Holy Is the Lord -- Anonymous Seraphim

 

Isaiah saw and heard them saying this, and it must have been an awesome experience. How many seraphim Isaiah saw is not shared by the ancient prophet (Two seraphim [Petites Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry] surround God in the 14th-century illuminated manuscript shown here, courtesy of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.), but what they said was so powerful that is shook the foundations and terrified the one who was witness to this vision. “Holy Is the Lord” is only a partial rendering of this thunderous exclamation. It makes those of us who’ve yet to see Him close up, or indeed any of his servants in His holy throne room, pause and reconsider how we are to live and best approach His seat of perfection, the standard by which His judgement will rest on each of us. How could anyone face such purity, being aware of one’s grimy condition?

 

That question was undoubtedly what so troubled Isaiah (Isaiah 6:3-5), as he cowered in the presence of the Almighty God and His seraphim. “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.”(v.5) Isaiah knew that it was dangerous to actually lay eyes upon the Lord God, for Moses had once asked God about this and had been warned that such a sight would be fatal (Exodus 33:20-23). So, that must have told the prophet what a grave risk it was to even be in His presence. If seeing was perilous, might not hearing also be just as hazardous? And it wasn’t just that God was being described as holy, but rather as holy multiplied three times, and therefore an emphasis on the infinite nature of His being. This was further underscored with what the Seraphim added -- the whole earth is full of his glory. He’s not just in one place but everywhere, making any effort to hide from this Divine One a futile exercise. All you can do is bow and beg for mercy. At least, that’s probably what Isaiah reckoned was his only recourse. What does one do, after all, during an earthquake when the doorposts and thresholds shake and a room is filled with smoke (v. 4)? I try to find cover or get out of the way of heavy objects that might crush my body. And, that was just a consequence of the sound of the words from the beings who proclaimed Him, the object of their announcement. Declaring Him is therefore a formidable assignment, as these heavenly beings must have understood intrinsically. Do we as humans, made in His image, always grasp that when we use His name or call out to Him?

 

Thank God for the next few verses of Isaiah chapter 6, for without them we’d have no hope. Instead, a seraph touched Isaiah with the God-provided medicine to atone for his mistakes (vv.6-7), prompting Isaiah to respond positively to the Lord’s call for a messenger. He responded in his era (7^th and 8^th Centuries BC), and I am one who can also respond some 28 centuries later. Though the seraphim did not mention them, there’s two other members of the Godhead that are so very important, Ones He has provided. Indeed, One is the embodiment of the metaphorical coal that touched Isaiah’s lips – Jesus Messiah – who compensates for my wrongs before the Holy Father; and the other is the Spirit, my guide, advocate, and counselor (John 14:15-31) who gives me daily what I need to stay in touch with God. I am thus released from danger when I echo the words of the seraphim. I can sing of the holiness of Him three times over, and honor the Son and the Spirit in the same breath, all without fear, even as I stand in awe of Him. Just picture His seraph-servant touching you with a piece of coal with Jesus’ imprint on it, while the Spirit translates God’s embrace.    

 

There have been many songs containing the words ‘Holy Is the Lord’, but see the Songs of Faith and Praise hymnal (hymn #32), by Howard Publishing, 1994, for the version discussed in this blog entry. This version of this song-hymn is also found here: https://hymnary.org/text/holy_holy_holy_holy_is_the_lord_holy_hol

 

Read here about the creatures that uttered the words of this song. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph

 

See information on the image here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Seraphim_-_Petites_Heures_de_Jean_de_Berry.jpg …This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. {{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States….image is found inside this document -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph

Hymn of Glory -- Charles Christmas

 

Do you think it was tough for this songwriter having the same name as a culturally significant holiday like Christmas? Charles Christmas must have been asked that a thousand times, and perhaps also his family that gave him that name! This unusual circumstance also means that this songwriter of something called “Hymn of Glory” is fairly anonymous, except for his words and the year (1974) in which this work was written/published. No specific biographic information is forthcoming when one composes a search query for him; instead, all kinds of information about the holiday result from such an endeavor. What Charles wrote for us actually suggests that he did not, and still does not today (if he is living), mind that he is hidden from view. When a poet-songwriter directs attention elsewhere, he means to honor his subject, not himself. What Charles said and has us sing here is like what we might utter if a king entered the room, perhaps not unlike what Solomon experienced at his anointing to become the king, succeeding his father, David. (See here The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos [c. 1630]. According to 1 Kings 1:39, Solomon was anointed by a priest named Zadok.)

 

What Charles wrote sounds very much like an old-fashioned hymn of a century when kings reigned on the earth and were routinely lauded, what might be called ‘high church’ music, though we know not what specific episode or series of events spurred Charles to compose this. You might have in your mind’s eye the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., or Westminster Abbey in London, or perhaps St. Peter’s Basilica or the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, all of which engender great pomp and ceremony when a king-like person enters those spaces. And yet, the king of Charles’ third verse was hardly such a king as we might picture. This one was ‘slain’, an incident normally reserved for a criminal, an unworthy villain consigned to disgrace; and indeed, that is what Jesus’ executioners thought they were doing to Him. But, ‘He rose up again’ (v.3), and but for that fact, we would not sing to Him as a reigning king, would we? Charles reminds us that we are also ‘sanctified’ (v.1) through Him, and that ‘our sins’ (v.3) compelled Jesus to complete this rescue mission. One more stirring fact that Charles tells us that should fill the heart is that Jesus did this of His own volition – ‘He laid down His life’ (v.3). So, if you and I sometimes feel guilty that we forced Him to that cross, that’s part of how I should react, but I also need to appreciate the great courage and love of His divine nature that drove Him. No one – certainly not armed soldiers nor bloodthirsty crowds – could force Jesus to do anything. This was and is the king of the universe. None like Him before or since has ever existed. So, the image I have of a crowned flesh-and-blood being here on Earth is but a faint wisp of who Jesus is today.

 

We have plenty of representative paintings of Jesus as a human being in various stages of His life while here on Earth. A baby, a boy of 12 years old, a carpenter at work, a teacher and healer who amazed his followers, and finally a bloody beaten pulp hanging on a piece of wood – those are the ones we think about when prompted to consider Him in a bible class or even in worship. There are even the ones that show Him risen, showing Himself to disciples on a beach or in a locked room. But it seems that Charles wanted us when he wrote this hymn to focus on episodes like the transfiguration (Matthew 17:2-8; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36), when Jesus was exalted, though still shy of His ultimate coronation ceremony. That was to come. And, the next picture that you and I will have of Him is when we meet Him face-to-face in His full glory. He’ll welcome us into His home, and let us share it with Him. Indescribable? Yes. Cannot wait? Yes. Prepared or preparing for that time? …your answer here______.    

 

 

 

 

See information on the picture here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cornelis_de_Vos_-_The_Anointing_of_Solomon.jpg … The author died in 1651, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer.

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1931. …found inside this document -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon