Class Notes on Isaiah 6:5-8

Isa 6:5

5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” NIV

• What is Isaiah's response to standing in God's presence?
  • "woe" is me
  • Frightened, afraid of death -- because of his sinfulness
  • Repentance, admitting sin -- these are always a good way to start worship

• Interesting contrast of the preceding chapters to chapter six. What did Isaiah prophesy in chapter 5?
  • Six woes against Israel and Judah because of their sin
  • The six woes are very "obvious" sins. Most of us would see Isaiah, at least in contrast, as righteous. Yet how does Isaiah see himself? As sinful

• What was Isaiah's sin? Unclean lips
  • Unclean lips reveal unclean hearts (Matt 12:34)
  • Thoughts, words, and consequently actions

• APPLICATION:
  • I think a sign of spiritual maturity is a recognition of how deep our sin is
  • Worship should start with repentance. I think that is why some get concerned with a lack of quiet at the beginning of the worship time

Isa 6:6-8

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” NIV

• Isaiah admits his son, and the immediate response is for a Seraph to get a coal from the altar and touch Isaiah's mouth. We know that some of this is symbolic, why?
  • Isaiah's mouth is not burned
  • And. why does the coal not burn Isaiah, yet the Seraph must use tongs to take hold

• It's not clear whether the altar is in heaven or is a picture of the altar on earth or actually is the altar on earth. Either way, the altar is where the sacrifice of sin is paid and a person's sin is atoned for (covered). In response to Isaiah's confession, his sin is atoned for (covered)
• The coal from the sacrifice does two things, what are they?
  • It takes away guilt
  • It atones for (covers) sin

• Guilt is one of those hidden things that sometimes we don't even recognize that we are struggling to overcome. You see it when you can't let go of something you did years ago. We need to grasp onto the truth, that when we accepted Christ and when we confess our sins, our past and present guilt is washed away
  • We choose to let guilt control us because we don't really believe what God has said
  • Heb 9:12-14 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! NIV
  • Heb 10:22-23 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. NIV

• So, we have seen three separate events (actions, …), 1) recognition of God's holiness, 2) repentance, followed by 3) atonement (forgiveness). What do we see next?
  • The call to ministry

• Why is the order important?
  • We can't serve God without a recognition of God's holiness and our own sin and helplessness
  • We can't worship God without cleansing

• Also, what didn't God do that we might have expected him to do at this point?
  • He didn't tell Isaiah his ministry
  • He called out, and Isaiah had to choose to respond

• Lastly, let's put this in context with the statement, "in the year King Uzziah died." Why is the mention of Uzziah potentially important in relationship to what is now happening to Isaiah?
  • Uzziah did not understand God's holiness
  • Uzziah did not appreciate his sinfulness
  • Uzziah could not continue to serve God

• APPLICATION:
  • We have free will, not only in salvation but also in service. We must hear and respond to God's calling. Before we can respond, we need to recognize God's holiness, our sin, and our need for forgiveness
  • Lastly, I disagree that this is Isaiah's salvation experience. It does not fit in the order of events, even if you don't see a chronological ordering. One could call it a "lordship" experiencing or even a "special" calling. The fact of the matter is that believers who are truly seeking God experience these "events" or special times with God throughout their spiritual life
  • Is there something I've done, that I have not let go of, because I have difficult believing that God could cleanse me from that sin? Let it go, he has promised, the guilt is taken away. The only one holding onto the guilt is our self