| Christian Life and Doctrine | August 1965 |
A Vision of the Lord
“I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.” —Isaiah 6:1-4
THE Scriptures inform us that no man can see God and live. (Exod. 33:20) It follows, then, that Isaiah did not see the Lord literally, but in a vision. In this vision he witnessed a marvelous display of divine glory. The seraphims were a part of the vision. We do not know today just what might be represented by the six wings possessed by each seraphim Isaiah saw in the vision, but the important thing to note is that everything in the vision combined to impress the prophet with the holiness and the glory of the Lord.
In the vision Isaiah saw “the Lord sitting upon a throne,” and he wrote that “the whole earth is full of his glory.” While the Lord has permitted evil to flourish throughout the earth since the disobedience of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, he has always maintained his commanding position of control, not only over the affairs of earth, but of his entire universe. He has never vacated his throne. And it is true that the whole earth is filled with his glory. Certainly there is much in the earth that is inglorious. The sin-cursed and dying race itself does not reflect the glory of God. But those who reverence the Lord see his glory displayed all around and above them.
“The heavens declare the glory of God,” the Psalmist wrote. (Ps. 19:1) The glory of God is displayed in all his marvelous creative works—the mountains, the oceans, the trees, the flowers. Jesus said that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as beautifully as the common lilies of the field. (Matt. 6:28,29) To a large extent, however, Isaiah’s statement that the glory of the Lord fills the earth was prophetic of the time when the restitution feature of the divine plan will be complete. It will be then, in the fullest sense, that the glory of the Lord will fill the earth, and it will be then that all flesh will recognize that glory and rejoice in it.—Isa. 40:5
Seeing the Lord “high and lifted up” caused Isaiah to feel very unworthy. He said, “Woe is me! for I am undone [margin, ‘cut off’]; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (vs. 5) Seemingly the vision was so real that the prophet thought he had seen the Lord literally, and therefore would be “cut off.” He knew that in any event he was not worthy of life.
But the Lord had other plans for Isaiah, who explained, saying, “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” (vss. 6,7) Isaiah further explained: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah quickly grasped the meaning of the vision. He realized that the Lord was calling him into his service, and his immediate and hearty response was, “Here am I: send me.”—vs. 8
Other Visions
Other instances are recorded in the Scriptures in which God used a vision to call individuals into his service. There was the incident of Moses at the burning bush. Ezekiel was introduced to his prophetic ministry by “visions of God” which he saw when “the heavens were opened” to him. (Ezek. 1:1) The “heavens” were also opened to Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. (Matt. 3:16,17) The Apostle Paul referred to his experience on the Damascus road, which brought about his conversion and entrance into the ministry, as a “heavenly vision,” to which, he declared, he had not been disobedient.”—Acts 26:19
No two of the special visions mentioned in the Bible were alike, although they all served to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the glory of God for those to whom they were given. The Lord’s people during the Gospel Age have also been given the privilege of “seeing” God, not by means of a miraculous vision such as was given to Isaiah and others, but through an understanding of his plans and purposes.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) It is true that those who partake of the high calling, and make their calling and election sure, will, when exalted to the divine nature, see God face to face. But we are privileged to “see” him now in the sense of discerning the glorious attributes of his character as they are revealed to us through the glorious Gospel of Christ. And it is only the “pure in heart” to whom this information is given in such a revealing manner.
Purity of heart, however, is not the only qualification for seeing this “vision.” Throughout the Gospel Age there have doubtless been millions whose hearts were pure, but God did not bless them with an understanding of his divine plan of the ages. The “time of visitation” for these will be during the Millennial Age, when the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.—Isa. 11:9
Jesus explained to his disciples that many in the past, holy men, and even prophets, had desired to see the things which they saw, but did not see them. (Matt. 13:16,17; Luke 10:23,24; I Pet. 1:10,11) How highly the disciples were honored in that to them it had been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven! (Mark 4:11) There were only a few at that time and since who have been given eyes to “see” and ears to “hear.” This should increase our appreciation of the fact that we have been among the few honored ones to whom the Lord has given this “vision” by which we have been enabled to “see” him, “high and lifted up.”
A Glorious Vision
The “vision” of truth with which the Lord has favored us is glorious indeed. It begins with the creation of man in the divine image, and the knowledge that it was the Creator’s design that man should multiply and fill the earth with a perfect and happy family, basking in the sunshine of divine love, and enjoying the blessings of continuous health and everlasting life. Then we saw the fall of man into sin and death, and his expulsion from the garden home eastward in Eden which God had prepared for him.
These basic truths are set forth clearly in the opening chapter of the Bible, and one would think that all who read the Bible could understand them. But they cannot! The general conception is that man’s existence on earth is merely temporary. Death is looked upon, not as the extinction of life, but as a portal into another life in some unknown state which, it is hoped, will be a happy one. Holding such views, it is impossible to understand Paul’s simple assertion that “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”—Rom. 6:23
When, through the Holy Spirit, we come to understand the simple truths pertaining to the creation and fall of man, we are prepared to “see” God in his true light as revealed by his wise and loving plan for the recovery of fallen man from death. How meaningful and precious becomes the text, “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16
As we know, the death penalty upon Adam, which was passed on to his children, would have been permanent but for the love of God in providing a Redeemer. The word “perish” describes the thought very well. But because Jesus came into the world and gave his life for Adam and his race, there is now no need that any should “perish.” What would have been eternal oblivion, has, by God’s loving provision of a Redeemer, been transformed into a temporary “sleep” from which there will be an awakening in the resurrection. Paul expressed it clearly when he wrote, “Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”—I Cor. 15:21,22
The Promised “Seed”
The details of the divine plan for the recovery of mankind from sin and death are revealed step by step throughout the Bible. God made a wonderful promise to Abraham that through his “Seed” all the families of the earth would be blessed. (Gen. 12:3) Later he confirmed this promise by his oath. (Gen. 22:15-18; Luke 1:73) In Galatians 3:8,16 Jesus is identified as this promised seed of Abraham; and in verses 27-29 of this same chapter it is disclosed that those who are baptized into Christ—his dedicated and self-sacrificing followers—are also considered by the Lord to be a part of “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
In Acts 3:19-26 is recorded part of a sermon preached by Peter, in which he stated God’s purpose to restore the world of mankind to life. He spoke of the era in the divine plan when this will be accomplished as “times of restitution of all things,” and added that this blessed work of restitution had been spoken by the mouth of all God’s holy prophets since the world began. And then, to the Israelites to whom he was speaking, Peter added, “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
God’s promise was that Abraham’s seed would bless all the families of the earth, and Peter assures us that there will be “times of restitution of all things.” But “first,” he explains, God sent his Son, the promised “Seed,” to bless the Israelites who accepted Jesus at the time of his first advent. Not many of the natural descendants of Abraham accepted Jesus, whom the Heavenly Father had sent into the world to be the Savior and Deliverer of mankind. Those who did accept him were richly blessed. They did not receive the blessing of restitution, but were invited to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and if faithful in laying down their lives in sacrifice, were assured of a place with him in his kingdom when it would be dispensing the blessings of restitution to the remainder of the world of mankind. Shortly after Pentecost, this richer blessing of joint-heirship with the Master was extended to believing Gentiles.
Plan Develops
As the plan of God has moved forward throughout the ages, certain important events are seen. There was the giving of the Law at Sinai. The purpose of the Law, Paul explains, was to serve as a “schoolmaster” to bring them and us to Christ. (Gal. 3:24) This means that the inability of the Israelites to keep the Law, and thereby gain life, has taught us the need of the Redeemer, and of his shed blood on our behalf, and on behalf of the whole world. Thus the Law will stand as an everlasting testimony that God’s way of redemption through his beloved Son was the only way mankind could be delivered from sin and death.
The first advent of Jesus was another important event in the outworking of the divine plan of salvation. Jesus was born of a woman, and thus “made flesh” to be sacrificed for the life of the world. (John 6:51) During the period of his short ministry Jesus selected his apostles, and together with them and seventy others sometimes termed evangelists, bore witness to the Gospel of the kingdom throughout the land of Israel.
The earthly ministry of Jesus was concluded by his death on the cross. There he poured out his soul unto death, that Adam and his children might live. Isaiah wrote, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”—Isa. 53:7-10
The “pleasure of the Lord” is his loving design to bless all the kindreds of the earth through Christ and his church, as the promised “Seed” of Abraham. Jesus’ death did not interfere with this plan, but made it workable in that it provided redemption, and thus salvation for all who would accept it on the terms of belief and obedience. Jesus was raised from the dead—another important event in the divine plan—that he might become man’s Deliverer. It is thus that his days were prolonged, making it possible for “the pleasure of the Lord” to prosper in his hand so completely that in due time even death itself will be destroyed.
Gospel-Age Work
The outworking of the plan of God throughout the Gospel Age is another important event in the divine plan of the ages. It is during this age that the Lord calls out from the world those to whom the opportunity is offered to suffer and die with Jesus that they might live and reign with him for the future blessing of mankind with health and everlasting life. While denominationalism has presented an imposing spectacle to the world, the dedicated followers of the Master have been but “a little flock,” and they have been largely unnoticed and unknown by the world. (Luke 12:32) God’s work in them has been one of grace in their hearts. He accepts their imperfect service through the merit of Christ’s blood; he guides and helps them in their every time of need. The course of each and all of these is finished in sacrificial death, and their death has been “precious” in the sight of the Lord.—Ps. 116:15
Still another important event in the plan of God is the return of Christ at the end of the age. His second visit, which, according to the Scriptures, has already begun, will continue until the end of his reign, even until all the enemies of God and of righteousness are put down, and death itself destroyed. In the early period of Christ’s second presence he serves as Chief Reaper in the “harvest” which Jesus foretold would take place just before the “children of the kingdom” “shine forth as the sun” for the enlightenment and blessing of the people.—Matt. 13:37-43
As Jesus was raised from the dead and exalted to glory, honor, and immortality at the beginning of the age, so his followers are brought forth in what the Bible describes as “the first resurrection” at the close of the age. (Rev. 20:6) The Scriptures indicate that those who finish their course in death during the harvest period do not remain asleep in death, but at once receive their resurrection and exaltation.—I Cor. 15:51,52; I Thess. 4:16,17; Rev. 5:10; 7:1-4
Restitution
Then there is that blessed work of restitution, when “the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion” with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads,” and when “they shall obtain joy and gladness and when “sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isa. 35:10; Rev. 21:4) This will be the glorious consummation of the divine plan of salvation. It will be then that restored mankind will say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, … we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”—Isa. 25:9
In his plan, God has made provision for the punishment of any who willfully oppose his grace after they have been given a full understanding of the issues involved. Peter mentioned this in connection with his discourse pertaining to “the times of restitution of all things.” He said, “It shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) “The wages of sin” will still be death, and any who prefer willfully to transgress God’s law will be punished by what the Scriptures term “the second death.” (Rev. 20:14,15) Thus the earth will be cleansed from sin and cleared of sinners, and the willing and obedient of mankind will rejoice in the love of God forever.
God’s Attributes
We have not undertaken to mention all the details of the revealing vision of truth with which the Lord has blessed his people at the present time, but in what we have noted we can “see” God in the sense of discerning the four cardinal attributes of his character, those attributes which combine to proclaim his glory. We see his wisdom in all his creative works—and particularly in man, his crowning earthly creation. It is impossible for us today even to imagine all the virtues and capabilities of a perfect man.
We see God’s justice in the condemnation of man because of sin, and also in his plan to redeem him from death through the provision of another perfect man to be a Redeemer. In this provision we also see an outstanding demonstration of God’s love, even as we do in many other features of his plan. Indeed, in one way or another all God’s attributes are displayed in essentially every aspect of his plan. We see his power in creation, in the resurrection, in the care of his people. To call attention to all the various ways in which God’s Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power are revealed in the outworking of his plan of the ages would require books, not just a short article such as this is.
And it is this glorious plan of the ages which has served as a “vision” to enable us to “see” God “high and lifted up.” What has been the Lord’s purpose in giving us this vision? It is the same purpose he had when he revealed himself in that vision to Isaiah. Through the vision of present truth the Lord is asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” In other words, God has enlightened us with a knowledge of his plan because he wants us to make known his kingdom Gospel to others.
It is a wonderfully satisfying thing to know the truth. This is especially so today when there is so much fear and uncertainty in the world. The truth gives us peace of mind, and of heart. It gives us security for the present, and a glorious hope for the future. These are among the benefits of truth’s vision. Doubtless Isaiah many times recalled the details of the vision in which he saw the Lord, and rejoiced in his reflections. But he knew at the same time that the main purpose of the vision was to inspire him with the desire and strength to serve his God as one of his holy prophets. To this grand commission Isaiah was faithful.
Have we responded to the vision as Isaiah did? Have we said to the Lord, in the spirit of full consecration, “Here am I, send me”? (Isa. 6:8) Over and over again in the Bible it is emphasized that the followers of Jesus are to be his witnesses. Each text of the Word in which our privilege of bearing witness to the truth is mentioned is a reminder that we have received the vision of truth, not merely to treasure up for ourselves, but to proclaim to others. In Revelation 20:4 we are informed that those who will live and reign with Christ are the ones who “are beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God.”
What is accomplished in our witness work relative to the enlightenment of others is not our special concern. It is God that gives the increase. Our responsibility in obeying the vision of truth is to proclaim the message, and this we are to continue to do so long as the way is open, and until we have been faithful even unto death. And what a glorious privilege it is to proclaim the virtues of our God as we “see” him in the divine plan of salvation! Truly we have been honored by having this vision revealed to us. May we show our appreciation by being faithful to all its implications!