WHO WILL GO FOR US?

God loved the ruined creation so much that He prepared a plan to redeem it back to Himself. From the dark chaotic formless disarray God the Father commanded and God’s Son systematically brought order.  Laws of nature were set in place to govern all creative relationships apart from God the Father. In giant leaps each Divine fiat jumpstarted the processes needed to prepare a world and to eventually bring forth man in a creation distant from God due to sin.

Since Genesis is not a book about the creation there is no need for detail about how God created our world. With amazing accuracy just thirty-one verses generally summarize God’s formation and order of everything in the universe. No mention is made of the double helix of DNA, the strong nuclear force that holds atoms together, the weak nuclear force that holds molecules together, electromagnetic forces, gravity, cell structures, organ systems or any part of a vast library of scientific knowledge that man today has only begun to understand in an elementary way. Genesis only gives a simple “highly compressed”[1] description of complex development that was necessary to get to the real theme of Moses writings - the creation of man in God’s own image so that God in procreation with man might come as flesh to redeem.

In Genesis Moses was showing this new nation how through Israel all the nations of the world would be blessed. The Holiness of God’s Divine law demanded a substitute to redeem creation. Nothing in the creation would do. Even before this creation God’s plan was to send His Son through the nation of Israel, as the seed of Abraham, in the likeness of sinful flesh that had been made in His image and likeness.

In order for God’s Son to redeem the creation it needed much preparation for His coming and work. In God’s time this was not instant. It took “days.” First, He replaced His Light with a substitute on the first day. Light enabled simple subatomic particles to form elements and complex building blocks of life. On the second day divisions or partitions were made in the heavens. The boundaries of land and sea were decreed followed by the vegetation and trees on day three.  Heavenly substitutions of bodies of light to mark man’s time were formed on day four. Sea creatures and birds appeared on day five of God’s time. On day six the animals and man were formed according to God’s purpose.

One must remember time in these first thirty-one verses is relative to God’s time and not man’s time. With this thought also it could be possible that the seven days mentioned in Genesis may summarize the theme of the entire process of God’s redemption from beginning to end. Thus from man’s time, proceeding much slower, we could still be in day six with the seventh day of God’s rest to come when all is redeemed. The loving God could not rest until all the work or redemption and judgment of sin is completed. How could God rest with Lucifer loose in this dark world?

In Genesis God commands and creation responds over time following the natural laws He has set forth. On day three note that “vegetation” is not a divine instant command of God where it appears magically at the instant God finishes speaking. Rather we are told God commands and “the land” is allowed to “produce” through processes governed by Divine laws of nature.

                        Genesis 1:11

11 Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. NIV

God inspects the results of each commanding intervention into the creation.  While everything formed was “good”[2] it still lacked God’s light energy. Creation still suffered “from its bondage to decay.” Man was not perfect having to depend on the breakdown of other parts of the creation for energy to sustain life. He had to eat of trees of the garden. In perfection nothing ever breaks down, wears out or survives by absorbing the energy of other parts of the creation. More of this truth is discussed in Chapter 7- With What Body Do They Come? and Chapter 9- The New Heaven and The New Earth. God’s evaluation as good refers to the fulfillment of His purpose. The creation satisfied His design and plan of redemption. Nowhere are we told everything was “perfect” without decay already in progress.

The trees God made for man needed nutrients to bring forth fruit. No doubt bacteria, fungi, heat and light efficiently decayed other parts of the creation for the trees to grow. This growth required the death and decomposition of other parts of creation. The building blocks of the trees had to come from the breakdown of other sources of the creation. Man was designed to survive in intricate balance of a controlled decay of creation. 

 This decaying creation groans to return to God the Father’s life sustaining Light and energy. All function and existence is not as it was before Lucifer’s fall.

                        Romans 8:19-22

19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. NIV

The creation in Genesis is far from perfection like the New Heaven and the New Earth to come. There is no “paradise lost.” Nothing in Scripture alludes to a return to anything like the existence Adam and Eve experienced in the garden prepared by God prior to the sin of man. In the creations imperfection of separation, God decided to manage, or in good stewardship, use the time variation to His advantage for a great loving plan. Within the full framework of creation’s time, God the Father would gather it all back together as one by Christ.

                        Ephesians 1:10

10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment-to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. NIV

                        Ephesians 1:10

10 unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, (I say,) ASV

In God the Father’s plan, He would send His Son and continually draw the creation to Himself by God the Holy Spirit. But could God fulfill this wonderful plan by Himself? The answer to this question is no. God as He looks lovingly at fallen mankind asks….

 Who Will God For Us?

Around eight hundred years after Moses writing of Genesis Isaiah the prophet shares a vision he received in Scripture. Isaiah was burdened due to the wickedness of mankind as seen in Israel. As Isaiah prays over his discouragement with sin God answers his prayers with a vision of Himself and the heavens that challenged Isaiah in his service of God. Isaiah’s vision of the heavens helped him to see God’s need and encouraged him to greater faithfulness to share God’s message to the people God loves. 

God’s Temple Not of This Creation

 

                        Isaiah 6:1

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. NIV

In the year King Uzziah dies, Isaiah was shown a spectacular vision. In this vision Isaiah was shown God’s divine throne, train and temple. He was privileged to understand the power and greatness of the God who had called him in service. Little is specifically known about this place of Isaiah’s vision because no man has ever actually been to the temple of God in the heavens due to sin.

However, God does share with mankind some sibilance of understanding of His present domain in the kingdom of heaven. God gave to Israel through Moses the earthly Temple as a pattern of the heavens of the present creation. [See Appendix – Figure 4 – Artists conception of the Tabernacle of God in the Wilderness of Sinai.]

                        Hebrews 8:5

5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." NIV

                        Colossians 2:16-17

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. NIV

                        Hebrews 10:1

1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. NIV

The belief that the tabernacle of Israel is a pattern of the actual heavens of the Temple of God is not new. Uninspired extra-Biblical Jewish writings[3] state that the Tabernacle, as well as its furnishings and implements, are a picture of what is in heaven:

Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 149a - "... the structure of the Tabernacle corresponds to the structure of heaven and earth."

Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 231a - "Now, the Tabernacle below was likewise made after the pattern of the supernal Tabernacle in all its details. For the Tabernacle in all its works embraced all the works and achievements of the upper world and the lower, whereby the Shekinah was made to abide in the world, both in the higher spheres and the lower. Similarly, the Lower Paradise is made after the pattern of the Upper Paradise, and the latter contains all the varieties of forms and images to be found in the former. Hence the work of the Tabernacle, and that of heaven and earth, come under one and the same mystery."

Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 235b - "Now, the lower and earthly Tabernacle was the counterpart of the upper Tabernacle, whilst the latter in its turn is the counterpart of a higher Tabernacle, the most high of all. All of them, however, are implied within each other and form one complete whole, as it says: "that the tabernacle may be one whole" (Ex. XXVI, 6). The Tabernacle was erected by Moses, he alone being allowed to raise it up, as only a husband may raise up his wife. With the erection of the lower Tabernacle there was erected another Tabernacle on high. This is indicated in the words "the tabernacle was reared up (hukam)" (Ex. XL, 17), reared up, that is, by the hand of no man, but as out of the supernal undisclosed mystery in response to the mystical force indwelling in Moses that it might be perfected with him."

Like Moses, Isaiah was shown a vision of God’s tabernacle of the heavens. In it he saw God’s throne exalted and lifted up high. The train of his robe filling the temple pictured the power and authority of God over the heavens. [See Appendix – Figure 2 – The Present Heavens]

                        Psalms 103:19

19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. NIV

                        Psalms 11:4

4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. NIV

                        1 Chronicles 29:11

11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. NIV

Additional prophets other than Moses and Isaiah have also seen visions of God’s throne and temple in the heavens. Scripture tells of Ezekiel, Isaiah, David, Paul, and John seeing this tabernacle not made with hands in the heavens. Paul shared his experience as defense of his apostleship and understanding of spiritual matters. As well the Apostle John was called up to the heavens to record prophecy.

                        2 Corinthians 12:1-4

1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows. 3 And I know that this man-whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows- 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. NIV

                        Revelation 4:1

1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." NIV

Isaiah, in the company of few ever to live was blessed indeed to see into God’s heavenly temple. He then proceeded to give more details of this heavenly revelation.

God’s Angelic Protection

 

Isaiah 6:2

2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. NIV

Among the man creatures God has created are beings called “seraphs” and “cherubim.” [See Appendix – Figure 5 – Artists conception of the Cherubim of the Ark of the Covenant] These are part of a complex order of angels and other beings of God’s creation. The term “seraph” means burning or to appear on fire. The name depicts the appearance of these beings to man. Clothed by the brightness of light these beings appear to be on fire. These beings have six wings. They are distinguished from the Cherubim who only have four wings.

These special creations of God’s government function to protect His holiness and purity from all defilement. These special angels stand between God and the sinful creation at this time. Note that these ancient protectors of God in relation to Isaiah were “above him.” They stood between Isaiah and God’s throne. Isaiah knew he could not approach God in closeness and fellowship.

When God spoke to Moses “face to face” as shared in Scripture, during conversation the cherubim separated God and Moses. God spoke from between the two cherubim and showed to all sinful man was still alienated from God.

                        Numbers 7:89

89 When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony. And he spoke with him. NIV

Isaiah like Ezekiel, Moses, David, John and other saw these “fire” like creatures of God. These beings serve God faithfully to guard Him and carry out His will. The angels of the tabernacle teaches us without atonement for sin no man will ever come into the presence of Almighty God as long as it is up to these created beings.

God’s Glorified Power and Exalted Holiness

What do the angels think about their creator? When they talk what do they say about their maker? As Isaiah is separated from God by these angels, he could hear them above him. What did he hear them say?

                        Isaiah 6:3

3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." NIV

The angelic host recognizes God’s holiness and purity. They understand all creation personifies the Father’s glory. Everything in the earth shouts the existence of the Lord Almighty.

This word “Holy” has in it the idea of separate as pure and just. Throughout the Scriptures we are told of the Holiness of God. He is not a George Burns as in the movie Oh God! that told dirty jokes, smoked cigars and embraced the detestable of men. Man is constantly attempting to understand God at a human level. There is a persistent lowering of God to idols of gold, wood or stone and immoral vice. Read what Moses and John write about God in heaven.

                        Deuteronomy 32:4

4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. NIV

                        Revelation 15:3-4

3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." NIV

The Apostle John saw how the saints in heaven future as they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. All of the saints recognize that God alone is holy. The angels, who continually serve God, see God for who He really is and know He is Holy.

 

God’s Angelic Adoration and Prayers

We do not know the number of all God’s creations in heaven. What would happen if they all were to speak at once? Isaiah heard this amazing sound as these created beings spoke together.

                        Isaiah 6:4

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. NIV

Heaven is filled with creatures created by God who continually adore God, pray to Him and praise His Holiness. There are so many that to Isaiah heaven seemed to shake at its foundations when they all spoke. The smoke probably represents the temple incense picturing God’s heavenly domain filled with prayers.

The Apostle John as well was shown other creations of God. Consider what the twenty-four elders and the living creatures say before God and His Son.

                        Revelation 4:6-11

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." NIV

No place in Scripture are we told these creatures are allegories or pictures of some aspect of mankind. In our under the earth perspective, we attempt to explain them by our earthly understanding. These beings have probably existed from the beginning. Whoever they are they constantly exalt God’s holiness and almighty power. They vocalize their acknowledgment of God giving glory, thanks and honor. They offer God their “crowns”[4] picturing they know any success they experience in the domains of their existence always comes from their Creator.

God’s Vision Before Sinful Man

Isaiah saw God for who He really is. He could have only one correct response about himself and mankind.

                         

                        Isaiah 6:5

5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." NIV

Those who feel themselves righteous can only do so by comparison to others of humanity. Any comparison to the King, the LORD Almighty can only yield one reply, “I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.”

Throughout the Scriptures man is reminded of how he compares to a Holy God. Paul clearly describes in several verses of Romans this contrast of God and man.

                        Romans 3:23

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, NIV

                        Romans 3:10-12

10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."  NIV

God’s Atoning Grace Cleansing Sin

Isaiah was broken as he saw the reality before him  - but God was prepared to meet his need. The tabernacle of Israel detailed God’s provision for his sinfulness before a Holy God.

                        Isaiah 6:6-7

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." NIV

Isaiah was very familiar with the Old Testament altar and its significance. Throughout his lifetime he had seen many sacrifices upon the altar. Isaiah was shown with the “live coal” by way of the altar he would be forgiven of his sin. The actual sacrificial Lamb of Jesus Christ had not been given.  The angel would have difficulty showing the sacrifice of the Son of God in an enactment of blood redemption. The Lamb for the altar was his Lord and God. The altar was probably enough to get the message across to Isaiah. The Apostle Paul’s describes  this wonderful offering of God as fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

                        Hebrews 9:22-28

22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. NIV

                        Romans 3:22-26

22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. NIV

The work of the earthly tabernacle of Israel pictured the work that Jesus would do for the salvation of mankind. Once a year the high priest would enter into the Holy of Holies and offer upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant the blood of a sacrificial lamb. The Cherubim with wings touching looked down upon this blood upon the mercy seat. The sacrifice would satisfy the Cherubim in allowing those redeemed into the presence of God the Father. In this blood sacrifice God the Father offers forgiveness. In Jesus Christ atonement for sin has been made. 

God’s Call For Help

God then puts forth a question after showing the blessing of His salvation. Having now come to a greater understanding of God’s Holiness in this Divine Temple, Isaiah was ready for a special call of God.

                        Isaiah 6:8

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" NIV

Why does God need help? Why does not a Holy and Just God Who is all-powerful as the Almighty just come to mankind Himself? The answer is He cannot because of sin. God is separated from His beloved creation by sin. He cannot come Himself, so He asks, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

Isaiah seeing the holiness, glory and love of God feels only one response to God’s need for help. “Here am I. Send me!”

Many Biblical writers in understanding this vision and calling of God were inspired to describe our position in God’s service.

                        2 Corinthians 5:17-21

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV

                        1 Corinthians 3:5-9

5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe-as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. NIV

God’s Commission to His Servants

 

                        Isaiah 6:9

9 He said, "Go and tell this people:"`Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' NIV

Answering God’s call Isaiah receives his commission. Every child of God in the same way has received a commission to God’s kingdom work. Each is created in Jesus Christ to good works that God has before ordained. Throughout the inspired Word of God the challenges of this commission are set forth.

                        Mark 16:15

15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

                         

                        Luke 24:46-47

46 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

                         

                        John 15:16

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

                         

                        Matthew 9:36-38

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

                         

                        Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." NIV

                         

                        John 4:35

35 Do you not say, `Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

                         

                        Luke 14:23

23 "Then the master told his servant, `Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. NIV