Monday 05 December 2016

Psalm: Psalm 67

Background

Uzziah had been a once great king and a hero of Isaiah. But whenhe became great and honoured, he struggled to understand where theboundaries of his authority and responsibility lay (2Chronicles 26:18-21) and his downfall was assured. He died in740BC. For the country this would have been a time of great shockand uncertainty, and surely one of the reasons that the Lordchooses this moment to appear to Isaiah is to restate his supremacyover time and space and human rulers.

The nation was mourning the death of their earthly king and inthat very hour Isaiah records, "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple" (v.1).

Human powers rise and fall.

Human nations have their strong times and their weak times.

Human rulers are exalted one day and brought low the next, butour God is "the Lord of hosts" (v. 3) who is seated on the throne -not just today, but yesterday and tomorrow as well.

Though all may change around us, Isaiah helps us see God aseternal, reliable, trustworthy and powerful. Powerful enough toshake the very building in which he is present.

And whatever happens in our world or in your life, your God canbe trusted to be there for you!

Isaiah encounters an eternal God. But he also sees a holy God:"Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with twothey covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, andwith two they flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy,holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of hisglory.'" (vv. 2-3)

A holy God.

God is holy: special, separate, different, awesome.

God is holy: powerful, frightening, all-seeing,ever-present.

God is holy: sacred, perfect, sinless, without blemish.

God is holy; and this is who Isaiah encounters in his vision. Nowonder that he feels unworthy to be in his presence (v. 5). But theeternal God and the holy God is also the gracious God, ready toremove guilt and to blot out our sin (v. 7). Is it any wondertherefore that as the Lord asks for a servant to do his will,Isaiah's response in verse 8 is "send me"!?

To Ponder

• To what extent have we lost touch with the 'otherness' of God?How might you regain it?

• Does worship, in an attempt to be accessible, neglect the'awesomeness' of the Lord? If so, how might it become more of afeature?

• Are we afraid to encounter the holiness of God today? Why, orwhy not?