Thrown off the Throne

My favorite passage in the Bible is Isaiah chapter 6. The first time I ever saw this passage it took me to a place I had never really brought myself to - the throne of God. Isaiah was a person just like you and me, real flesh and blood. He had real sins that needed a reality check for him to see those sins. Isaiah had gotten quite enamored by the great King Uzziah. Isaiah had almost begun to idolize an earthly king who was doing great and mighty things. Uzziah's great success allowed for the people to forget who was behind the success. When Uzziah was full of pride God struck him with leprosy and eventually he died. At his death Isaiah must have looked from the death of his idol to a place for some answers, the throne of God. Instead of questioning God about the Uzziah's death, he became speechless. On the throne of all thrones sat God Almighty. Uzziah was not on the throne, never was. Even the seraphim cried out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"
At that moment Isaiah realized how holy God was, and how unholy he, Isaiah, was. The Scripture doesn't say this but I believe this is where Isaiah realized not just the sin of unclean lips, but all of his sin - the sin of putting Uzziah on way too big of a throne and forgetting who was in control. When Uzziah was "thrown off the throne" Isaiah 's eyes and heart were set exactly where they needed to be, on God alone.
Sometimes we put people, places, and things on the throne. We even put ourselves on the throne and try to be sovereign over our own lives or the lives of others. We serve whatever or whomever we put on the thrown. When we do this God will have to throw off the throne whatever is occupying His rightful place in our lives.
A burning coal was placed on Isaiah's lips to purge him from his sins. After the conviction and the cleansing, there came a commissioning for Isaiah. Isaiah was to go and do what God would tell him to do. When Uzziah was dead, God was more present in Isaiah's life than he had ever been. Isaiah looked to the throne of God and was healed by God, set free by God, and used by God. Oh that we all would see ourselves under the throne of our God!