The appearance of Isaiah before God at His seat of power is an astonishing scene of awe and wonder. As recorded and narrated in chapter six of the book of Isaiah (6:1-13), this encounter was a God-appointed theophany that would inspire and inform myriads of people for generations. The witness and testimony of Isaiah concerning his vision echo among everyone who seeks to know and experience the glory and mysteries of Yahweh. Isaiah experienced God’s presence, as revealed in a glimpse of His identity, place, position, glory, and power. Among these, Isaiah perceived in limited view what the seraphim called out in the temple. That Yahweh is most holy as it was cried out to another in a magnificent way. Holy! Holy! Holy! These were their words. The angelic seraphim were in resonance with just how God’s holiness is distinct and utterly more unique and beautiful than anything or anyone. The glory of the incomparable Elohim was throughout the whole Earth as it filled the whole of His creation.
Isaiah’s encounter before Yahweh ruins him. He experienced a crisis of self-aware defilement before God. He witnessed God Most High’s being and presence. It was there that Isaiah understood the true condition of himself among people that he dwelt with and charged warnings against in the previous five chapters of his book. He was so stricken with a self-aware state of impurity and corruption that he cried out, “Woe is me! I am ruined!” He was guilty of defiled thoughts, words, and actions among his people all to separate Him from God. His God, who he honored, worshiped and served. The gravity of his conviction kept him from His God and his ability to withstand or bear God’s presence.
During this encounter, the smoke that filled the temple was probably a barrier for Isaiah to keep him safe from the effect of God’s unyielding glory. A vapor that became a veil for his spirit until he was purified and cleansed by a seraph. While amid the gathering smoke, the angelic seraph creature flew to Isaiah with a lump of burning coal taken from an altar to touch his mouth with it. To burn away the defilement and atone for his sin so he would no longer carry his guilt before God. His offenses now removed, to be of consecrated service before Yahweh as a prophet before His people.
With Isaiah in a desperate situation throughout his vision, the Lord spoke out His invitation to go to His people on behalf of Most High Elohim. “Who will go for Us?” was the call, and without any reservation, Isaiah said Him, hinneh-‘ani! slh-‘ani. Or, as we read in Scripture, “Here am I! Send Me.” — Made possible by an encounter and redemption made complete through the underlying relationship between Isaiah and his God. With the acceptance of Isaiah’s call, he was instructed to “Go, and tell these people…” to hear and to see the truth and to repent. Yet while the people were warned and persistently urged to forsake their sin and return to Yahweh, the message will bear on them to further harden their hearts and reject their God. They would become given over to judgment to include all the disasters that would become their demise.
