Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryIsaiah 6

Francis D. Nichol (ed.) and contributors

Isaiah 6:1

In the year. This was probably 740/739 B.C. The date is obviously an item of importance. In the year that Uzziah concluded his long reign of 52 years the Lord accorded the young man Isaiah a vision confirming his call to the prophetic office and gave him a message of reproof for Israel (PK 305–307; 5T 749, 750). The time was one of peril and crisis. The great Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III had come to the throne in 745, and almost immediately began a series of campaigns that led to the conquest of much of Western Asia (see p. 88). In 745 he marched against Babylonia, in 744 he went against the country to the northeast of Assyria, and between 743 and 738 he made annual campaigns against the northwest. In his annals Tiglath-pileser frequently mentions Azriau from Iauda, generally believed to be Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah, who was evidently the leading spirit in resistance to Assyrian aggression among the countries of the Mediterranean region of Asia. Menahem of Israel is also mentioned. It was in the midst of Tiglath-pileser’s campaigns against the West that Uzziah died. The man who had taken so strong a stand against Assyria was gone. What would now be the fate of Judah? Must all the world fall a prey to Assyrian arms? Because of their sins the professed people of God had forfeited divine protection. Assyrian might appeared invincible, and it seemed to

be only a question of time before Judah would be overwhelmed and Assyria would control the world. The Lord sitting upon a throne. This manifestation of the divine glory took place upon the occasion of one of Isaiah’s visits to the sacred precincts of the Temple (PK 307). God designed that Isaiah should catch a wider vision than merely what he saw taking place about him. God would have him know that in spite of all the might of Assyria, He was still supreme upon His throne and in control of the affairs of earth. Moses was accorded a similar vision of God (Ex. 24:10). More than a century before Isaiah’s time the prophet Micaiah saw the Lord seated upon His throne, with the armies of heaven standing by Him (1 Kings 22:19). Earlier during the reign of Uzziah, Amos also saw the Lord standing by the altar in the Temple court (Amos 9:1). Later, during the Babylonian captivity, both Daniel (Dan. 7:9) and Ezekiel (Eze. 1:1; 10:1–5) saw visions of the Lord upon His throne, as did John on the Isle of Patmos (Rev. 4:1–6). When perils encompass God’s people and the powers of darkness seem about to prevail, God calls them to look up to Him, seated upon His throne and directing in the affairs of heaven and earth, in order that they may take hope and courage. See Ed 173. His train filled the temple. At the time he was accorded this vision Isaiah stood in the Temple court praying (PK 307). Before him the doors of the Temple appeared to open, and in the most holy place he saw God Himself seated upon His throne. The Heb. hekal, the word commonly used of the Temple, designates it as the “temple,” or “palace,” of the great King of heaven (see Ps. 11:4; 29:9; Hab. 2:20). The “train” is the garment of God’s infinite glory. John (ch. 12:41) applies this vision to Christ.

Ellen G. White

1-7 (Revelation 11:19). Isaiah’s Experience Represents Last-Day Church—[Isaiah 6:1-4 quoted.] As the prophet Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he was amazed, and, overwhelmed with a sense of his own weakness and unworthiness, he cried, “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 had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees himself exposed to the same condemnation he had pronounced upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold, lifeless ceremony in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision was given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom and talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the sanctuary. How unworthy he was! how unfitted for sacred service! His view of himself might be expressed in the language of the apostle Paul, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

The vision given to Isaiah represents the condition of God’s people in the last days. They are privileged to see by faith the work that is going forward in the heavenly sanctuary. “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” As they look by faith into the holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean lips,—a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of God. Well may they despair as they contrast their own weakness and unworthiness with the purity and loveliness of the glorious character of Christ. But if they, like Isaiah, will receive the impression the Lord designs shall be made upon the heart, if they will humble their souls before God, there is hope for them. The bow of promise is above the throne, and the work done for Isaiah will be performed in them. God will respond to the petitions coming from the contrite heart (The Review and Herald, December 22, 1896).

Isaiah had a wonderful view of God’s glory. He saw the manifestation of God’s power, and after beholding His majesty, a message came to him to go and do a certain work. He felt wholly unworthy for the work. What made him esteem himself unworthy? Did he think himself unworthy before he had a view of God’s glory?—No; he imagined himself in a righteous state before God; but when the glory of the Lord of hosts was revealed to him, when he beheld the inexpressible majesty of God, he said, “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. Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a living coal in his hands, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar, and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” This is the work that as individuals we need to have done for us. We want the living coal from off the altar placed upon our lips. We want to hear the word spoken, “Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged” (The Review and Herald, June 4, 1889).

1-8. Shekinah Glory Revealed to Isaiah—Christ Himself was the Lord of the temple. When He should leave it, its glory would depart—that glory once visible in the holy of holies over the mercy seat, where the high priest entered only once a year, on the great day of atonement, with the blood of the slain victim (typical of the blood of the Son of God shed for the sins of the world), and sprinkled it upon the altar. This was the Shekinah, the visible pavilion of Jehovah.

It was this glory that was revealed to Isaiah, when he says, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” [Isaiah 6:1-8 quoted] (Manuscript 71, 1897).

Vision of Glory Leads to Genuine Conviction of Unworthiness—In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah was permitted in vision to look into the holy place, and into the holy of holies in the heavenly sanctuary. The curtains of the innermost sanctuary were drawn aside, and a throne high and lifted up, towering as it were to the very heavens, was revealed to his gaze. An indescribable glory emanated from a personage on the throne, and His train filled the temple, as His glory will finally fill the earth. Cherubim were on either side of the mercy-seat, as guards round the great king, and they glowed with the glory that enshrouded them from the presence of God. As their songs of praise resounded in deep, earnest notes of adoration, the pillars of the gate trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. These holy beings sang forth the praise and glory of God with lips unpolluted with sin. The contrast between the feeble praise which he had been accustomed to bestow upon the Creator and the fervid praises of the seraphim, astonished and humiliated the prophet. He had for the time being the sublime privilege of appreciating the spotless purity of Jehovah’s exalted character.

While he listened to the song of the angels, as they cried, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory,” the glory, the infinite power, and the unsurpassed majesty of the Lord passed before his vision, and was impressed upon his soul. In the light of this matchless radiance that made manifest all he could bear in the revelation of the divine character, his own inward defilement stood out before him with startling clearness. His very words seemed vile to him.

Thus when the servant of God is permitted to behold the glory of the God of heaven, as He is unveiled to humanity, and realizes to a slight degree the purity of the Holy One of Israel, he will make startling confessions of the pollution of his soul, rather than proud boasts of his holiness. In deep humiliation Isaiah exclaimed, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips: ... for mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts.” This is not that voluntary humility and servile self-reproach that so many seem to consider it a virtue to display. This vague mockery of humility is prompted by hearts full of pride and self-esteem. There are many who demerit themselves in words, who would be disappointed if this course did not call forth expressions of praise and appreciation from others. But the conviction of the prophet was genuine. As humanity, with its weakness and deformity, was brought out in contrast with the perfection of divine holiness and light and glory, he felt altogether inefficient and unworthy. How could he go and speak to the people the holy requirements of Jehovah, who was high and lifted up, and whose train filled the temple? While Isaiah was trembling and conscience-smitten, because of his impurity in the presence of this unsurpassed glory, he said, “Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me” (The Review and Herald, October 16, 1888).

How many words are spoken in lightness and foolishness, in jesting and joking! This would not be so did the followers of Christ realize the truth of the words, “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Harsh and unkind words, words of censure and criticism of God’s work and His messengers, are indulged in by those who profess to be His children. When these careless souls discern the greatness of God’s character, they will not mingle their spirit and attributes with His service. When our eyes look by faith into the sanctuary, and take in the reality, the importance and holiness, of the work there being done, everything of a selfish nature will be abhorred by us. Sin will appear as it is,—the transgression of God’s holy law. The atonement will be better understood; and by living, active faith, we shall see that whatever of virtue humanity possesses, it exists only in Jesus Christ, the world’s Redeemer (The Review and Herald, December 22, 1896).

To those who are engaged in the work of God, in the conversion of souls, it would seem as though it was impossible to reach the obdurate heart. This is how Isaiah felt, but when he saw that there was a God above the cherubim, and that they were ready to work with God, he was ready to carry the message (The Review and Herald, May 3, 1887).

Isaiah 6:2

The seraphims. Heb. śeraphim, literally, “burning [ones],” or “shining [ones].” Six wings. Compare Rev. 4:8, where the living creatures that John saw about the throne also have six wings. The living creatures seen by Ezekiel, however, are represented as having four wings (Eze. 1:6). Isaiah sees the angels with two wings covering the face, in an attitude of homage and reverence before God, two wings covering the feet, and two used for flight. Ezekiel sees the living creatures with two wings covering the body and two wings stretched upward (Eze. 1:11).

Ellen G. White

2. Angels Fully Satisfied to Glorify God—The seraphim before the throne are so filled with reverential awe in beholding the glory of God that they do not for an instant look upon themselves with self-complacency, or in admiration of themselves or one another. Their praise and glory are for the Lord of Hosts, who is high and lifted up, and the glory of whose train fills the temple. As they see the future, when the whole earth shall be filled with His glory, the triumphant song of praise is echoed from one to another in melodious chant, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts.” They are fully satisfied to glorify God; and in His presence, beneath His smile of approbation, they wish for nothing more. In bearing His image, in doing His service and worshiping Him, their highest ambition is fully reached (The Review and Herald, December 22, 1896).

Isaiah 6:3

Holy, holy, holy. The angels about the throne of God are impressed with His outstanding attribute—perfect holiness of character. The living creatures John saw about the throne likewise cried, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” (Rev. 4:8). God sought to impress upon the mind of Isaiah a concept of His holiness, in order that the prophet should keep this attribute of the divine character constantly before His people, that they might thereby be encouraged to put away their sins and aspire to holiness. The Dead Sea scroll 1QIs (see Vol. I, p. 31; Vol. IV, p. 86) omits the words “and said,” and has the word “holy” twice only. Full of his glory. Compare ch. 40:5. A realization of the glory and holiness of God will lead men to stand in humility before Him. At a time when darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people (ch. 60:2), Isaiah looked forward to the hour when all the earth will be covered with God’s glory.

Isaiah 6:4

The posts of the door. Literally, “the pivots of the thresholds,” that is, the sockets in which the leaves of the door were held. The very foundations of the Temple seemed to shake at the voice of God.

Smoke. As of incense, reflecting the luminous glory of God. Compare Ex. 19:18, where Mt. Sinai is covered with smoke and quakes greatly, and Rev. 15:8, where the temple is filled with smoke because of the glory of God.

Isaiah 6:5

Woe is me! Isaiah had been pronouncing woes upon the sinners among God’s people (ch. 5:8–30). Now, finding himself in the awesome presence of a holy God, he becomes profoundly aware of his own imperfection of character. The same experience will come to us as we draw nigh to God. Mine eyes have seen. This vision of God in His holiness and glory gave Isaiah a conception of the sinfulness and insignificance of man. Looking upon God and then upon himself, he realized his own nothingness in comparison with the Eternal, his guilt in the presence of the “Holy One of Israel” (ch. 5:24). Moses hid his face when he came into the presence of God (Ex. 3:6), and Job abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).

Ellen G. White

5-7 (Matthew 12:34-36). Consider Words in Light of Heaven—Let every soul who claims to be a son or a daughter of God examine himself in the light of heaven; let him consider the polluted lips that make him “undone.” They are the medium of communication. [Matthew 12:34, 35 quoted.] Then let them not be used in bringing from the treasure of the heart words that will dishonor God and discourage those around you, but use them for the praise and glory of God, who has formed them for this purpose. When the cleansing coal is applied from the glowing altar, the conscience will be purged from dead works to serve the living God; and when the love of Jesus is the theme of contemplation, the words coming from human lips will be full of praise and thanksgiving to God and to the Lamb.

5-8. When One Is Ready to Work With God, He Carries Message—Isaiah had a message from the God of heaven to give to the backsliding people of Israel, and he gave them this message. He knew what elements he had to deal with; he knew the stubbornness and perversity of the heart, and how hard it would be to make any impression upon them. As he stood in the portico of the temple, the Lord revealed Himself to him. The veil of the temple was withdrawn, the door lifted, and he had a view of the holy of holies within the veil. He saw the God of Israel before the throne high and lifted up, and the train of His glory filled the temple. As Isaiah senses his own sinfulness, he cries out, “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” And there was seen the hand that took the live coal from off the altar, and touched his lips, and bade him be clean. Then he was ready to go with the message, and he said, “Send me”; for he knew that the Spirit of God would be with the message.

Isaiah 6:6

The altar. That is, the golden altar of incense (see on Ex. 30:1–5), essentially an altar of intercession (see on Ex. 30:6–8). John saw prayers from the hearts of repentant sinners presented with incense before the throne of grace (Rev. 8:3, 4).

Ellen G. White

But relief was sent to Isaiah in his distress. [Isaiah 6:6, 7 quoted.] ...

6. Live Coal Symbolizes Purity and Power—The live coal is symbolical of purification. If it touches the lips, no impure word will fall from them. The live coal also symbolizes the potency of the efforts of the servants of the Lord. God hates all coldness, all commonness, all cheap efforts. Those who labor acceptably in His cause, must be men who pray fervently, and whose works are wrought in God; and they will never have cause to be ashamed of their record. They will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and their reward will be given them,—even eternal life (The Review and Herald, October 16, 1888).

Isaiah 6:7

Touched thy lips. The coal from the altar represented the purifying and refining power of divine grace. It signified, as well, as transformation of character. Henceforth the one great desire of Isaiah for his people was that they too might experience the same work of cleansing and transformation. Our greatest need today is for lips touched with holy fire from the altar of God.

Isaiah 6:8

Send me. Isaiah’s response was immediate. Like Paul, Isaiah had one great desire for Israel—that they might be saved (see Rom. 10:1). He knew that judgment was soon to fall upon a guilty people, and longed to see them forsake their sins. Henceforth, Isaiah’s one task in life was to bear God’s message of warning and hope to Israel that they might catch a vision of the love and holiness of God, and be saved as a result.

Isaiah 6:9

Hear ye indeed. Like many other prophets, Isaiah faced a difficult task. God warned him that the message he bore would largely go unheeded, that in spite of all he might do the people would continue in their evil ways. Apparent failure would be his unhappy lot, but certainly not more so than with the ministry of Jesus (Matt. 13:14, 15; John 12:37–41) and that of Paul (Acts 28:26, 27). These words of Isaiah are quoted repeatedly as applicable also to NT times. Isaiah nevertheless had the assurance that his work would not be entirely in vain, for God revealed to him that a remnant would be saved (chs. 1:9; 6:13; 10:21). Paul, however, realized that in his day the Jews had made their final decision and been cut off as the people of God (Acts 28:26–28; Rom. 9–11).

Isaiah 6:10

Make the heart. The spiritual perceptions of Israel would prove to be so dull that they would fail to heed even the most stirring messages Heaven should send. The situation would be similar to that of Pharaoh when his heart was hardened and he refused to comply with the message of the Lord given by Moses (see on Ex. 4:21). In the days of Isaiah it was not the Lord who blinded the eyes of the people or made their heart heavy; they brought this condition upon themselves by their rejection of the warnings God sent them. With each rejection of truth the heart becomes harder and the spiritual perceptions more dull, until at length there is utter inability to perceive spiritual things. God takes no delight in the death of the wicked, and does everything possible to turn them from their evil ways, in order that they might live and not die (Eze. 18:23–32; 33:11; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

Isaiah 6:11

Lord, how long? Isaiah faced a bleak prospect. He could hardly believe that the situation the Lord had described could persist for any length of time. Surely, after a time, the people would come to their senses and accept God’s message of salvation and deliverance. Hence his inquiry. Until the cities. The sad answer the Lord gave Isaiah was that the situation would prevail till Judah had destroyed itself. There was no hope of repentance, no hope of survival. A remnant would be saved, and for the sake of that faithful group Isaiah was to proclaim his message of salvation. But the nation as a whole would refuse to turn from its evil ways. And that refusal would in the end bring utter and irretrievable ruin. The cities would be without inhabitants and the land utterly desolate and forsaken. Sin brings not happiness but woe, not prosperity but ruin, not life but death. This is the great lesson God’s spokesmen have brought to the world again and again (see Lev. 26:31–33; Isa. 1:20; 5:9; 14:17, 20; Jer. 4:7, 20, 23–27; 7:34; 9:11; 26:6, 18; Micah 3:12; etc.).

Isaiah 6:12

Removed men far away. This refers to the coming captivity. First by Assyria in Isaiah’s day, and then by Babylon a century later, the people would be carried away into foreign lands. This had been foretold by Moses, conditionally, before Israel ever entered the Promised Land (Lev. 26:33; Deut. 4:26–28; 28:64). A great forsaking. The land God had intended to blossom as a rose would become waste, and would be forsaken of its inhabitants. Instead of prosperity there would be ruin.

Isaiah 6:13

A tenth. Because certain details of the Hebrew of v. 13 are not altogether clear, its translation and interpretation are difficult. A literal translation would read: “And yet in her [that is, the land; see v. 12] shall be a tenth and she [the land, or the tenth] shall be again [or remain, or return], and she [the land, or the tenth] shall be for a burning down like a terebinth and like an oak, which in the felling a stump [is left] in her [the land, or the tenth; or “in them,” meaning the terebinth and the oak] and a holy seed in her stump.” The basic meaning of the verse is clear. Verses 11, 12 have described the desolation of Judah at the time of the Babylonian captivity. Though the land would be left utterly desolate, this experience would not mean the end of Israel as a nation (see Jer. 4:27; 5:10, 18; 30:11; 46:28). She would rise again. The discouraging picture of a people persisting in their perversity, blind and deaf to the messages Isaiah was to bear to them until they should be swept away into captivity, here blends into one of assurance that the land will not remain wholly forsaken forever and that God’s purpose for her will eventually be accomplished (PK 309, 310). Compare the name of Isaiah’s first-born son, Shear-jashub, which means literally, “[a] remnant [shall] return.” The thought that a “remnant” would “return” recurs again and again throughout the book (chs. 4:2, 3; 10:21; etc.). No particular significance is to be attached to the fact that the remnant would be “a tenth” of the original. In the Bible, ten is a small, sometimes indefinite, number, and a tenth part would, accordingly, be a small number. A teil tree. Probably the terebinth, a tree from which turpentine was secured. The tree might be stripped and nothing left of it save the stump. But from that stump a new tree would grow. The message therefore was one of encouragement and hope. Isaiah’s work was not to be entirely in vain; in the end a remnant would be saved. The holy seed. In the “stump” there would remain life, and this would ultimately spring forth again and become a new tree. A tree is a common OT figure for God’s people (see Isa. 65:22; Jer. 17:8; cf. Dan. 4:14, 23). From this “holy seed” a new and glorious Israel would rise.