Trinity Sunday, 2003
Isaiah 6:1-8

In 1672 King Louis XIV of France had reached the zenith of his power. The Sun King was his title, for the beams of his kingdom were supposed to shine everywhere. Assisted by legions of servants, he walked the ornate halls of the Palace of Versailles, dined in splendor, and slept in lavish surroundings. His armies were magnificent, well armed and seemingly invincible. However, the Protestant countries blocked the rays of the Sun King. King Louis would therefore eliminate this rival faith and bring it under his Catholic empire.

His last obstacle to achieving hegemony over the continent of Europe was Holland, led by the young William of Orange. Louis invaded Holland in the spring of 1672. The outlying cities and fortresses of Holland fell like dominoes. The French were a mere one day's march from Amsterdam and ready to attack. At that moment, William ordered his men to cut the dikes. The sea rolled in, flooding crops and meadows, engulfing houses and gardens, drowning cattle and pigs, and undoing the labor of many generations. Amsterdam, the capital of Holland, now became an island. The French regiments, lacking boats, could only stare at the city from a distance.

To Louis' chagrin, although the Dutch army was beaten, and half of Holland inundated, William refused to yield. In fact, William's troops repeatedly crossed the waters and counterattacked. The Sun King withdrew his troops in defeat.

How was it that the Dutch under the command of 21 year old William of Orange could triumph over an adversary many times stronger, larger and better equipped? His soldiers remembered him riding on horseback, an orange sash over one shoulder, an orange scarf around his neck. Indifferent to fatigue, he led one charge after another against the enemy, from dawn until nightfall. How did he overcome the odds? According to historian Robert Massie, William was guided at bottom by a steely Calvinist belief in predestination. He was convinced that God was in control, that God had appointed his family as an instrument to lead the Protestant cause, and that God had preordained victory. Despite depressing defeats, and a desperate disadvantage, the sovereignty and predestination of the Almighty served as a granite foundation to the faith of William of Orange.

The particular doctrine of God that steeled the resolve of William of Orange can help us also in our hardships. On this Trinity Sunday let us explore the attributes of God that have to do with His greatness. Reading Isaiah 6:1-3. [Read them.]

While Isaiah is in the Temple praying, he sees a vision of God. He beholds the Lord seated on His throne, and hears the angels hovering before Him in adoration. The angelic beings call to one another: "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory" (v. 3). The Sanctus , the thrice repeated "holy," is another way of proclaiming, "The Lord reigns; God is King!" A king seated on a throne is a picture of power and authority. Ezekiel viewed the same scene and testified of whirling wheels below the seat of the heavenly throne. The living creatures and spinning wheels were emblems of endless energy; God on the throne is thus infinitely and eternally powerful.

Anyone who has given his life to Jesus, and embraces the Lordship of God senses His power and control over everything. From the most minute cells studied under a microscope to the most distant galaxies gazed at through a telescope, all things visible and invisible were created by the Almighty's nod, sustained by His Son, and governed by His hand. Nothing happens without His consent, and all things have their God-appointed purpose.

This realization of God's sovereignty instills hope and courage. It strengthened William of Orange during his ordeals with the enemy; it can strengthen you and me as well. How is that possible? A couple examples may help clarify the idea.

About ten years ago, the mother of a pastor friend of mine died unexpectedly. Besides my friend's loss of a wonderful mother, the timing was awful. This minister had been preparing for a week of special meetings with university students. The Church members had put out tremendous footwork inviting people to these meetings and advertising them. Just when we were ready to begin, she died. Some of the events had to be cancelled, and he had to deal with the grief of his mother's death. Throughout his bereavement, this priest told me several times that the doctrine of God's sovereignty is what sustained him. It was a magnificent comfort.

Here's another illustration. I was once part of a crew that constructed a windmill. An expert came to a village in Paraguay to demonstrate how a windmill could be built from scratch in a relatively remote area. There was no Home Depot down the street. After all the necessary materials were collected we began. The engineer divided us up into small groups and had us working on some aspect of the apparatus. My group was told to bend and file some metal pieces. I remember my colleague and I asking each other, "How and where is this going to fit?" Sure enough, all the pieces were brought together, connected, and assembled. The project was complete. The wind blew, the wheel turned, the parts moved, and water splashed forth. Many of us had worked at our tasks not knowing how it would come together in the end. But it did. The engineer was good. He had things under control and he knew what he was doing. If that is the case, how much more should we trust God who works out everything for our good and His glory?

To know that nothing happens in the world apart from the will of God may frighten the godless, and puzzle those who wonder about free will, but it stabilizes the saints. It assures them that God has everything worked out ahead of time, and that everything that happens has a purpose, whether or not you can comprehend it at the time. Trying to make sense of the trials that afflict you can be a frustrating and confusing exercise. Nevertheless, knowing that God is on the throne can uphold you under pressure, and carry you through the bewilderment, pain, and hostility that make no apparent sense. Article 17 of the Thirty-Nine Articles says it just right: "The godly consideration of Predestination, and our Election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort to godly persons" Yes, God's sovereign power and predestination are comforting doctrines.

The greatness of God emerges in many ways in Isaiah's heavenly picture. Verse two says, "Above [the throne] stood seraphim; each had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet and with two he flew." The vision was of God high and exalted, with the six-winged seraphs hovering before him in worship. Note the posture of their pinions. The Church has long given symbolic meaning to the six wings of these seraphs. Let's consider this symbolism. Some of it offers helpful instruction.

The gesture of two wings covering each angel's face is expresses reverent restraint in God's presence. The angels' covered faces teach us that it is proper to practice reverence in the presence of God. Our worship on earth should imitate as closely as possible the worship of Heaven; it is a pattern for the Church to follow. On the Lord's Day the Church on earth joins with all the company of Heaven, the choir of angels, and the souls of saints. What the creatures do above, the creatures do below. This explains why worship demands a degree of silence, proper praise, respectful gestures, and solemn joy. The liturgy of earth follows the liturgy of Heaven.

Two wings also covered each angel's feet. That expresses the spirit of self-effacement in God's presence, another aspect of true worship. Genuine worshipers want to blot themselves out of the picture, calling no attention to themselves. They realize that all must concentrate without distraction on God alone. Proper worship is careful to avoid focusing on the personality of a particular person or parson. The minister leading the worship preaches the word and administers the sacraments, but only as an icon of Christ, not as a superstar seeking the adulation of others. God is the One who is great, and light must be thrown on His greatness. Self-effacing humility before God is the way to uplift Him ­ that is the lesson of the angel's covered feet.

Two wings covered the seraph's faces; two covered their feet. How about the two wings in the middle? These were used to help the seraphs hover. The rapid movement of the two center wings is what allowed the angels to float before God's throne as hummingbirds hover before a lily. At our home, we have watched hummingbirds hang momentarily in flight at one red bottlebrush and then dart off to another. This is the idea suggested by the hovering seraphim. They are always ready to dart away ­ to go for God, to run His errands, and relay His messages as soon as the command is given. Someday we will find out how truly active the angels are in protecting us from car accidents and controlling the rains. God is constantly sending out His messengers to execute His will. The speedy angels are ready to go. Such readiness also belongs to the spirit of true worship ­ worship that acknowledges the lordship and greatness of God.

Are you ready to serve? The six-winged seraphs give us an example to follow. They are servants ready to do God's will. And what makes them so eager to carry out the Lord's orders? The greatness of God! Men and women are more willing to make huge sacrifices for someone great. A trace of this can be seen in our relationships on earth. The basketball coach John Wooden was able to build championship teams year after year. Basketball players under his coaching excelled because of his greatness. Apparently Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson commanded extraordinary loyalty and sacrifice from their soldiers. Everyone on the North and South sensed the greatness of these men.

In similar fashion the seraphs come before God and they are ready to go, ready to serve. We also must seek a vision of God's greatness Sunday after Sunday, a vision that will propel us out the doors of the Church ready to serve others, ready to share the Gospel, and give our best to the Lord. Let us constantly remind ourselves of the greatness of the Triune Lord. God the Father is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe; Jesus is the Savior and Lord of the world; and the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier of the people of God. What and who could possibly be greater than God Almighty? One God, Three Persons. "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

The prophet Malachi spoke of the greatness of God. In Malachi 1:11 he connected God's greatness to the Eucharist. He prophesied, " 'For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,' says the Lord of hosts."

This word of Malachi is certainly a prophesy of the future. How was it fulfilled? It was fulfilled in the Church's celebration of the sacrament. The Eucharist is an offering of thanksgiving and praise to God in which the greatness of His name is proclaimed: "My name shall be great among the Gentiles." That is what you experience at the feast of King Jesus.

Our worship, like the angels' worship, must include the element of reverent restraint, self-effacement, and readiness to serve, or we shall really be diminishing God, losing sight of His greatness and bringing Him down to our level. Let's avoid that mistake.

Try today to get a sense of the greatness of God that the six-winged seraphs expressed. Envision it. Ask God to put it into your soul how great He is. As you come to the Holy Communion, give your reverence and honor to God Almighty. Commit yourself afresh to serving Him and others.

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