It is around the year 750 BC, and the Lord reveals himself to a young prophet named Isaiah. This divine vision is found in the 6th chapter of the book bearing the prophet’s name:
Isaiah 6:1-7 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Here, the Lord reveals his majesty.
He presents himself as a King who is firmly seated on a high and exited throne.
He also presents himself as a Priest, for his throne is in his temple.
Our Priestly King, he is regally dressed for success. His royal robe is so grand that his train flows from the front to the back of his sacred dwelling place.
All about him are splendid supernatural beings engaged in worship. Constantly they call out to one another, “Holy Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory.”
He is the King. He is the Priest. He is worshiped. He is holy. He is powerful. He is glorious!
Speaking of his glory, so brilliant is our Priestly King that the worshiping Seraphim must cover their faces and eyes. They seem to be unable to enjoy the sight of him whom they laud and honor. And they are not alone in covering their eyes …
As Isaiah peers into the throne room of the Lord, he too cannot bear the sight of the Glorious One. Upon receiving fresh revelation, Isaiah is freshly struck with his own unholiness. In response he declares himself to be an unclean man, a lost man, one deserving divine woe.
At this point, the Lord does not disagree, correct, or soften Isaiah’s self-evaluation.Neither does the Lord condemn and damn the troubled and confessing sinner. No words of anger, violence, and reciprocal justice flow from the throne.
Notice also that the Lord does not provide a list of commandments or duties. Here, the Lord makes no demands whatsoever.
However, the Lord does respond to his confessing sinner’s woe …
Here, the Lord responds with mercy.
Gospel-actions and Gospel-words flow forth from the throne of God.
See how the Priestly King sends his divine messenger to attend to the needs of his sin-struck friend.
See how the heavenly messenger comes with Gospel-medicine from God’s holy altar. This is the sacred altar where sins are confessed, the substitutionary lamb is slaughtered, the blood is poured out, and the Holy God is satisfied.
See how the heavenly messenger then applies the hot purifying coal to the confessing sinner.
Then notice afresh the most fantastic of words, “This has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away; your sin atoned for.”
What unfathomable grace!
Friends, what exactly did Isaiah do? Frankly, his list is fairly simple and very short:
- Isaiah provided the sin.
- Isaiah received the revelation of his Holy God.
- Isaiah freshly recognized his depravity and lost condition.
- Isaiah then wailed as he confessed true-truth.
And notice the passion, performance, and proclamation of the Priestly King. His action list is much longer:
- Jesus revealed himself.
- Jesus revealed his regal glory.
- Jesus revealed his position as the Priestly King.
- Jesus revealed his most oft repeated attribute — holiness.
- Jesus revealed the depravity and lost condition of his friend.
- Jesus then sent forth his heavenly counselor, ambassador, or preacher.
- Jesus, through his counselor, presented his own sacrificial work.
- Jesus, through his counselor, applied his Gospel cure. He touched his sinful friend.
- Jesus, through his counselor, proclaimed Isaiah’s sin to be atoned for.
- Jesus, through his counselor, proclaimed Isaiah’s guilt to be gone.
- Jesus then inspired Isaiah’s heart to eagerly respond with loving service. (Read on in Isaiah 6.)
Oh friends, I am sure I can be just like Isaiah.
I can provide the sin.
I can receive the revelation of my Holy God.
I can freshly recognize my own depravity and lost condition.
I can wail and confess reality as I now rightly see it.
And I can receive the passion, performance, and proclamation of my Priestly King and be motivated to love and serve.
How about you?
Can you too be like Isaiah? Can you proclaim your lostness? Can you proclaim your woe? Can you proclaim your unrighteousness? Can you even proclaim your need for salvation from your righteousness — because according to Isaiah and the Holy Spirit who inspires him, even your “righteousness is as filthy rages?” (Isaiah 65:6)
Why be like the Rich Young Ruler who says, “All God’s commandments I have kept.”
Why be like the Self-Righteous Pharisee who says, “God, I am so thankful I am not that bad of a sinner?”
Why not just join the motley crew of Jesus-loved, altar-touched, sinful-saints rejoicing in the passion, performance, and proclamation of our Priestly King.
Unfathomable Grace 