“The most important thing about you is what comes into your mind when you think about God,” writes A. W. Tozer in the opening pages of his book, The Knowledge of the Holy.¹ Though this is a statement we would not challenge, I wonder how many of us express our disagreement with such a statement by our practices. For someone’s view of God is not that which be hidden, even if one refuses to speak. Instead it is something which shows itself in how we perceive our own goodness and need, how we long to give our lives in laboring for the sake of the exaltation of Christ, and how we function within the society around us. Our view of God will show itself in how we think, live, and act. Therefore, our view of God is not something that is an aspect of our lives; it is central to our lives. In short, Tozer is right, and a right (and, if necessary, restored) view of who God is and what he has done in Jesus Christ no doubt is (and always has been) the great need of the church. One text that supports such a thought is Isaiah 6. In this text, Isaiah gets a vision of the great and transcendent God.

Isaiah begins this description of his vision of God by dating it with Uzziah’s death. That is an interesting marker, for Isaiah could have placed the setting in a certain year of Uzziah’s reign. After all, Uzziah would have been a well-known king whom one commentator points out was the best king Judah had known since Solomon.² However, this may also be the very reason Isaiah dates this event not as the certain year of Uzziah’s reign but his death. It could be that Isaiah, having shown us the tragic picture in Judah at this time in the first five chapters, had placed his hopes in the king. Perhaps he had found himself to be a bit reliant on one who had stood as a representative for the people. However, at this point, such hopes were dashed. Isaiah had nowhere to look, and it was at this time that Isaiah was ready to see the true King, the Lord. And he does in this sixth chapter.

The vision appears to unfold as if Isaiah has walked into the temple only to find that the veil which normally separated those entering the temple from the Lord and his glory was removed. Thus, Isaiah writes, “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple” (6:1).

Isaiah saw the exalted Lord. It was clear to Isaiah that he had encountered one more lofty, exalted, and unique than any he had known, for even those who were attendants to this God were impressive. He describes these beings as “seraphim” or “fiery beings” who stand above him, probably because the Lord is seated on the throne and these are standing. These beings, he notes, have six wings, with two covering their faces and with two covering their feet (possibly both signs of humility before this great and majestic God) and with two flying (probably so as to show their readiness to be sent from God as ministers). And they cried out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (6:3).

Now, in Hebrew, this is the highest of superlatives. Therefore, if holiness is understood to communicate moral goodness and purity as well as transcendence, then they are making clear that the Lord is the most pure and transcendent one who exists. He is the most holy one. And as they cry out the foundations of the temple were shaken and filled with smoke. This was a most impressive scene, and yet these were simply those attending to the King.

Therefore, as Isaiah realizes a glimpse of the one he is beholding (though he is no doubt obscured by the smoke), Isaiah cries out, “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!” (6:5).

Isaiah realizes his great need in light of the holy God

In this glimpse of the most holy God, Isaiah feels that he is about to die. This is because in light of God’s holiness, his sin is revealed. This glimpse of God leads to confession as he cries out that he is a man of unclean lips. By this Isaiah no doubt is aware of more sin than simply his speech, but our conversation is often used to represent the whole of our lives. Thus, Isaiah is no doubt confessing his is a sinful being in light of this holy God.

Is this not a reminder to us that it is most often those who walk most closely to the Lord who are most aware of their sin? Could it be that in a day when sin is excused and accepted in the lives of individuals and in the church, that it is a clear announcement that we have lost a view of who God is? There may be no clearer indicator as to how accurate a portrayal of God we have as our light view and acceptance of sin in our lives. Isaiah knew he was corrupt in light of this great holy God, for it was only by rightly seeing God that he could rightly see himself.

In addition, Isaiah references those around him. He not only makes the statement that he is a man of unclean lips but also points out that he lives in the midst of the people of unclean lips. It could be that Isaiah mentions this out of shame that he has somehow associated himself too closely with the sins of society. However, it may also be that he feels responsible for the society in addition to his sin, for should not our hearts ache for those around us in our similar position. Who, knowing, his family would die along with him thinks only of himself? Or, we might ask, who, when the church around him is in a lowly state cares not about the holiness of God’s people? Indeed, Isaiah expressed here, I believe what we need to see as well, namely, that we must see ourselves as responsible for ourselves and others. He who professes Christ and does not love his brother cannot be said truly to know Christ according to 1 John.

But again, why does Isaiah have this burden for others along with himself? He answers at the end of verse 5 in saying, “For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” It is only when we regain a right view of God that we will feel our need to seek him and conform ourselves to his commands. And, it is only then that we will see our neighbor’s need as well. It is so often easy to lose sight of our own need and the desperate place of those around us, not because we are not seeing people in desperate situations enough but because we lose a vision of who our God is and what he has done. Seeing God alone is what reveals to us our need. Calvin rightly notes, meditating on texts such as this one, “We must infer that man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty” (Institutes, 1:1:3). Could it be that in a day when we need to be aware of our need and the need of God’s church as a whole that the answer is in regaining a vision of God? I indeed believe it is.

Atonement for Isaiah’s sin

However, the vision does not end with Isaiah recognizing his sin and the sin of society, thinking he is going to die. Rather, immediately upon Isaiah’s confession he writes, “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (6:6-7).

The next scene is not harsh judgment but forgiveness. The seraph takes a burning coal and touches it to Isaiah’s mouth. But why does the burning coal have the ability to take away Isaiah’s sin? Do we rid ourselves of sin by somehow burning it away? No. Instead, the answer is not so much in the coal itself as the source from which the coal was taken. It was taken from the altar, which points us to the sacrifices. However, even the sacrifices themselves in the Old Testament were meant to be “pointers” as well, pointing us to the true basis for forgiveness, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the lamb of God.

Ultimately it points us to a reality that Isaiah will discuss several chapters later in Isaiah 53 as Isaiah writes of the Christ in 53:4-6, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah’s sin is not just brushed aside; it is atoned for as the seraph takes this coal from the altar. It is a reminder that all forgiveness is based on sacrifice, and all sacrifices pointed to the ultimate sacrifice and the only true basis of forgiveness, that of Jesus on the cross.

Therefore, this picture is another reminder to us of our forgiveness. It is true that seeing God more clearly reveals our terribly wretched state, but God has not left us there. He has made a way for the atoning of our sins. He has given his Son to die for our guilt, for our sins, for our iniquities. Christ has died the death that Isaiah thought would be his as he stood before God. Christ has died for us.

Is this not a comfort to us as well? God does not tell us to ignore our sins before his holiness. We cannot hide them, and he cannot ignore them. He tells us to confess what is already obvious before him – our sin. However, this text reminds us to recall our forgiveness in Christ. Note as well God demanded nothing more of Isaiah. He does not wait for Isaiah to get some things together or try to make up for what he has done. Isaiah simply agrees with God that he is sinful and in need of forgiveness. God extends that forgiveness, bought with the sacrifice, even as Christ’s blood has paid for our forgiveness.

And this need to realize the depth of our forgiveness is as crucial as realizing our sinfulness before a holy God. This is evident from the next event in the story.

Isaiah volunteers for service

After Isaiah’s sin is atoned for, the Lord speaks to him. Perhaps this is a reminder to us that God cannot have anything to do with sin, but when such sin is atoned for, we are invited to live before the Almighty God. God says to him, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” to which Isaiah responds, “Here am I! Send me” (6:8).

One chief reason we need to feel the depth of our forgiveness, I believe, is shown here. It is only those who realize how much they have been forgiven who love much. It is only those who know what God has done for them that find the strength to volunteer their lives in service to him. This is not a picture of Isaiah being prodded and pushed into service; it is not a picture of coercion. Isaiah is volunteering, for his life has been spared, his sin has been atoned for, and he has the opportunity to say to the Lord, “Here am I! Send me.”

All too often we might be tempted to live life comfortably, as if it is some kind of right that we have, and any call to sacrifice in our lives is somehow a call to shatter a life which we have nicely constructed, a life to which we feel entitled. We think that way because our eyes have grown dim to the grace of God that has been extended to us despite our sins. Oswalt comments, “Those who need to be coerced [to serve the Lord] are perhaps too little aware of the immensity of God’s grace toward them.”³ We need a reformation in the church today to realize who God is so that we might get a better perspective on both our sinfulness and the forgiveness that has been achieved for us in Christ. For it is a right view of forgiveness that will lead us to cry out, “Here am I! Send me,” when the Lord is saying, “Whom shall I send to this treacherous ministry where the individual will display his love and passion to exalt my Son with his very life?”

Isaiah receives his message

God’s response to Isaiah’s willingness was no doubt a fearful surprise to Isaiah. In verses 9-10 God gives Isaiah the message he must preach. He says, “Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes and hear with this ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Isaiah was going to preach judgment. This does not mean, however, that Isaiah was going to go out and make it his goal to blind eyes, harden hearts, and deafen ears. No, in fact, I think his goal would be just the opposite. But this was going to be the effect. I say this because John picks up this text in John 12 and applies it to the ministry of Jesus, saying this text was fulfilled in his ministry. But did Jesus come to condemn? No. John makes clear that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Nonetheless, when the gospel is spoken, the words powerful unto eternal life, it can have two effects. It can bring life, and it can harden. In Isaiah’s case, God was making very clear that Isaiah’s message would harden.

Therefore, Isaiah reasonably asks, “How long, O Lord?” to which God says, in short, “Until judgment is complete.” He says in verses 11-13, ‘Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 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.” Isaiah was to preach this message until judgment was complete.

What a mission! Yet it was Isaiah’s calling, and it is a good reminder to us as well. Our calling is not to guarantee the results. We simply cannot. In fact, our work may bring greater condemnation to those who hear our message. Alec Motyer points out this as the great dilemma of the preacher. He writes, “If hearers are resistant to the truth, the only recourse is to tell them the truth yet again, more clearly than before. But to do this is to expose them to the risk of rejecting the truth yet again, and, therefore, of increased hardness of heart. It could even be that the next rejection will prove to be the point at which the heart is hardened beyond recovery.”⁴

A great dilemma? In some ways, yes, for it is no doubt heart-breaking to realize our proclamation of the gospel is serving to further the weight of condemnation upon those rejecting our message. But in another way, it is not. For apart from hearing the gospel men have no hope. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. And how shall they hear unless we preach? Also, it is no great dilemma because we have been commanded, and our role is not to reason out how our obedience might work out, where all the chips might fall, if you will. Our role is to obey. We are ambassadors of Christ, sent to proclaim the gospel of God to a world whose only hope is hearing this message. For some it no doubt will serve to blind, harden, and deafen. But for others, it will show itself as that which has created life.

Our calling is not to figure out all the effects but to proclaim the Word. And how long does this responsibility fall on us? It falls to us until God’s ultimate judgment and redemption is known, until he sends his Son to the earth. God does not leave it to us to reason out the possible effects of obeying him; he simply calls us to obey.

The Holy Seed

Yet, this text does not end with dread. The judgment will be complete. Indeed, Judah would ultimately be destroyed by Babylon and exiled from their home. The judgment would be like a forest not only being cut down to the stumps but them burned. Yet Isaiah pictures something in that stump, the Holy One of Israel.

My mom tells the story of my grandpa cutting down some plants to almost nothing at the end of one summer and my grandma upset at seeing her plants destroyed. In fact, it was that very same winter that my grandpa died of lung cancer. Therefore, death and destruction was all around her, whether she thought of her husband for many years or those plants out front that gave no hope of life. Nevertheless, what she never anticipated and my grandpa never got to see was the display of life outside her house that next summer. Those plants came back and bloomed beautifully.

Such is the picture here. Israel is cut down to a burned over root. Death reigns. Yet, there is a holy seed in that stump. And we know from texts we will look at next week as well as the New Testament that the root one day sprouted a shoot, who is Jesus of Nazareth.

So it is with us, as we realize our sin, the desperate situation of the world, and coming judgment, that is not the last word for us. We await the coming of our Lord, who is the Holy Seed, who is the Holy One seen by Isaiah. We wait for the Christ to come and get us and take us to be with himself. That day is sure, and his Holy Spirit in us is a guarantee that when he comes, it will be to take us to himself.

Isaiah 6 and Us

So should this text affect us? Well, there are many applications that we have seen along the way, but they all stem from one thing, seeing God rightly. Therefore, let me urge us over the holidays to meditate on who God is and what he has done. For we cannot see God like Isaiah did, but Paul tells us that as we meditate upon the Word and behold the glory of the Lord in the test, we will be transformed. Therefore, let us spend time this holiday season meditating on God, who he is, and what he has done so that we might see our sin, be reminded of our forgiveness, and be quick to volunteer our lives in sacrificial service to the one who before whom the seraphim constantly cry, “Holy, holy, holy,” – the Lord God Almighty.

May his grace be with us. Amen.

¹A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1992), 1.

²John Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1-39: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986), 177.

³Ibid., 186.

⁴J. Alec Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove: IVP, 1993), 79.

A VISION OF THE MOST HOLY GOD