Isaiah 6 ESV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” 8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, 12 and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah’s Vision

The book of Isaiah is arranged in a thematic manner instead of a chronological order.The book of Isaiah began without much background to the prophet. It is not until chapter 6 that we learn of his calling.

God commissioned Isaiah during a time of transition for the people of the Southern Kingdom. For fifty-two years, King Uzziah ruled in Jerusalem. He became the king when only sixteen years old . He began well according to 2 Chronicles 26:4-5.

2 Chronicles 26:4–5 ESV

4 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

The people prospered under this king with an impressive economy, military, and influence in the region. But he succumbed to his own success and pride. He became so confident with pride that he entered the inner are of the Temple to offer incense. However, only priests were allowed to do this. An army of 80 priests confronted him. Uzziah grew angry and God judged him immediately by sending leprosy to him. Uzziah lived the remainder of his life living apart from others and the Temple of God.

2 Chronicles 26:21 ESV

21 And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death, and being a leper lived in a separate house, for he was excluded from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king’s household, governing the people of the land.

The vision of the Holy King

This is the setting in which Isaiah receives a vision. God revealed that He alone is the True King for Israel. Isaiah saw the LORD seated on a throne with a flowing robe and accompanied by Seraphs. Angels are created beings that existed before the creation of the earth and humanity. In this vision, the angels have three pairs of wings.

• Covering their face, they responded to the Holy Presence of God, which was beyond their ability to behold.

• Covering their feet, they demonstrated that they were again in God's presence in the Temple.

• They reserved two wings to fly, demonstrating their service unto God's will and purpose

They proclaimed a simple but profound declaration of God's Holiness. In the custom of their language, repeating a word signified great emphasis. But saying something three times indicated the utmost expression. God was Holiest and the earth, and all things can not contain it. In the Temple, the angels' song shook the building's foundation, and the Temple was filled with smoke. This vision of God's heavenly court is repeated in John’s vision in the book of Revelation 4:6-11. All the angelic creatures bow down before God, who is seated on a throne. They declare the triple Holy statement (tri-hagion) in awe and worship. All scripture points us to acknowledge the holiness of God. The duplicate statements in the Old and New Testament should remind us that God is the same and does not change. He is eternally holy.

Isaiah Confesses and Receives God's Atonement

What would you do if you met someone that you greatly admired from a distance like an athlete, actor, or important person? You may recall the extreme actions of fans of the Beatles, Elvis, or Michael Jackson. Excitement and awe combine to overwhelm the emotions. Some cry and even faint. Isaiah caught a glimpse of God as King, in the Temple, and among the angels' sacred song. But he was extremely afraid. He pronounced a woe and quickly reasoned that his life was going to end. Consider the encounter Moses had with God. Exodus 33:20.

Exodus 33:20 ESV

20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

A reality check

Isaiah recognizes that he has no right to be in the Temple, even in this vision. He expects his destruction to come quickly. He correctly states that he and the people he lives among both have unclean lips. We may find this statement to imply that Isaiah speaks lies, uses foul language, or says negative things. First unclean implies impure and not suitable for the presence of God because of sin. Second, the book of Proverbs gives us insight into the symbolism of lips. Proverbs 16:23.

Proverbs 16:23 ESV

23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

Jesus also emphasized this when he stated the connection of the heart and mouth in Luke 6:45.

Luke 6:45 ESV

45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Isaiah recognized that his heart and the heart of Israel were sinful before the holy God.

Isaiah also recognized the sinfulness of his community and the effect it had on all things. This ought to remind us that sin not only affects us but those around us as well. Try hanging out in a coffee shop for a while and see how much you will smell like coffee. Little bits of coffee particles have attached themselves to you, and you reflect the smell of your environment. We have recently come to recognize the potential of "catching" other people's germs and viruses. Isaiah knows his own sinfulness, even if it may be "lesser" than those around him. In God's presence, we are all "unclean" unless God makes us "clean".

The proper response to holiness is to recognize our lack of holiness in ourselves. We consider ourselves to be pretty good people, but all of our imperfections will be magnified when compared to God. We can never improve our "goodness" so that it comes close to God's holiness. It is only by acknowledging our sinfulness, and the incredible effect sin has upon our lives that we can begin to appreciate God's holiness.

God atones the sin of Isaiah

God responds to Isaiah's confession by sending an angel to fly and retrieve coal from the altar. The altar in mind is most likely the brazen altar on which sin offerings were made. God provided the solution for the unclean life of Isaiah. It was through the altar.

The live coal thus encapsulates the ideas of atonement, propitiation, satisfaction, forgiveness, cleansing, and reconciliation, and of these spiritual realities Isaiah, the erstwhile doomed sinner, is left in no doubt when the seraph explains: 'Behold, as soon as this touched your lips your iniquity went, and, as for your sin—paid by ransom!'

Motyer, J. Alec. Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 20. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999. Print. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries.

Only God could provide the means for Isaiah to have is "unclean" heart transformed into a heart that was made "white as snow." If we recall the complaint of God toward His people in chapter 1, we will see how God rejected their actions of worship, prayer, and sacrifice in the Temple because of their stubborn heart and actions. In this instance, Isaiah does not offer anything except to admit that he is guilty and undone before the Holy God. He could not point to anything that would add to him becoming "holy." This is the attitude that God gives grace.

In the New Testament, Jesus stated this truth as well. He told the parable of two men who went to the Temple to pray. One bragged about his "good deeds" and compared himself to the "sinner" who simply kept his head down, beat his chest, and prayed, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" Jesus declares that the "sinner" went home justified. Luke 18:14

Luke 18:14 ESV

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God Commissions Isaiah to a Stubborn People

We may be a bit surprised at the next event. After God displayed his holiness, after Isaiah repented and received atonement, God asked for a messenger to send. We ought not to think that one would quickly jump into the call of being a prophet. Prophets often had to do things that put them at odds with others. They had to give messages from God that would unsettle some and cause others to become violent. They often had to speak to sinful people. Remember Elijah and Elisha? Jonah? Hosea? This was a serious call to which Isaiah responded. But what other choices should one have than to give one's self in full service to God who has given forgiveness and life? The Apostle Paul shared this same thought when he encouraged believers to "offer themselves as a living sacrifice." Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

God offered Isaiah the opportunity to "worship" the Holy God by offering himself as a "living sacrifice."

A Hardening Message

Isaiah received the message. His sermon would provoke the hearers to dig their heels deeper in their stubborn disposition. Isaiah's message acted like two-part epoxy glue. When the two parts are combined, the two gels become a hard solid unit. The message would push the already stubborn heart into a more hardened state that would ultimately give way to harsh covenant discipline.

These verses are repeated a number of times in the New Testament:

• Jesus quoted it to prove the stubbornness of hearts that His parables revealed. Matthew 13:13-15

• Paul quoted it when speaking to a Jewish audience about the veracity of Jesus from the Old Testament. Some became convinced of Christ, but others disbelieved. Acts 28:23-27

God's word will have a different effect on people. Some will receive it, and others reject it. Isaiah's job was to give it regardless of how the people might respond to it. It was not a message of comfort, but one that was meant to make the people become unsettled. We must remember that God's word at times will comfort us when we need comfort, but He also includes messages that are intended to make us aware of our sinful habits and environment. Be careful not to assume that God would never give you a word that causes you to feel unsettled. It is only through your recognition of being "undone" that we will recognize God's amazing mercy and grace.

The Bitter Hope

Isaiah received his message but then asked God a question, "How long?" God responded with the signs of exile, devastation, and ruin. The Covenant God would acts in faithfulness to the covenant by sending the reversal of blessing. The people would be kicked out of the land and removed to another place. At first, ten percent would remain, but even that portion would be removed. All that would remain is a small burnt stump. The stump was a small reminder of what once greatly stood there. But the stump also reminds us that all is not over. God will not forget His covenant faithfulness. The stump is a holy seed that promises that Israel would grow again and return to the land. When we studied the book of Ezra, we learned of this return. God was faithful to his promise. God would leave the seeds of hope. But the holy seed is more than just the return to Jerusalem. Isaiah's message sets us up to receive the true Israel, Jesus Christ., in which all who believe will find entrance into God's holiness.

God's Holiness and Me

Describing God's holiness always falls short of the reality of his glory. Moses recognized God's holiness through a burning bush. He was drawn toward something that went beyond natural explanation. It is part of the human experience to be drawn toward that which is beyond us. We visit a place like the Grand Canyon to be amazed by the power of water and erosion. We build tall structures to overshadow us. We even seek out aliens and supernatural phenomena to make us wonder if there is something other than us that can't be explained. We are drawn to the holiness of God at the level of curiosity like Moses.

But the holiness of God also repels us when we start to recognize how glorious it is and how sinful we are. Even Peter, when he encountered Jesus at the miracle of catching so many fish that his boat began to sing. He cried out, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." Isaiah prepared himself to die because he encountered the holiness of the One True King of Israel. These two aspects: attraction and repelling, combine in the believer to form the fear of the Lord. They are not two opposite actions but complementary facets of approaching God. So we can worship God and declare that He is Holy, yet He calls us friends because of Jesus Christ. How have you encountered God's holiness? Be amazed and overwhelmed that you do not deserve to be in His presence, but be encouraged that He has made a way to invite you to know Him. The glory of God is Christ and the cleansing restoring power of the gospel.

God's Atonement and Mission

If woe and humility are the proper response to God's holiness, then we ought to recognize that obedience is the proper response to God's atonement for us. We can never make a way for ourselves to enter the presence of the King. But because of Christ, we now humbly but confidently approach the holy presence. God offers to his atoned people the same opportunity. Who shall I send? Who will Go? We have the same call to carry the message of the true gospel to our people who have "unclean lips."

The good news of the gospel may cause some to reject, but others will receive it. Ensure that you receive it well and ask God to make you a carrier of His holiness and his message. It is the only message that will change the world because real change begins with the heart.

Are you concerned with the mission of God that others hear His message?