“Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing. Go out from the midst of her, be clean you who bear the vessels of the Lord.” Isaiah 52:11
When Isaiah began writing his book, the Lord led him to instruct Israel to understand the desperate situation she was in with regard to being right with God. The Lord would even say to her, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.” (1:16) The Lord, by saying these words, was revealing to Israel that she was unclean, and that her works and manner of living was unclean before Him. The Lord would deal with the external “religion” and its practices which Israel was engaged in, but which was nothing, and unacceptable in God’s eyes. That manner of living denied the straight line of devotion of the believer to God, nor the gracious receiving of the blessing from the Lord’s throne. There was no communion with God, no imparting of His blessed Life and spiritual blessing. Israel religion had become an empty shell, characterized by a superficial faith, denying the power of God. She was indeed, as a ship upon the sea, without a rudder, without a sail, left to the winds of circumstance, possessing no power to be what God intended her to be. She was unclean before God. Her iniquity separated her from God, and though she thought of herself righteous in holding onto this form religion, she was denying the very life and power which God desired to give her, by which she alone could truly live.
Soon after beginning his book, Isaiah came to the place of his personal testimony, and experience, where God revealed Himself to him. Isaiah, like the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, hundreds of years later, were both great men of faith, who testified and lived with God, dwelling in Him, and as a result, were greatly used by Him. However, in both cases these men were originally blind to their condition, lost in their preoccupation with their so-called righteousness, and completely cut off from the life-giving power that God was seeking to impart to them. For Isaiah, the day came when God gave him a vision of Himself in His glory, specifically of His sovereign power and authority as revealed by God sitting upon His throne, but also, Isaiah saw and heard of His Holiness, that absolute separation of God as Creator from all that was of His creation. By that vision, Isaiah became convicted of his sinful attitude towards, and his defiance of God. He would write as result: “Woe is me, for I am undone. Because I am a man of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (6:5) Isaiah discovered that he was unclean before God, revealed by the words of his mouth, which came from his sinful heart. There would be only one solution to this desperate situation, and it would be God’s solution, His initiative, action, and accomplishment of the work. A seraphim would fly to Isaiah, having taken a burning coal from off the altar of God, then to place that coal on Isaiah’s lips. This act would completely remove the uncleanness of Isaiah’s lips and heart, purging it from his soul, cleansing him from every aspect and effect of it. Only God could forgive, cleanse, and deliver Isaiah from his death laden sin, and uncleanness. Only after being cleansed would, he hear the Lord’s voice: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” (v.8)
In David’s prayer to God concerning his sins of adultery, and murder, his fundamental plea was an appeal for God’s intervention. “Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (Ps. 51:1,2) David knew the imperative of being clean before God.
In John’s first letter, he speaks to all believers concerning cleansing: “…the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” (1:7) If there is confession of sins, and repentance, God is faithful and just to forgive, and CLEANSE from ALL sin.
Dear Father, Make us clean today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.