John Oswalt introduces Isaiah’s call to service with these thoughts. Isaiah chapters 1-5 highlight a serious issue: sinful and arrogant Israel will become God’s holy people, attracting nations to learn about God.
Chapter 6 offers the solution. When the nation mirrors Isaiah’s experience—seeing themselves against God’s holiness and glory, and accepting His gracious provision for sin—they can then speak for God to a world in need.
Isaiah’s experience began with the death of a very capable king. Since Solomon’s time, Judah had not seen a king like Uzziah.
It must have been easy to focus on and trust in such a leader. But with the king’s death, God could now reveal Himself more clearly than when people felt secure and complacent.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the hem of his robe filled the temple (Isaiah 6:1).
The focus on God’s exaltation aligns perfectly with the themes in the book of Isaiah. Human efforts at self-exaltation are foolish. Only God is truly exalted.
Isaiah is aware of others in the presence of God.
Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:2-3)
The seraphim proclaimed God’s holiness. This is likely why Isaiah frequently refers to God as “the Holy One of Israel/Judah.” This phrase appears 26 times in Isaiah. This encounter with God convinced Isaiah that God alone is holy.
When we talk about God’s holiness, we mean He is entirely outside of creation. Picture a Being so magnificent that He stands beyond the universe. The universe itself exists because of Him.
Holiness also involves ethics. God is ethical, and his followers are expected to mirror this character due to their unique relationship with Him.
Moses explained the relationship between a holy God and His people, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).
God’s essence is deeply ethical. Because of this, when God’s glory is revealed, judgment for sin follows, as the two cannot coexist.
Some scholars think Isaiah experienced the next part of his vision because he was lying face down at the temple entrance.
The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke (Isaiah 6:3*).
God’s people were familiar with God’s presence revealed through fire, cloud, and smoke.
The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night (Exodus 13:21).
It wasn’t difficult for Isaiah to make the connection between the vision before his eyes and the history of God’s dealings with His people. What he saw changed the shape of the rest of his life.
Isaiah’s ministry was guided by the holiness, glory, majesty, and righteousness of God.
Reflections
Most people have never had a similar encounter as Isaiah’s. However, we can have mini-encounters on a daily basis.
For example, during a recent prayer time God impressed me with Romans 12:1. I have memorized the verse and have often used it when speaking or writing to others.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship (Romans 12:1).
One preacher said, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps trying to crawl off the altar.”
That’s the problem with my self-will. After meeting with the holy God I have written about and after receiving His direction, self-will wants to survive the encounter.
My encouragement to myself and you are twofold:
(1) Let’s seek a mini-encounter with God on a daily basis. To not meet with the God we have outlined in Isaiah 6 is to cheat ourselves out of the best God has for us.
(2) When God gives us direction, even if it means the surrender of self-will to His rule, let’s follow it.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 