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| This portrait of Isaiah was painted by Bea Dotson of Azle, a member of our church, GracePointe. In the face of the prophet is captured the awe of God, which no canvas could ever adequately display. |
In this third portrait we see how awesome God is through the vision of Isaiah in the Temple and how it leads us to worship in awe of His majesty. Seated high and lifted up is the throne of God, and so we start on this portrait looking at His Royal Authority. God’s authority is something out of step in the 21st century. In our pluralistic western society, we can often feel like Moses who had to declare which God among gods he was speaking on behalf of. Even among Christians, many will place their own authority above the authority of the Word of God, or above historical precedents. Like many who make the Constitution of the United States a “living document,” for instance, they proudly proclaim the exact opposite tenets of the faith, yet still place their hand up and affirm their belief and faith in God, but simply not his authority to speak to the modern age.
1. His Authority: “Sitting on a throne” Isaiah had a profound sense of God’s awesome authority, no doubt as a result of this event. We see the prophet declaring God’s authority in numerous places but especially again in Isaiah 44:6 when he states, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.” Again, in Isaiah 66:1, he quotes the Almighty as saying, “Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?”
1. His Authority: “Sitting on a throne” Isaiah had a profound sense of God’s awesome authority, no doubt as a result of this event. We see the prophet declaring God’s authority in numerous places but especially again in Isaiah 44:6 when he states, “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.” Again, in Isaiah 66:1, he quotes the Almighty as saying, “Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?”
True works of art are not to be casually glanced at. Stand in front of Isaiah's vision. Fix your gaze, if you can, upon this aspect of Isaiah's awesome portrait in prayer: the throne of the Lord and ponder its significance.
Elsewhere in Scripture, the throne and its authority signifies God’s righteousness. “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face,” the Psalmist wrote. Someone said that the best form of government is to have a benevolent dictator, but no dictator is benevolent. God’s Kingdom is benevolent but He does not dictate. In fact the world’s woes are precisely because we do not follow His Righteous Rule.
One day, His throne will judge by that righteous judgment, “But the Lord shall endure forever; He has prepared His throne for judgment. He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness.” (Ps. 9:7-8)
Look more closely at the righteous throne and you will see it is Eternal. “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom,” (Ps. 45:6). God’s rule will never be merely a passing fad or a temporal fashion.
“High and Lifted Up” God is All Powerful, All Present, All Knowing. T.W. Hunt wrote in “Disciple’s Prayer Life” that God is transcendent. “We are to stand in awe of God because He is above and beyond anything else we know…The psalmist expressed it in awesome words: “Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high?” (Ps. 113:5) He is so vastly beyond anything we can know that Solomon asked, “Will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?” (1 Kings 8:27 )
“The train of His robe filled the temple” When Solomon finished dedicating the temple which he built, the glory of the Lord filled the temple so much so that the priests could not enter and the children of Israel. Now in Isaiah’s day, he sees something similar. The train means the hem of a garment like that of a priest. What Isaiah saw was a royal robe flowing down majestically from the throne which was seated in his vision undoubtedly in the holy of holies. Just as the robe filled the temple, so the earth is filled with His glory and the Temple
Try as I might to put God’s awesome authority with pen and paper (or keyboard and monitor), none can describe God’s Awesome Authority any better than His inspired writers. Let me conclude with Psalm 24 in describing the throne, high and lifted up and His royal robe which filled the temple:
1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters. 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully... 7 Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.
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