Isaiah 6 isn’t exactly obscure; you may remember reading the line “Here am I. Send me!” at some point. But, I contend that the rest of this passage falls in the realm of things we don’t read much, and certainly don’t give much thought to.
So, why in the world do I have it memorized?
I don’t really remember the circumstances when I decided to memorize this passage, but I do remember that it wasn’t for the “Here am I” line; my reason was entirely about what leads up to that response from Isaiah. I think the 6 verses starting the chapter are among the most intriguing passages of Scripture.
Go read Isaiah 6:1-7 and come back.
This is a beautiful vision of the Lord, caught in a clear act of mercy (not giving Isaiah what he deserved – which would have been death). It’s a vision of perfect holiness, so holy that even the angelic beings couldn’t look at it (they covered their faces & feet). It’s a vision of that perfect holiness encountering perfect un-holiness (in the form of Isaiah). It’s a vision of redemption. It’s a vision of God’s grace.
Interestingly, many commentators contend that “Lord” as used here is a word not typically used for God (or “Yahweh”) in the Old Testament. Instead, it’s a word like that used for the “suffering servant” passage later in Isaiah. In John 12:41, this is explained further as being a vision of Jesus. Paul attributes the later part of Isaiah 6 as being spoken by the Holy Spirit. Interesting… since I find a whole lot of people who think Jesus didn’t exist until he showed up on the scene as a baby in a manger. Some commentators also contend that the repetition of “holy” 3 times in verse 3 says something of the trinity.
Fascinating stuff!
There’s a whole lot more to get geeked out on in this passage, but that’s enough for now. :)
But, just one bonus for any fans of The Chronicles of Narnia: does this image of a the live coal touching Isaiah’s lips seem anything like the scenes from Ramandu’s island from Dawn Treader? I always figure that C. S. Lewis was familiar with this Isaiah passage when he wrote that.
