Class Notes on Isaiah 6:1-4

• What is the reasoning behind why some people change churches so frequently?
  • Positively: Doctrinal issues or different opportunities to serve
  • Negatively: what situation benefits them the most a gives messages they want to hear

Isa 6:1-4

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. NIV

• We need to start with a look at Uzziah. 2 Chron 26 is a history of Uzziah's reign
  • 16 years old at start; good king
  • Time of incredible prosperity
  • Became arrogant in his old age

2 Ch 26:16-21

16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. 18 They confronted him and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

19 Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosyc broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.

21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate housed—leprous, and excluded from the temple of the Lord. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land. NIV

c The Hebrew word was used for various diseases affecting the skin—not necessarily leprosy; also in verses 20, 21 and 23.

d Or in a house where he was relieved of responsibilities

• What part of the temple did Uzziah enter?
  • Most holy place (showbread, altar of incense, and lampstand)
    • Priests and could enter on a regular basis
  • Not the Holy of Holies
    • Only the high priest could enter

• Some speculate that the phrase "the year King Uzziah died" was when he got leprosy. Essentially Jotham is in charge for (two to eight) years until he physically dies. It doesn't really change much in one's understanding of the events
• Uzziah was a great man who accomplished a lot but it only took one stupid act to mar his legacy
  • One of the reasons that Jesus told us to pray for protection from the evil one, and Paul included it in his prayer request (2 Thess 3) as well, is that we are all only one step away from ruining our witness
  • Two examples from this week:
    • I did something with a database that bordered on unethical and it upset a member of my study team greatly. I had to apologize to her and tell my boss as well
    • Contrast. I did a simple task for the support staff that I guess few senior people take the time to do and I got a very kind letter in return

• So, does Isa 6 occur first or after the events of Isa 1-5?
  • It is difficult to know for sure since Jewish thought is more eastern than western. It could be a thematic arrangement
  • But, since the rest of the book appears to be ordered chronologically according to the king at the time, it would seem that Isa 6 follows Isa 1-5

• What is Uzziah's overriding impression as he has this vision?
  • Holiness of God
  • Glory of God
  • Power of God (sound of the voices shook the threshold and doorposts)

• Where is Isaiah or where is his vision?
  • Temple (it is possible, but Hebrews says that the earthly temple is a shadow of the reality in heaven)
  • Heavenlies (most likely, since Isaiah does not appear to be a Levite or a Priest)

• APPLICATION:
  • Are we careful to avoid evil? How close are we to making that one bad choice that ruins our witness? We need to regularly pray for God's protection from the evil one and his schemes
  • How do we view worship? Do we focus on God or do we focus on our problems that God must solve? If we really believed that we were in God's presence (like Isaiah), we would start with a focus on God, his holiness, his glory, and his power.