Chapter 64—Guarded by Seraphim
I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his
train filled the temple.
Isaiah 6:1
.
When God was about to send Isaiah with a message to His people, He
first permitted the prophet to look in vision into the holy of holies within the
sanctuary. Suddenly the gate and the inner veil of the temple seemed to be
uplifted or withdrawn, and he was permitted to gaze within, upon the holy of
holies, where even the prophet’s feet might not enter. There rose before him
a vision of Jehovah sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, while the train
of His glory filled the temple. Around the throne were seraphim, as guards
about the great King, and they reflected the glory that surrounded them. As
their songs of praise resounded in deep notes of adoration, the pillars of the
gate trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. With lips unpolluted by sin,
these angels poured forth the praises of God. “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord
of hosts,” they cried: “the whole earth is full of his glory” (
Isaiah 6:3
).
The seraphim around the throne are so filled with reverential awe as they
behold the glory of God, that they do not for an instant look upon themselves
with admiration. Their praise is for the Lord of hosts. As they look into the
future, when the whole earth shall be filled with His glory, the triumphant
song is echoed from one to another in melodious chant, “Holy, holy, holy,
is the Lord of hosts.” They are fully satisfied to glorify God; abiding in His
presence, beneath His smile of approbation, they wish for nothing more.
The world that Satan has claimed and has ruled over with cruel tyranny,
the Son of God has, by one vast achievement, encircled in His love and
connected again with the throne of Jehovah. Cherubim and seraphim, and
the unnumbered hosts of all the unfallen worlds, sang anthems of praise to
God and the Lamb when this triumph was assured. They rejoiced that the
way of salvation had been opened to the fallen race and that the earth would
be redeemed from the curse of sin. How much more should those rejoice
who are the objects of such amazing love! How can we ever be in doubt and
uncertainty, and feel that we are orphans?
[73]
103