“Then said I, ‘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 was a tremendous man, both from an intellectual and administrative standpoint, as well as a spiritual one. However, there came a day and a moment when all that he was could be described by a sad, yet profound realization. He wrote in the sixth chapter of his book, that he said to God: “Woe is me! For I am undone.” (6:5) What did he mean by this? There was in the vision of God upon the throne of heaven, with the heavenly seraphims crying out to one another of the holiness of God, a conviction so entire, and profound, of his own worthlessness, and sinfulness, that he sees himself as “lost,” undone, completely in a state of unworthiness and uncleanness, that would merit separation from the holiness of God. That which is the singular point of conviction, which brings him to this realization, is the matter of his own unclean lips, compounded by the fact that he lives daily in the midst of a people of unclean lips, sinning against God by what is spoken, as opposed to the sinless praise and worship of the seraphims of heaven. What is this man to do, overwhelmingly broken and helpless, completely attached to his sin, and his sin to him? He can only look to heaven to see what this King will ordain, and accomplish. He is completely at the mercy of God, and he knows it. It is for this reason that God in His mercy, responds in a most extraordinary, exceptional way. He orders one of the seraphim to fly to Isaiah, with a live coal from off the altar in his hand. He then lays it upon the mouth of Isaiah, declaring heaven’s remedy to Isaiah’s incalculable need, “…Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” The God who revealed Himself to Isaiah that day, bringing him to such conviction of sin and lostness, is the one who comes to his help and aid in a way which only heaven could devise, and accomplish. Without Isaiah even crying out for forgiveness, cleansing, the removal of all traces of his sin, God in Christ by the Spirit, used the burning coal in the hand of the seraphim to accomplish the work. So complete, so total was the work, that there is no more mention of it, only the sound of the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (6:8) The only valid, logical, and righteous response that Isaiah could ever give was expressed by his simple words: “Here am I, send me.” By those words he presents himself wholly to God, clean and committed. But he also, surrenders himself to the sovereign will of God, that of the King, to be His, and to be sent by Him wherever He wills, for the accomplishment of His will and purpose. This is the key to Isaiah’s life and ministry, the vision of the High and Holy King of Heaven.
The timing of this vision of God as the King, coincided with the death of an earthly king, whom Isaiah most certainly had served. Uzziah was good king, and very successful, his reign lasting fifty-two years. Although he made one grave mistake towards the latter part of his life, and became leprous because of it, He accomplished many wonderful things, causing the land of Israel to flourish and prosper. Uzziah, because of his influence and accomplishments, being great and many, certainly filled up to a certain extent the attention of Isaiah. However, after Uzziah’s death, when his reign ceased, and the vision came of the Eternal King of Heaven, the “Lord of Hosts,” this vision would swallow up all that had been of man. It would eclipse all of creation to reveal Heaven’s glory and power.
Dear Father, Make us see clearly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.