein the lips. the contaminated
spot Strengthening out his crookedness
and covering over his misses of the mark
Thus God prepared him for the service
he was to render
Do you know that when you nave hao
vision OF God and self. he will conse-
crate and prepare you, too? In that
preparation the live coal will touch the
tender spot, the contaminated spot You
will vince when II hurts, but remember