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King James Version Isaiah 6

6 aIn the year that king bUzziah died cI saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and ||his train filled the temple.

Note: The first five chapters of the Book of Isaiah are an introduction to the writings of Isaiah. Chapter six begins with the calling of the LORD on Isaiah’s life.

King Uzziah presumably died a leper (2Ch 26:21). During his early reign, Judah had prospered but during his final years, corruption had become rampant.

The View of the LORD in His throne room.

“I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”

Elevated, ceremonial chair, its height symbolized the importance and the authority of the person seated on it. With the widespread use of the word “throne” the term came to symbolize kingship, and became equivalent in meaning to the kingdom itself. 1

1 Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Throne,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 2057–2058.

The section that we are looking at concerns the “calling” of Isaiah as a prophet of the LORD God of Israel. This is during the split kingdom and Isaiah will predominately minister to Judah and Jerusalem.

Isaiah [The Eternal Saves] was the son of Amoz and is referred to that way 13 times. Therefore, Amoz was a man of renown or prominence.

The prophet Isaiah is referred to as the “messianic prophet” because the LORD used him to deliver messages concerning the Messiah, the “Deliverer,” his birth and reign.

The book of Isaiah is quoted or referred to in the New Testament 85 times.he year that King Uzziah died – Thiele identifies King Uzziah’s death from leprosy at 740-739 B.C. Uzziah was the king over Judah at the same time that Jeroboam II was king in Israel. His reign brought about national prosperity. King Uzziah was probably the last great king over the southern kingdom of Judah. F. Delitzsch says, “The national glory of Israel died out too with King Uzziah and has never been recovered to this day.”

There is a sharp contrast to the conditions of the Southern Kingdom as found in the preceeding chapters and the vision of the throne room of the LORD.

The true King over all the world is still on the throne: The Lord is “sitting upon the throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” God is on the throne and I believe it would be good to be reminded that God is still on the throne today!

Isaiahs vision of the throne room is awe inspiring. He sees the "Lord sitting on a throne" - "Adonai" is the "royal title" of God. Adonai is always explained as the plural of majesty. In the Bible, it is only used to refer to God. Historically, the Jews stepped away from using the Tetragrammaton during the Hellenistic period and replaced YHWH with "Adonai" in their speaking about God and in their prayers.

King James Version Isaiah 6:2

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had dsix wings; ewith twain he covered his face, and fwith twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

2 Above it stood … he did fly.

Above him stood the seraphims – This is the only time the word “seraphims” are found in the Bible. However the Hebrew root word, “saraph,” meaning “burning, poisonous serpent, copper colored, fiery,” is found five other times, all in the Old Testament. Some have likened the seraphim with the animal we call a dragon.

The word is applied to the fiery flying serpents which bit the children of Israel, and in imitation of which a brazen serpent was erected on a pole by Moses. It is translated ‘a fiery serpent’ in Num. 21:8; Isa. 14:29; 30:6. In Deut. 8:15; Num. 21:6, it is rendered ‘fiery,’ and in the passage before us, seraphims. 1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah, vol. 1 (London: Blackie & Son, 1851), 138.

They are associated with fiery serpents and are supernatural, angelic beings having the ability to fly. The Hebrew name means “the burning ones”. These winged creatures are standing in the presence of the Lord in the throne room.

The seraph have at least six wings. For some reason, perhaps in humility, the Seraphim cover their face and feet before God. With the remaining two wings they flew.

Since this is the only place where seraphim are identified by name, I think it would be safe to say that these creatures relate to the holiness of Adonai.

The question arises: Are Seraphims angelic creatures? They are not referred to in that manner, however, like angels, they were “messengers” from the LORD that He sent to judge the people in Numbers 21:6-9.

King James Version Isaiah 6:3

3 And †one cried unto another, and said,

gHoly, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts:

†hiThe whole earth is full of his glory.

The Seraphim called to one another – We should not think that there were merely two seraphim. There could have been more than two and possibly it could mean there were two groups or choirs of seraphim.

Holy – Holiness when implied to God’s nature, indicates His absolute moral purity, in this case above His creation of the whole earth. As we have discussed, the Lord’s central characteristic is ascribed as His holiness. His holiness is the opposite of man with our sinful nature, impurity and lustful desires of our hearts. To define holy is very simple; holy = God.

Isaiah’s favorite superlative of God is His holiness. 25 times, Isaiah identifies God as “the Holy One of Israel.”

“Holy, holy, holy” – in Jewish writing, the repeating of a word or thought is a way of expressing the importance of the word. For example, when speaking about the place that God dwelt in the Tabernacle or the Temple, it is referred to the “Holy of Holies” or the Most Holy Place (1 Kings 8:6).

(McKenna & Ogilvie, 1993) write: “Holy, Holy, Holy.” No other attribute is so praised. Angels do not sing, “Love, Love, Love” or “Justice, Justice, Justice”—they only sing “Holy, Holy, Holy.”

There are many suggestions on why the seraphim repeated “holy” three times.

It is used to show the trinity, three persons in one, the Godhead; as in saying Holy is the Father, Holy is the Son, Holy is the Spirit

Repeating “holy” three times is presenting the “perfection” of God…three is one of the signs of perfection in the Scriptures.

Repeating “holy” three times strengthens and deepens the superlative of how Holy God is.

Repeating “holy” three times increases the claim that God is wholly, entirely, and unquestionably the holiest of the holy!

Repeating “holy” three times: “Holy is He who created us.” “Holy is He who redeemed us.” “Holy is he who sanctifies us.”

…is the Lord of hosts – The Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

…the whole earth is full of his glory – The seraphim include the creation of the earth when describing the glory of God. Oh how a beautiful sunset or sunrise can take our breath away. The sun breaking through the clouds after a storm brings hope and beauty. Yes the world is filled with His glory.