In The Word
Read: Isaiah 6
Isaiah’s Vision
6 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim were standing above Him, each having six wings: with two each covered his face, and with two each covered his feet, and with two each flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of armies.
The whole earth is full of His glory.”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said,
“Woe to me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of armies.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your guilt is taken away and atonement is made for your sin.”
Isaiah’s Commission
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
And keep on looking, but do not gain knowledge.’
10 Make the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes blind,
So that they will not see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”
11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,
“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
12 The Lord has completely removed people,
And there are many forsaken places in the midst of the land.
13 Yet there will still be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is cut down.
The holy seed is its stump.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
God called Isaiah to point out His nation’s sins, yet in seeing God’s glory, Isaiah was convicted of his own weaknesses and failings. Isaiah confessed his sin before God, and in God’s mercy, a seraphim declared, “your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven. (Isaiah 6:7)” This forgiveness allowed Isaiah not only to stay in God’s presence, but also to boldly accept the mission to declare God’s truth to the Israelites.
Why does God forgive us? First, it allows us to be in His presence. The death of Christ was first for us to have a relationship with the Father. Jesus’ blood was shed so that He could abolish the barrier of sin that separated us from God’s presence. Second, God’s forgiveness equips us to carry out His mission of declaring the good news of Jesus Christ to others. If we had to stay in a state of guilt and condemnation from sinful behavior, then we would be weak. But by faith, we know we are forgiven when we confess our sins, which gives us the clean conscience and boldness needed to tell others about Yeshua.
When we come into God’s presence, He will convict us of sin. We must be willing to confess that sin and commit to holy living. God will then forgive us and help us to be strong to carry out His mission. Like Isaiah, we must be willing to say, “Here am I. Send me!” The world needs to hear the gospel.