Isaiah's Vision: Cleansing, Calling, and Commission

Isaiah 6:1-8

1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.

3 And one cried to another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the middle of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it on my mouth, and said, See, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Certainly, let's explore the profound meaning of Isaiah 6:1-8. This passage describes a powerful vision the prophet Isaiah experienced, a pivotal moment that transformed his understanding and calling.

The Vision of God's Glory

The vision begins "In the year that king Uzziah died" Isaiah 6:1. This detail is significant because Uzziah was a king of Judah who, despite a long and prosperous reign, ultimately succumbed to pride and presumption, attempting to burn incense in the temple, a duty reserved for priests. He was consequently struck with leprosy and remained a leper until his death 2 Chronicles 26:5, 16, 21SS 161.1+4. It was in this context of a flawed earthly king's demise that Isaiah saw the true King, the Lord of hosts, "sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple" Isaiah 6:14BC 1139.6+5. This vision highlights God's supreme authority and holiness, contrasting sharply with human imperfection and failure4BC 1139.7.

Above the throne stood seraphim, celestial beings each with six wings: "with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly" Isaiah 6:2PTUK January 26, 1899, page 66.1+4. Their act of covering their faces and feet in God's presence demonstrates their reverence and humility before His glory and majestyRH February 18, 1896, par. 2. These holy beings continuously proclaimed, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" Isaiah 6:37LtMs, Ms 27, 1891, par. 12+3. Their fervent praises shook the doorposts of the temple, and the house was filled with smoke, signifying God's presence and glory Isaiah 6:42SAT 94.6+5.

Isaiah's Conviction and Cleansing

Beholding this overwhelming display of God's holiness, Isaiah was acutely aware of his own sinfulness and the impurity of the people around him. He cried out, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" Isaiah 6:52SAT 94.6+8. This moment of conviction is a common experience for those chosen by God, as they truly grasp the vast difference between their own impurity and God's spotless character2SAT 94.6+2.

To cleanse Isaiah, one of the seraphim flew to him, holding a live coal taken with tongs from the altar. The seraph touched Isaiah's mouth with the coal, declaring, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged" Isaiah 6:6-74BC 1139.4+5. This symbolic act represents the divine purification necessary for a person to speak on behalf of God. It signifies that words spoken with moral force must come from a pure breath and clean lipsHHTL 341.1.

Isaiah's Call to Service

Once cleansed and purged of sin, Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah 6:87LtMs, Ms 27, 1891, par. 12. Without hesitation, Isaiah responded, "Here am I; send me" Isaiah 6:8SS 118.4+2. This demonstrates that true readiness for God's service comes only after a transformative experience of divine cleansing and an acute awareness of one's unworthiness2SAT 94.6+3. This readiness to be a messenger for the Lord only occurs after iniquity is taken away and sin is purgedSITI November 26, 1885, page 711.2.

This profound experience prepared Isaiah to become a prophet for Judah and Jerusalem for some sixty yearsPTUK October 13, 1898, page 642.3. It underscores the principle that God calls for sanctified hearts and lips to proclaim His messages5MR 128.3. Just as Christ's disciples were imbued with His Spirit so that He could live through their faculties and speak through their words, we too are called to have our lips sanctified to show forth God's praise Psalm 51:15GCB October 1, 1899, page 101.1+1. This is the work God's people are called to do: to convey the truth as living power to others through words that proceed from sanctified hearts and fall from sanctified lips5LtMs, Lt 48, 1888, par. 20+1.