Isaiah Chapter 6 is a very interesting chapter. We find Isaiah the prophet at a crisis time in his life. He felt since king Uzziah had died, Israel would be taken captive, prosperity would cease, and that a depression and famine would also come. Uzziah had ruled for fifty-two years and was the last great king of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Many felt that things were so bad then, that the glory of the Lord would not be able to be seen or sensed by the people. In the time of crisis, Uzziah went to the temple and experienced God coming on the scene when he desperately needed a meeting with and word from God. Let me give you several things from this passage that happens when God comes on the scene.
I. His Purity Is Evident (v.3).
Notice in verse three the words, “Holy, holy, holy.” Why three times? Holy to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit of God.
A. It brought about the reverence of the seraphim(v.3)
B. It brought about the repentance of a saint (v.5). No one can approach God without seeing God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness.
II. His Presence Is Overwhelming (v.4).
When God shows up in power and glory, it is evident to the people who really know Him. What two things clearly revealed the Almighty God was there to meet with his prophet.
A. There was a shaking. The house shook before the sovereign power and presence of God.
B. There was smoke. Smoke was a way God manifested His divine presence. Consider Abraham and the divided sacrifice (Gen.15:17; Moses with God on Mt.
Sinai (Ex.19:18); and even John’s vision of the Temple of the tent of witness in heaven (Rev.15:8). Smoke is associated with each of these marvelous manifestations of the Lord.
III. His People Are Humbled (v.5).
In God’s presence we see ourselves as we really are, undone and unclean without His cleansing.
IV. His Pardon Is Exercised (v.6-7).
“Thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged.” The live coal came from
the burnt altar where sin was dealt with. The live coal is symbolic of
Christ’s death upon Calvary’s cross. It speaks of the cleansing blood (1
Pet.1:18,19).
V. His Plan Is Revealed (v.9)
... “Go and tell”... That plan was that Isaiah be a witness and representative of God to the people. A witness simply tells what He or she has seen, heard, and experienced.
