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B u t h is w ife sa id u n to h im , I f th e L o rd w e re p le a s e d to k ill u s, h e w o u ld n o t h a v e re c e iv e d a b u rn t-o ffe rin g a n d a m e a t o fferin g a t o u r h an d s, n e ith e r w o u ld h e h a v e sh e w e d u s a ll th e s e th in g s , n o r w o u ld a s a t th is tim e h a v e to ld u s su c h th in g s a s th e s e .” We find it in th e life of Saul of Tar sus (Acts 9). The purging and purifying fire is tak en from off th e a lta r of incense— a glowing stone from th e golden altar, carried w ith the golden tongs (Ex 25: 38). “ !Lo, th is h a th to u c h e d th y m o u th ,” — the seat of his im purity according to his confession.- W hat a symbol of God’s purifying work! F ire consumes th e dross. The lips which have con fessed th e ir guilt are purified. F ire is always th e enemy of impurity. Everything was purified by blood in the tabernacle. The seraph bearing th e coal is a symbol of th e messenger of th e gospel, who takes th e Word of God, which is quick and powerful, to the sin-stricken people to quicken th e ir consciences and awaken in them a sense of th e ir guilt, and create a desire for cleansing. “Out of th e abundance of th e heart, the m outh speaketh.” W ith a new n a tu re man has a new h ea rt and his lips are prepared by th e Holy Spirit to bear th e message. (4) THE SUMMONS A N D SEN TENCE, vs._ 9-13. F irst, we have th e voice of the Lord saying, “Who will go fo r u s? ” This corresponds w ith Gen. 1:26. The mes senger is called by and se n t fo rth by th e F ath e r, Son and Holy Spirit. W hat a call and w hat a calling! Call ed to be the ambassadors of th e T riune God, to represent Him, to bear His message to the children of men! His call is to every believer, young and old. The place to which we are to go is of His selection,— a t home or to th e re gions beyond. He makes th e choice. We have only to say, “H ere am I; send me.” W hat a joyful privilege, yet how few are ready to respond.
•will be compelled to bow?” (Phil. 2: 1 0 ) (2) THE SINCERE CONFESSION, v. 5. “ I am a man of unclean lips.” This confession of Isaiah is in re sponse to th e voice of God— th e Voice heard above th e cry of the seraphim— th e Voice th a t made th e threshold tremble. Have you ever been startled by the voice of th u n d er as it pealed th rough th e heavens and shook th e house? (Psa. 104 :7 ). “A t th y re b u k e th e y fled; a t th e vo ice o f th y th u n d e r th e y h a s te d a w a y .” Isaiah felt, as every honest man, whose eyes have beep opened to see his sins as God sees them , must feel (Job. 42:5, 6). “I h a v e h e a rd o f th e e h y th e h e a rin g o f th e e a r ; b u t n o w m in e ey e se e th th e e . W h e re fo re I a b h o r m y se lf, a n d re p e n t in d u s t a n d a sh e s.” This is th e way Simon P eter felt when he saw th e m iracle o f,th e draugh t of fishes (Luke 5 :8 ) “W h en S im on P e te r sa jv It, h e fe ll dow n a t J e s u s ’ k n e e s , sa y in g ; D e p a rt fro m m e; fo r I am a s in fu l m a n , O L o rd .’’ It is the vision of the Lord—His holi ness, His righteousness, His broken laws, our consciousness of our sinful ness, our knowledge of H is h atred of sin and H is righteous w rath against sini^-which is needed in our day. There is such a tendency to excuse sin, to make ligh t of sin, to pain t false pictures of God’s relation to sin and th e sinner, to probate the law -breaker instead of penalizing him, th a t it is difficult to bring men to a proper con sciousness of th e sinful n atu re which we all have and the terrib le conse quences for tim e and eternity. (3 ) THE SIN-PURGING F IRE , vs. 6 - 8 . Whenever th e sinner takes his place and confesses his sin, God’s remedy is immediate. He has provided a Saviour for th e sinner. We find an illu stration in Moses’ experience in th e 33rd chap te r of Exodus, and in th e experience of Manoah in Judges 13:22, 23: “A nd M an o ah sa id n n to h is w ife , W e s h a ll s u re ly die, b e c a u se w e h a v e se en God.
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