Thoughts on the Divine Service
21. The Sanctus
Dear friends,
In Isaiah 6, the prophet Isaiah has a stunning vision. He is standing in the Most Holy Place, the inner sanctum of the temple. It’s normally separated from the Holy Place by a thick curtain, and it is the dwelling place of Yahweh on earth. Because Holy God dwells there, only the high priest is allowed to enter once a year, sacrificial blood in hand.
In the vision, though, the prophet Isaiah stands unharmed in the Most Holy Place, even though he is gazing straight at Yahweh. Holy God is enthroned, high and lifted up; and above His high throne are seraphim that fly and call out to each other, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
The Most Holy Place is a fairly large room, but it’s not really big enough to accommodate a high throne with seraphim flying above. It’s as if, by stepping into the room, Isaiah has stepped into heaven. That’s one of the big points of the vision: the same Yahweh who dwells in heaven also dwells on earth in the temple. Because He is so present in both places, heaven and earth are joined.
This is the gist of the seraphs’ duet: Yahweh enthroned in heaven is thrice holy (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and the earth is full of His glory because He dwells on earth in the temple.
If Isaiah were to start to sing right then, he’d be singing with seraphim. If all of heaven joined in, he’d be singing with angels, archangels and the whole company of heaven.
We sing the Sanctus—that song of the seraphim—as the liturgy of Holy Communion continues to build. The reason is profound: Jesus, who is enthroned at God’s right hand in heaven, is coming to be present at the altar with His body and blood in bread and wine. Where Jesus is so present in heaven and on earth, heaven and earth are joined together. That’s why we sing “Holy, holy, holy:” far more than merely singing like angels and angels, we are singing with them. We are singing with them and with all the saints who have been called to glory. They are with Christ and Christ is with us, so we are together with them in Christ.
The Sanctus changes partway through: instead of Isaiah 6:3, it moves to Matthew 21:9 as we sing, “Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He whom comes in the name of the Lord!” Those are the cries of the Palm Sunday crowds, because God’s incarnate Son is riding through their midst. The Jesus who rides that donkey is the same Jesus who is enthroned at the Father’s right hand in heaven. Therefore, as the crowds sing their hosannas, angels and archangels sing with them.
Furthermore, the Jesus who rides that donkey on Palm Sunday is the same Jesus who is “riding” into our midst in, with and under bread and wine. That’s why we’re happy to join in declaring, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
There’s a lot of comfort here for those who grieve. I lost a dear colleague to cancer a few years back, and I miss him. Nevertheless, we sing together every Sunday as heaven and earth are joined together at the Supper. Though he and I are on opposite sides of the grave, together we offer praises to God Most High.
What joy so many Christians deprive themselves when they consider this to be simply a memorial meal of bread and wine, nothing more. The Real Presence of Jesus means that it is a salvific meal, giving us forgiveness; and because He is there, heaven and earth are joined. The Lord’s Supper is as close to heaven as you can be until the Day of Resurrection. What joy!