They're everywhere in the story of Christ's advent. An angel announces the birth of the Messiah to Mary. Joseph had angelic visitors guide him.

Angels showed up to small groups. A whole host of them appeared to the shepherds in their fields. The group of wise men, also, received an angelic warning that saved their lives.

But I'm stuck on the thought of a particular group of angels seen by the prophet Isaiah as part of his vision of heaven in Isaiah 6. This isn't part of the Christmas story, although, just a chapter later, Isaiah predicted the Messiah would borrow a virgin's womb to enter the world. Then, in chapter 9, he tells of a son who would be given to us, pouring out a poetic flurry of Divine names: Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

In Isaiah 6, though, Isaiah sees the heavenly courtroom, the throne of Yahweh. The angels are named Seraphim there --frightening, unusual creatures with six wings apiece. They only used two wings to fly. With the others, they covered their faces so as not to lock eyes with the king of glory.

The scene was so terrifying, the prophet thought he would die.

Scripture says the angels cried out concerning the God-figure on the seat of power: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!"

Now, I've read this passage a few times and heard a couple fine sermons on it, but I always managed to miss part of that. You see, the angels were not crying out to Isaiah. They weren't warning the puny human: he knew full well how serious this was.

They also weren't crying out to God. God didn't need to hear anything from them about his own holiness. He knew all about that.

No, but instead, the text says at Isaiah 6:3, that they called out to one another. The angels did not want to look into God's face and were afraid he would look into theirs, so they hid. They warned each other: Watch out! This God is holy, holy, holy! It is right to be afraid.

"Woe is me," cried the prophet, "for I am undone!"

It's dicey for a sinner to show up in God's presence. The identity of the one on the throne touches the Christmas story.

That fearsome God was Jesus. You see, Jesus did not begin to exist in the Christmas manger. He has existed from all eternity as Yahweh, the son of Yahweh.

We learn that the Isaiah 6 figure was Jesus in John 12, where the apostle asserts that Isaiah wrote about Jesus because he personally saw his glory, standing there, trembling in his presence.

The gospel substance in that scene is this: Isaiah, a sinner, knew what he could expect from a God of blazing holiness. But that's not what he got. The Lord had mercy on him and saved him. He will do the same for you if only, rather than hide from him, you quit running and throw yourself at his feet right now.

Do that today, and this Christmas will change your whole life.