The first temptation Satan ever laid before a human heart, has become his most persistent temptation. From day two up to this moment, Satan’s most common enticement to sin has been: “Yea, hath God said?” We have to fight against this in many different areas of our lives. And the place where we should be able to find the most strength to resist should be in the house of God. “Absolutely, God has said, ‘Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.’” However, one of the most despicable sins of modern religion has been to find a question mark over what the Bible tells us – in the very temple of God, .
A case in point are these seraphim whom Isaiah saw attending to the Lord in His holy throne room. There is a tendency in some churches to allegorize these creatures into mere symbols for this or that. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the Lord has revealed them to us in the way that He has for the purpose of testing our resolve to believe and trust His word. Yea, hath some sort of spiritual creature, called “seraphim,” shouted to each other, “holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory?” I say, “Absolutely.” One of these days, every child of Adam, are going to stand before God and see these fiery seraphim. But – just because I am sure that Isaiah already actual saw these servants of God, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have questions, or that I can’t draw a few spiritual lessons from what little has been revealed.
Among my question are these: Why is this the only place where these seraphim are mentioned in our King James Bible? Certainly they didn’t they die off somehow, or go into retirement. And yet, why is the Hebrew word from which comes this name or title used differently in other scriptures? You probably remember that when Israel sinned in the wilderness, God judged them again and again. On one occasion, in Numbers 21 – “the LORD sent FIERY serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.” The word “fiery” in that verse is the same word used here translated “seraphim.” And again, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a FIERY serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” – Numbers 21:8. These and a couple other scriptures muddy my intellectual waters just a bit. But they do help us to understand that the word “seraph” speaks of a “FIERY creature” of some sort. Another question might be: aren’t six wings a bit redundant? Since a bird doesn’t need more than two wings, why do these creatures have six? And why do angelic creatures need wings at all? They should be able to move about the universe at warp speed without wings. Why aren’t these seraphim more fully described? Were wings their only really distinguishing feature? What did their faces look like? Where they generally as bright as fire? What about their hands? Did their eyes look like ours? Did Isaiah see any eyes? And what did they wear as clothing? Was clothing necessary for a seraphim?
Avoiding any other questions, it is to those six wings that I’d like to draw your attention this evening. And trying to help us all in our spiritual lives, I’d like to use them to illustrate several Biblical truths. I don’t have authority to make a direct connection between these seraphic wings and my lessons, but the lessons themselves are Biblical, so I’m using the seraphim merely as illustrations. Isaiah tells us that each of the three pairs of wings were used for different purposes.
First, there were the wings of REVERENCE.
“Above (God’s throne) stood the seraphims; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.” As you know, the word “wing” can mean several things – even in English. The most obvious is the avian appendage which enables the bird to fly. Then there are wings added to large buildings. It seems like hospitals are constantly adding new wings. And then the soldier was carried away from the battlefield after he was winged by shrapnel. In the Bible, the word speaks of a covering or protection. What I am trying to say is that some wings are never used for flying.
Two of the seraphim’s wings were used to cover its face in the presence of God. We might picture someone coming into the bright sunlight after being in a dark place. Immediately he covers his eyes because the bright sun causes him pain.
These two seraph wings should remind us of the incapability of even the highest of creatures to look directly on the infinitely holy God. Certainly no sinner can stand before God without special permission and protection. God said to Moses, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Even without sin, there is no creature in heaven or on earth physically or spiritually capable of looking directly on the shekinah glory of the Almighty God. Christ Jesus will – to all eternity – be the only medium through which we will be able to see Jehovah.
And may I say this as well, “Don’t look at the seraphim, if you want to see the Lord.” There have been foolish people throughout history who have elevated angels, demons, cherubim and seraphim to the point of deification. Others have lifted up popes, reformers and notable religious to near divinity. And some of those religious leaders have purposefully tried to insert themselves into image of deity. But there is no vicar on earth, in the sense of God’s substitute here. These seraphim are merely servants of God, as in a very small way so are every child of God. And even as some of the highest of all servants, these creatures covered their beautiful faces before the infinite beauties of the Lord.
Yes, we are invited to come boldly to this throne of divine grace with our prayers. But that boldness must be in the name of the Lord, not with any right or authority we might think we have. It is with our eyes cast down, and our faces veiled, that we make our approach. Remember the meaning of those words: “holy, holy, holy.” This God is infinitely high and separated from all the limitations and imperfections of His creatures. Hebrews 12:28 – “Wherefore (since) we (are) receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
The seraph’s second set of wings were those of HUMILITY.
“Above (God’s throne) stood the seraphims; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.” Comparing various parts of your body, which do you elevate, and which do you depreciate? For example, what are more important to you: your eyes or your ears? Your ears or your tongue? When you compare your hands and your feet, which do you think are more beautiful? Remember when you had babies in your house, how some of them seemed to be more interested in their feet than their hands? Personally, I don’t wear slippers very often, because my feet are usually more hot than cold. But at the same time, I don’t run around the house in bare feet. I wear socks because I don’t think of my feet as particularly good looking, Rom. 10:15 not withstanding.
Apparently seraphim don’t wear shoes or socks either. And when they are in the presence of the Lord, they don’t appear to be particularly proud of their feet. Did they automatically cover their feet from the eyes of omniscient God or was it a conscious choice? Of course, those feathery wings – if they were feathery – didn’t keep the Lord from seeing them. But the point was, the nearer they came to the thrice holy God, the more aware they were of their limitations and unworthiness.
I’ve never seen a seraphim, so I don’t know if they are ever sent on earthly missions. But assuming they do walk among us from time to time, it is with their feet that they walk. And if so – just like us, it is with feet that they make contact with the world and all its corruptions. Of course this is not the only way we contact Satan’s dominion, but we might look at it in this way. Our feet are not worthy of God because it is with them we move about in the world.
Take the apostles as an illustration of you and me. They were not without flaws and serious disappointments, but they were some of the best of men. And still, the Lord Jesus, laid aside His seamless robe, wrapped Himself in a towel and with a basin of water He washed their feet. The blood of the Saviour may wash our souls and cover our sins from the sight of the Father. But it might be argued the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit can still see the contamination which the world leaves on us everywhere we touch it. Yes, we need to do our best to “keep ourselves unspotted from the world.” If at all possible, we need get rid of those things which the world, and not God, has told us wear and do. We need to stop thinking like an unbeliever; cleaning out our minds from time to time. We need to wash our feet as best we can. But still we need Christ and his basin of water and the blood of the Red Heifer to deal with our daily sins. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
Finally, the third set of seraphim wings were used for SERVICE.
“Above (God’s throne) stood the seraphims; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.” I won’t say that the bird has his happiest moments when he is flying, but sometimes it seems that way. Compared to hopping across the patio, he seems to enjoy flying more. And no matter how else you look at them, wings do speak of joyous, unhindered motion. Pity the poor worm who can’t fly, and who sometimes ends up as the bird’s dinner. And perhaps pity us as well. We can’t fly, but at least we can walk, run or perhaps drive to God’s service. If it is done for the Lord, it doesn’t matter what tools or appendages we might use, they become beautiful. “As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
The seraphim covered their faces in reverence, and they covered their feet in humility. Despite the good things in both these actions, neither one was really worship. I won’t say this is all there is, but isn’t obedience to the will of God, one of the best means of worship? The seraphim worshipped their Lord with words of holiness, but one of them also worshipped when he did the Lord’s will, picking up a live coal in his hand to put on the mouth of the prophet.
So in addition to six wings, eyes and feet, these seraphim had hands. Was there seraphic pain involved in picking up this hot coal with the hand? It didn’t matter to him, and it shouldn’t matter to us. Sometimes we can pull a muscle and hurt our shoulder flying about doing the will of the Saviour. Sometimes there is sacrifice involved in serving the Lord. But still we remember Jesus’ words “If you love me keep my commandments.”
And speaking of the Lord Jesus, you and I have a higher motive for our service than any seraphim might have. We who have been forgiven much have reason to love the Lord more than seraphim who have never been forgiven for anything. We have been redeemed from divine wrath; these seraphim have not. David sang in Psalm 116 – “O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.” The Lord our Saviour has loosed our bonds and freed our wings.
Those seraphim knew that the key to acceptable service was to keep their eyes on the Master and their ears atuned to His voice. They were the Lord’s waiters; awaiting His orders. They were flying about and serving even while the voice of God shook the Temple. They were the perfect blend of Mary and Martha, and in this they leave us a very good example.
Of course, people never become angels when they die – the idea is completely unscriptural and ludicrous. But let’s pretend for just a moment that is possible. If so, do you have the qualifications necessary to become one of the Lord’s seraphim? How are you employing all the wings the Lord has given you? Three of the qualifications for good seraphim are: reverence for God, humility before God and service for God. Let us learn from the seraphim.