Isaiah 6 - Responding to the Holy
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Who are the superpowers of today - the major players on the world stage?
Major - USA, China, Russia
Emerging - India, Japan/Germany/UK/France/South Korea
How about in Isaiah’s day?
Superpower
Assyria (Nineva) (Remember Jonah?)
Egypt - ancient but fading
Babylon - rising
Regional powers
Syria or Aram (Damascus),
Israel (Samaria) - vulnerable
Judah (Jerusalem) - small and pressured
Major concerns in the days of Isaiah
1. The rising threat of Assyria
Assyria was growing in power under Tiglath-Pileser III.
Judah feared invasion or domination, especially as nearby nations fell.
The Northern Kingdom of Israel and Syria (Aram) tried to pressure Judah into an anti-Assyrian alliance (Isaiah 7 – the Syro-Ephraimite War).
Judah’s King Ahaz panicked and sought help from Assyria, a move Isaiah opposed.
2. Political Instability and Poor Leadership
King Uzziah had died (Isaiah 6), marking the end of a relatively strong and stable era.
His son Jotham was an OK king, but didn’t remove idol worship (2 Kings 15:34–35).
King Ahaz (who came later) was faithless and politically reckless, even offering his son as a sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3).
3. Religious Hypocrisy
People were going through the motions of worship (sacrifices, festivals), but their hearts were far from God.
Isaiah 1 is a scathing rebuke:
Isaiah 1:13 “13 Stop bringing useless offerings. Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies— I cannot stand iniquity with a festival.”
4. Social Injustice and Moral Decay
Judah was plagued by:
Corrupt leaders and judges (Isaiah 1:23)
Oppression of the poor (Isaiah 3:14–15)
Greed, pride, and excess among the elite (Isaiah 5:8, 5:11, 5:20–23)
The nation had lost its ethical compass, calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).
Isaiah 5:20 “20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
5. False Security in Alliances
Judah often turned to Egypt or Assyria for help instead of trusting God.
Isaiah repeatedly warned that these political moves would backfire.
“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help…” (Isaiah 31:1)
When did Isaiah minister?
Isaiah's ministry spanned approximately 60 years, from around 740 to 680 B.C. He began his prophetic work near the end of King Uzziah's reign (790-739 B.C.) and continued through the reigns of Jotham (739-731 B.C.), Ahaz (731-715 B.C.), and Hezekiah (715-686 B.C.). Isaiah's ministry coincided with the rise of Assyrian power under Tiglath-Pileser, which posed a significant military threat to Judah. As a contemporary of Hosea and Micah, Isaiah prophesied during the final years of the northern kingdom of Israel, but his primary focus was on the southern kingdom of Judah. The book of Isaiah was likely compiled in the early to middle seventh century B.C., shortly after the prophet's death. According to Jewish tradition, Isaiah may have been killed by King Manasseh, who succeeded Hezekiah, sometime between 687 and 642 B.C.
What about the other major prophets - Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel?
Jeremiah~627–586 BC
Judah before/during exile
Judgment, lament, New Covenant
Ezekiel~593–570 BC
Exiles in Babylon
God's glory, personal responsibility, future restoration
Daniel~605–530 BC
Exile in Babylon/Persia
God's sovereignty, faithful witness, apocalyptic visions
1. A Vision of the Holy God
1. A Vision of the Holy God
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above him; they each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth. 4 The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.
v.1 the year that King Uzziah died - 739, one year after the start of Isaiah’s ministry
v.2 Seraphim - angelic beings associated with Isaiah’s vision of God in the Temple when God called him to his prophetic ministry; they worship God continually
“Holy, Holy, Holy” - “cherubim and seraphim”
Seraphim - Isaiah
Cherubim - Ezekiel
4 living creatures in Rev 4 similarly described
v.3 “Holy, holy, holy”
Also seen in Revelation - emphasizes the absolute holiness of God, part of continuous worship in God’s heavenly throne room
Are there other examples?
Woe, woe, woe - Rev 8:13
Ruin, ruin, ruin - Ezek 21:27
Land, land, land - Jer 22:29 (an urgent call to listen)
Is God’s holiness more important than his love?
Neither is more important — they are equally essential to who God is. God’s holiness and love are not competing attributes but perfectly united in His nature. To elevate one over the other is to risk compromising the other.
Holiness:
Means set apart, pure, utterly other.
God's holiness speaks to His moral perfection, glory, and uniqueness.
Love:
Self-giving, covenantal, steadfast love.
Defined in 1 John 4:8: “God is love.”
His love is shown most clearly in the sending of Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5:8).
Holiness Defines His Love
Holiness Defines His Love
God's love is not indulgent or permissive — it’s a holy love.
His love never contradicts His purity or justice.
Love Reveals His Holiness
Love Reveals His Holiness
The cross is where God’s holy wrath against sin and His love for sinners meet perfectly.
In Jesus, God shows holy love: not overlooking sin, but bearing it Himself.
When Scripture says “God is love” (1 John 4:8), it reveals His disposition toward His people. But when it says “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3), it’s describing the totality of His being. Many theologians (like R.C. Sproul) have argued that holiness is the overarching attribute — but love is no less essential to who He is.
v.4 “The foundations of the doorway shook” - like when we experience an earthquake, thunder, surround sound?
Conviction of Sin and Cleansing by Grace
Conviction of Sin and Cleansing by Grace
5 Then I said: Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies. 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said: Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.
v.5 Woe is me(!) Why?
Unclean lips - Matthew 12:34 “34 Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”
Dwelling with a people of unclean lips - a people who hurt and not help his standing
Lord (Yaweh) of hosts (armies)
Who are God’s armies?
Heavenly armies, angels
Forces of nature
Have you ever dreamed about not being prepared for a test or an assignment at school that is due? Have you ever had to go before a boss without being prepared? This is just a small picture of what Isaiah is experiencing.
v. 6-7 Isaiah’s mouth is touched with a coal
The Branch Exposition of the Bible: A Preacher’s Commentary of the Old Testament 6:1–7. Isaiah’s Salvation
The altar was the place where sacrifices for sin were offered. Forgiveness does not come by our good works. We are not saved by our repentance. Forgiveness only comes to us because a sacrifice for sins has been made. In NT language, forgiveness only comes to us because Jesus sacrificed himself for us upon the cross.
A Call to Go and a Costly Commission
A Call to Go and a Costly Commission
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord asking: Who will I send? Who will go for us? I said: Here I am. Send me. 9 And he replied: Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. 10 Make the minds of these people dull; deafen their ears and blind their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed. 11 Then I said, “Until when, Lord?” And he replied: Until cities lie in ruins without inhabitants, houses are without people, the land is ruined and desolate, 12 and the Lord drives the people far away, leaving great emptiness in the land. 13 Though a tenth will remain in the land, it will be burned again. Like the terebinth or the oak that leaves a stump when felled, the holy seed is the stump.
v.8 A call - “Who will I send?” “Who will go for us?”
*us* - plural(!)
Plural of majesty (“we are not amused”)
Heavenly council - God speaking before his angelic court
Foreshadowing of the trinity
Isaiah - I volunteer
v. 9-10 The mission
“keep listening, but do not understand”
Isaiah 1–39 (3) A Hardening Message for a Calloused Audience (6:8–10)
God’s charge is that the prophet is to dull the ears and eyes of his audience
Probably Isaiah, responding as he did in verse 8, thought that his serving the Lord would result in the nation’s cleansing. However, the Lord told him his message would not result in much spiritual response. The people had not listened before and they would not listen now. The Lord did not delight in judging His people, but discipline was necessary because of their disobedience.
This is quoted six times in the NT - (e.g., Mark 4:10)
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4
10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve asked him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables 12 so that
they may indeed look,
and yet not perceive;
they may indeed listen,
and yet not understand;
otherwise, they might turn back
and be forgiven.”,,
v. 11-12 How long?
v.11 - until judgment comes
v.13 A thread of hope
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 6:11–13
Isaiah, perhaps discouraged by such a negative response and terrible results, was then assured by the LORD that not all was lost. A remnant would be left. God compared that remnant to stumps of terebinth and oak trees. From this stump or holy seed of a believing remnant would come others who would believe. Though Judah’s population would be almost totally wiped out or exiled, God promised to preserve a small number of believers in the land.
Applications
What has God called you to do - and what if it’s hard?
God calls those who are humbled and cleansed
Respond with submission
Faithfulness matters more than fruitfulness
There is always a remnant and a future hope
