A Temple …Filled With What?

 “In the year King Uzziah died I saw the Lord! He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the Temple was filled with his glory” Isaiah 6:1 TLB).

 After the death of King Solomon, Israel was split in half by civil dissension. Excessive taxation was the main issue. Some things never change! The southern two tribes became known as Judah with the other capital remaining in Jerusalem. The northern tribes were known as Israel, their capital in Samaria. Israel had a woeful record, 19 kings and 19 losers. Unfortunately, Judah didn’t fare much better, 20 kings, about a half dozen of them good.

 One of those good kings was excellent! His name was Uzziah. He reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem prior to his death in 740 B. C. The glory of God departed from Judah soon after his burial. If I were voting for Israel’s greatest king, my ballot would be cast for Uzziah, although my Israeli friends deride me for my choice, staying with David. But Uzziah never had women problems, he minded his family situation well, he never cost Israel tens of thousands of deaths by stupid decisions. During Uzziah’s reign, the nation prospered greatly. He brought the Philistines, the Arabians and the Ammonites into subjection. During Uzziah’s reign, the nation prospered greatly.

  So cast one ballot for Uzziah! But all good things must end and now this fine man was dead. The legendary prophet Isaiah had come to Jerusalem to mourn his passing. He entered the Temple, built long before by Solomon, and as he entered, he was overcome with a marvelous sight. With spiritual eyes, the prophet beheld the Lord God sitting upon a lofty throne, and the entire Temple was filled with the divine glory:

“Hovering about [the Lord] were mighty six-winged [angles of fire.] With two of their wings they covered their faces; with two others they covered their feet, and with two they flew. In a great antiphonal chorus they sang, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord [Almighty]; the whole earth is filled with His glory.’ Such singing it was! It shook the Temple to its foundations, and suddenly the entire sanctuary was filled with smoke” (Isaiah 6:2-4 The Living Bible).

 Isaiah was overcome by it all. He cried out, “My doom is sealed, for I am a foul mouthed sinner, a member of a foul mouthed race; and I have looked upon the King, the Lord of heaven’s armies” (Isaiah 6:5). Oh, what a presence of God was in that sacred place! It brought Isaiah to his face before God. I have often heard about people falling over backward after being prayed for by an evangelist. I have been asked what my response is and “As I read the Scripture I never read of saints falling over backwards after being prayed for by an evangelist. I never read about people falling over backwards in God’s presence. They always fell on their faces. Sinners fell backwards in scriptural accounts (such as the temple guards came to arrest Jesus in Gethsemane), but saints fall forward. I am not saying that those who fall over backwards in current church meetings are sinners. I am saying that in the Bible people who fell over backward were sinners. Isaiah was a saint of God! He fell on his face! And God spoke to him, “Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go? (Verse 8). And Isaiah responded eagerly, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.”