Visions Of The Lord (Part 1)

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(Sermon: September 21, 2003)

We're starting in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 this morning . If you could please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. ******* Do you have it yet, my friends? ******* Notice then now, beginning at v. 1, it reads...

Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows-- was caught up into Paradise, and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man will I boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations . . . (and let's just stop right there, beloved).

"[B]ut I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord," Paul writes and we just read it in 2 Corinthians 12:1, the second part of the verse. "[B]ut I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord." And you can look at it there again, my friends. It's the title of my message this morning: "Visions Of The Lord" or "Visions From The Lord--Part 1."

******* And what we're going to be doing today and next Sunday--and the Sunday after that even!--is we're going to be looking at six visions in Scripture where the curtain was pulled back and a glimpse into the heavenlies was given. And we're going to be looking at what goes on "behind the veil" and also what is it that exists "behind the veil" as these six visions reveal it. These next three weeks we are. The Bible says...

"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor. 2:9).

And in another place...

For now we see in a mirror dimly (the King James has it, "glass, darkly"), but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known (1 Cor. 13:12).

There are things that are (quote) "beyond us," my brothers and sisters, and above our imaginations and out of the reach of our minds' ability to grasp them of the spiritual realm, I believe these two verses I just read emphasize in 1 Corinthians. When you get right down to it, we really don't know of what takes place outside this physical side of things that we're accustomed to. We really don't know of what takes place in those areas that are past our senses except--except we know it via the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures! ******* How many of you understand all our thoughts must be set aside and we must bow down before the Word of God and get in line with the Word of God when it comes to what we cannot hear, see, taste, feel or smell?

I'm sure Paul, when he was given his "visions and revelations of the Lord" and "was caught up to the third heaven"--which happens to be where God dwells, by the way!--I'm sure Paul had a few concepts of what it would be like before he got there, but when he actually finally saw it, I'll bet it was a whole lot more than Paul would have ever dreamed.

Beloved, we're looking at visions of the Lord starting this morning. And in this 3-part study we'll conclude two Sundays from now I'll be pointing out various truths that I'm trusting will both challenge you and be a benefit to you as well. Somebody say, "Amen," if you know where we're headed in this series or you think you know or, at least, you're hoping your pastor knows. Amen!

I. Vision #1: Ezekiel's Vision Of The Four Figures.

If you could please turn with me to the first vision of the Lord that I want to consider and talk about . We'll do two today, two next week, and two two weeks from today. If you could please turn with me to the Old Testament and the book of Ezekiel, first of all. Turn to Ezekiel chapter 1. It may not be a book you're familiar with or you may not visit it too often. ******* And I'm wanting to read verses 1-14 of Ezekiel chapter 1 to begin with today. Notice with me now at Ezekiel 1 and v. 1...

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. (On the fifth of the month in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the Lord came upon him.) And as I looked (v. 4), behold, a storm wind was coming from the north, a great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it, and in its midst something like glowing metal in the midst of the fire. And within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Each of them had four faces and four wings. And their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings (v. 8) on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies. And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went. In the midst of the living beings there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches darting back and forth among the living beings. The fire was bright, and lightning was flashing from the fire. And the living beings ran to and fro like bolts of lightning (and let's just stop there, beloved) (Ezek. 1:1-14). *******

"And you thought "Star Wars" and the creatures from movies like "The Lord of the Rings" recently--"The Fellowship Of The Rings" and "The Two Towers" were weird!," I have written here. Truth is definitely stranger than fiction, my brothers and sisters. And as what we have to begin with here as our first vision--it's Ezekiel's vision of the four figures. If you're taking notes you can write down: Ezekiel's vision of the four figures. The vision continues on in chapter 1 and beyond, but we're just going to talk about the first 14 verses. *******

And as here we find Ezekiel--he is a prophet during "the early years of the Babylonian exil[e of the Jews--b]etween 592-570 B.C" (OB 754). We've been studying about the subject in the Adult Bible class, the book of Isaiah. ******* But here Ezekiel is as God gives him a look into the spiritual realm . And it's because God wants to talk with Ezekiel about his call to ministry and He initiates the conversation--or there's this lead up into it of this vision.

And I want you to notice again, the vision begins with "a storm wind" appearing "from the north" in v. 4. "[A] great cloud with fire flashing forth continually and a bright light around it," it goes on there. And you can look at it again and as it continues to the end of v. 4. ******* And I don't know what kind of storms you've been in and a part of in your life, my friends, and what kind of winds. I've been in a number of violent thunder and lightning storms with straight-line winds during my three years away at college in Minnesota and saw the aftermaths. ******* But this storm and storm wind that Ezekiel sees--we just had Hurricane Isabel which started out and grew to 160 mile per hour winds with gusts to 195 as I'm writing this on Friday, September 12th (who knows what it's become or done by the time I preach this on September 21st!--it hit the East Coast at North Carolina with 100+ mile per hour winds and caused reasonable damage and flooding!)--But this storm and storm wind that Ezekiel sees coming in his direction here "from the north" in Ezekiel 1:4, I submit to you, is a lot like Hurricane Isabel and much more. It gets Ezekiel's attention! *******

And when God wants to get a message threw and get our attention, do you realize He knows how to do it? ******* And some people are so worried about, "What should I say?," or, "What should I do that might cause one of my relatives or my wayward son or daughter or spouse--What should I say or do that might cause them to get saved?" ******* And it's not to say that we shouldn't be saying anything or sharing our faith or doing anything. But it is to say that God's quite capable of getting a hold of someone when He wants to. And as we see Him doing it with Ezekiel here. ******* And it's really God's work to awaken men and women to His love and not so much ours. (Does somebody need to be released from a burden of guilt in this area this morning--maybe?)

******* But God gets Ezekiel's attention here in v. 4 with a storm wind ******* that, by the way, the Lord Himself is riding upon and in the midst of it (Ezek. 1:22-28). But we won't be looking at that so much at least in this first vision today. We'll be looking at God moreso in the second vision in just a moment this morning.

But for now and in this first vision, we're coming to v. 5 where there are these "figures" Ezekiel sees, "resembling four living beings." It is these "figures" that I want to focus on in this first vision of the Lord. There are four figures of living beings. And I want you to note the "figures" description in v. 5. "And this was their appearance," Ezekiel goes on to say in the second part of the verse and will continue to do it throughout the account. ******* And I've spoken of it already, and my Wycliffe Commentary (pg. 708-709) mentions that Ezekiel is groping here for a way to describe what is the indescribable. Ezekiel is at a loss for words.

Have you ever been at a loss for words? (Every week when I'm trying to write a sermon!) I mean, you wish or you knew that there was no way you could do justice to something or an experience and so you just fumbled over your words or said just a limited number of them. "You had to be there to see it for yourself," you might have said to someone at such a time. "You had to be there." ******* And it would be like having a four-year old trying to relate Disneyland or some other thing that would be fascinating to a four-year old. And his vocabulary would be limited. This is Ezekiel. He is looking at four figures that he just doesn't have the language to tell us about them. And so Ezekiel just does the best he can. (Kind of like I try to do each week with my messages!) *******

But I want to look now at Ezekiel's description of what happen to be cherubim angels--that are known to surround the throne of God. And, by the way, the first appearance of cherubim angel in the Bible--it was "cherubim" (Gen. 3:24; NAS) who guarded the way to the tree of life that Adam & Eve might not eat of it after the fall. And Lucifer, too, was a cherubim angel himself before he rebelled against God (Ezek. 28:14a). ******* But we're looking at Ezekiel's description of cherubim angels now here in Ezekiel 1 and I'll be sharing with you some of what Matthew Henry has to say as regards them as well. They are described as having...

(1) Human form (v. 5c). "[T]hey had the likeness of a man" (KJV). "[T]hey are reasonable, intelligent beings" (Henry 1034).

(2) Four faces and four wings (v. 6). "Each of them had four faces and four wings."

(3) Straight legs and gleaming calves' feet (v. 7). (Note the word: "like"--Ezekiel is using familiar words to describe the unfamiliar. He is groping!) "And their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze." The legs were "without knee joints" according to Wycliffe (pg. 709). But another source says they had legs like ours!

(4) Human hands (v. 8a). "Under their wings on their four sides were human hands." Wycliffe reads: "Each cherub probably had two hands, for on their four sides may mean `upon the sides of the four of them [were human hands]'" (pg. 709).

(5) Position of wings (v. 9a, 11bcd). I will only mention and not elaborate. "[T]heir wings touched one another." "Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies."

(6) Direction of beings (v. 9bc, 12). I will only mention and not elaborate here either except I will offer an application as regards v. 12 in just a moment. "[T]heir faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward." "And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went."

(7) Form of faces (v. 9b-11a). Especially v. 10 is what I want to highlight: "As for the form of their faces, each ahd the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle."

APPLICATIONS FROM THESE FOUR FIGURES IN EZEKIEL 1:

A. The faces on the four figures correspond with the revelation of Christ in the New Testament Gospels according to the early church fathers (NLT 1201):

Gospel: Emphasis: Figure Face:

Matthew king, Lion of Judah lion

Mark servant bull/ox/beast of burden

Luke perfect human man

There is something of the person and work of Jesus that is to become a part of us. And as these four figures look upon and gaze at the beauty of their Creator, this is the ultimate outcome: they bear His image.

Rom. 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;

2 Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Who do you most look like today? It has a lot to do with what your eyes are on. Are you more and more taking on the appearance of your Lord or someone or something else other than Him? How would your neighbor or co-worker or spouse or someone else close to you answer this question?

B. The four figures have a purpose.

These are majestic creatures we have here in the description of them which "serv[e] the purpose of magnifying the holiness and power of God. . . . They also serv[e] as a visible reminder of the majesty and glory of God and His abiding presence with His people" (NIBD 217).

Believers have much the same purpose! We are here to magnify the holiness and power of God and to serve as a visible reminder of the majesty and glory of God and His abiding presence with His people! Ours is a high call! It is above punching in and out of a timeclock Monday through Friday or just living for the weekend or the "eat, drink and merry" thinking, "for tomorrow we die." The life of a believer is nothing like that! Ours is a high call!

1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race ("generation;" KJV), a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

We have a purpose like the four figures have a purpose.

C. The four figures move only in the direction of the spirit & are in tune with the spirit (v. 12).

"There [is] a unity between the living creatures and the wheels (later on in Ezekiel chapter 1), directed by the Spirit of God" (Wycliffe 709).

So it is vital that we, too, be in step with the Holy Spirit and move only in His direction and His direction alone. *******

And if there was somebody here today that (1) may have been thinking about going in his or her own direction either with the full knowledge that that's not the way God wants them to go or (2) maybe you haven't even sought the Lord about what you're gonna do and you need to before you do it--well, I'd just have to do some meddling right here and it'd be the perfect place to do it if there was somebody here that met one of those criteria. But since there isn't, I won't. Or I will if somebody raises their hand and says, "Yeah that's me! Meddle away!" *******

It is vital that we, too, be in step with the Holy Spirit and move only in His direction and His direction alone. *******

II. Vision #2: Isaiah's Vision Of Divine Glory.

And I want to move on now from this first vision of Ezekiel's of the four figures and on to the second vision that I want to consider today. And for the rest of our time together, it is Isaiah's vision of divine glory that we're going to be looking at. Isaiah's vision of divine glory. If you're taking notes that's what you'll want to write down. If you could please turn with me to the book of Isaiah and chapter 6, my friends. ******* Notice now it reads beginning in Isaiah 6:1...

In the year of King Uzziah's death, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." And the foundations (v. 4) of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Then one of the seraphim flew to me, with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. And he touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven." Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Is. 6:1-8).

It is a fascinating encounter with God that we have here, my friends! ******* where Isaiah goes from consciousness to conviction to cleansing to commission.

Isaiah's vision progresses in this way:

1. He is made consciously aware of God's holiness.

2. He is then convicted of his own sinfulness.

3. He is then greeted by a cleansing sent from God.

4. He is then offered a commission which he gladly accepts.

From consciousness to conviction to cleansing to commission. It is a pattern for us, too,

that we must move down if we desire to be used of God. The Lord is holy and His first requirement for service is that His followers be holy as well. Is it okay to talk about holiness in the Assemblies of God? In some denominations I wonder if it still is. *******

And we've considered this passage in a past gathering, my brothers and sisters, but I think it's good to review and go over this story here again today. And there's just no possible way to consider everything with our limited time.

A. Isaiah Is Made Conciously Aware Of God's Holiness.

But I want you to notice, first of all, in v. 1 again, it says there that...

In the year of King Uzziah's death, I [the prophet Isaiah] saw the Lord (Is. 6:1a).

And I don't know if Isaiah is transported to heaven for this vision or if the Lord just causes it to play like a movie in the theatre of his mind. Whatever the case, Isaiah becomes suddenly conscious of God like he's never been before. ******* And, by the way, a parallel passage in the New Testament pinpoints the identity of the Being whom Isaiah perceives here. Of this encounter, John 12:41 says...

[Isaiah] . . . saw [Jesus'] glory, and he spoke of Him (that's John 12:41). *******

And so, in this passage, Isaiah is actually having a vision of the pre-incarnate Christ. I don't know if you ever realized that. *******

But I want to move on to the second part of v. 1 now. Certainly, there's something to be said about the reference to King Uzziah's death in the first part of the verse. Sometimes a person or thing that a particular individual is trusting in needs to be removed for him to realize and view God as the only One to be relied upon or trusted in. ******* And it may be that Isaiah was trusting in King Uzziah more than he was trusting in God. Who or what are you trusting in today? It may be that Isaiah was trusting in King Uzziah more than he was trusting in God. And now Uzziah's gone and God's the only One left. How many of you know, if it's all you got, God's enough? *******

But I want to talk more about the second part of v. 1 now, my friends, where it highlights the first thing Isaiah sees. Notice the second part of v. 1 again now. What does Isaiah see first? It says he sees...

[T]he Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple (do you see that there?) (Is. 6:1b). *******

And both the throne and the long, flowing robe are recognized as pictures of government and rulership. As one commentary puts it, God's throne is not only above other thrones, but over other thrones as well (Henry 835). The Lord is the supreme Governor and Ruler over all. With this crazy recall going on in California now, I find this encouraging to keep in mind! The Lord is supreme Governor and Ruler over all. And beyond this California recall, beloved...

Questions: Could it be that there is some situation you're facing that seems beyond your ability to handle it? ******* If this is you, the Holy Spirit would have you to take heart and rest in the fact that God rules even in the midst of what you see as beyond control. Is it a word for somebody here? If it isn't for you, I'll take it!

The first thing Isaiah sees in his vision is "the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple." *******

And now the next thing Isaiah sees that I want you to notice are the seraphim. And we've already spent time with cherubim angels this morning in Ezekiel's vision. Now we have seraphim angels in Isaiah's vision. And this passage in Isaiah chapter 6 is the only place in the entire Bible where these beings are mentioned, by the way.

The seraphim are special. Somebody say, "special." The seraphim are special creatures that attend God's throne. They're like angels in the sense that they are unearthly beings of a totally different order. The Bible dictionary goes on to say that the word seraphim means "burning ones." And due to this meaning of their name, it is thought that the seraphim may have even appeared like lightning. According to v. 2 and v. 6--and you can look at those verses there again--According to v. 2 and v. 6, the seraphim make-up includes (kind of like the cherubim!) hands, faces, feet--but these have three pairs of wings as opposed to the two pair. The cherubim had four wings--two pairs of wings. The seraphim have six wings--three pairs.

Something else about the seraphim. They speak with voices like the voices of men. And to display their awe and reverence for the Lord, they use their wings to cover their faces you'll notice v. 2 mentions (ZPBD 772). They do it as a display of their awe and reverence for the Lord. Along with that, they offer God vocal adoration. And you can notice it there again in v. 3 where we read the seraphim's most glorious chant...

"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory" (Is. 6:3b).

I've been highlighting the seraphim here. ******* And some believe that the reason why they are saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy," is because they are recognizing the presence of the triune God here--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whether this is true or not, we can't know. Whatever the case, one author comments that "[the] threefold repetition of `holy' [taken up by the seraphim expresses] the infinite holiness of God" ("Interpreting Isaiah" by Herbert M. Wolf). To be holy means to be separate from sin and evil. The ideas of purity and righteousness are associated with holiness (ZPBD 357). I joked a moment ago if I could talk about holiness in the Assemblies of God. The truth of God's holiness is a fact of Scripture. We better be able to talk about it! The Lord is a holy and righteous God. He's separate from sin and evil. He's altogether pure. And even the attendants to His throne--the seraphim!--declare it to be so. *******

And so Isaiah sees the Lord and then the seraphim who attend His throne declaring, "Holy, Holy, Holy." And the thing that happens, my brothers and sisters, is Isaiah is made conciously aware of the holiness of God.

B. Isaiah Is Convicted Of His Own Sinfulness.

And it leads to Isaiah's being convicted of his own sinfulness is what I want to talk about and just briefly point out to you now. ******* "And," I have written here, "if we would have people become convicted of sin, we must lift up and stress God's holiness through the way we live." Too often, I wonder if we don't point our fingers at and condemn the unchurched for how they live while, all the while, we ourselves aren't living holy. *******

But Isaiah is convicted of his own sinfulness and it's after his having seen the Lord that it happens, I want you to notice in v. 5 now. And this is all I want to say about it this morning. Isaiah says in v. 5...

"Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts" (Is. 6:5).

The New Living Translation has it...

"My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!" (Is. 6:5; NLT).

Isaiah has gone from conciousness to conviction.

C. Isaiah Is Greeted By A Cleansing From God.

And now Isaiah comes to cleansing. Aren't you glad it doesn't stop there where we get what we really deserve, my friends? Notice in v. 6-7 again now. The seraphim are in action. It says...

[One] of the seraphim [then] flew to [Isaiah,] with a burning coal in his hand which he had taken from the altar with tongs. And he touched [Isaiah's] mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is forgiven" (Is. 6:6-7). *******

And I couldn't help but imagine here, beloved, what Isaiah's first thoughts are as this scene unfolds. He knows full-well that he faces a death sentence for his sin. "`My destruction is sealed,'" I just read in the NLT. Isaiah's already talked about it. And so when he sees the seraphim approaching, might he be thinking how dreadful it is to have as a last memory the look of your soon-to-be executioner in mind? I couldn't help but imagine. ******* And then--And then what of the burning coal the seraphim is carrying? This certainly is an unusual tool to use in the disposal of someone. "But wait a minute," Isaiah may have said or thought during this moment. "That burning coal reminds me of something." One commentator points out that "[coals] of fire from the altar were taken inside the most holy place on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:12) . . . so Isaiah [here] was [possibly] reminded that sacrifice had [already] been made for his sins" (Wolf 87). You see, Isaiah isn't the one to be disposed of. It is his sin that the seraphim comes near to deal with. And in it's place, Isaiah is to receive forgiveness. This is the grand and glorious message of the gospel. That though every human being is a sinner with a death sentence hanging over his head, a sacrifice has already been made by Jesus to satisfy the penalty. In the person of Isaiah, we are afforded a beautiful picture of this. Isaiah's a type of the repentant sinner who receives Christ's holiness in place of his sins.

From conciousness to conviction to cleansing. *******

D. Isaiah Is Offered A Commission That He Gladly Accepts.

And now Isaiah completes the process as he is offered a commission that he gladly accepts. And you can look at it there again in v. 8. It's as if Isaiah "overhears" the Lord saying...

"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (in the first part of v. 8) (Is. 6:8b).

And then Isaiah responds...

"Here I am. Send me!" (Is. 6:8c).

And so Isaiah completes his journey. In his vision of the Lord, he has progressed from

consciousness to conviction to cleansing to commission.

And the main point here for us as I'm just reiterating something I've already said--I mentioned living a life of holiness. And, as far as I know, everyone of us here has walked the path of Isaiah in his vision. But if we would be used of God and would like to continue to be used of God, we must continue in holiness. Does somebody here need to be reminded?

Shall we close in prayer?