Isaiah 6:1-5: a reflection

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple. 2Above him stood the seraphim. Each one had six wings. With two he covered his face. With two he covered his feet. With two he flew. 3One called to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!” 4The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, 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!”

Isaiah is given a vision of God: the Lord seated on a throne, high and lifted up, his robe filling the temple, with seraphim above him crying, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. And Isaiah's response to seeing the holiness of God is not delight, but a crushing sense of his own unworthiness: Woe is me! I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips. Seeing God's holiness, Isaiah sees his own uncleanness.

Notice Isaiah's response to the vision of God's holiness: a deep sense of his own sinfulness. He did not, at the sight of God's holiness, feel comfortable or self-satisfied; he was undone, crushed by the awareness of his own uncleanness in the presence of the Holy One. The vision of God's holiness exposed Isaiah's sin; in the light of that holiness, he saw himself truly, as a man of unclean lips, and cried woe. The true sight of God's holiness brings a true sight of our own sinfulness.

That connection, between seeing God's holiness and seeing our own sin, is worth taking to heart. We can have a shallow sense of our own sinfulness, thinking ourselves fairly good, because we have not truly seen the holiness of God. But when we glimpse God's holiness, as Isaiah did, we see ourselves truly, and are humbled, aware of our uncleanness in the presence of the Holy One. A true encounter with God's holiness does not leave us self-satisfied, but humbled, aware of our need. If your sense of your own sin is shallow, it may be that you have not truly seen the holiness of God; for the sight of his holiness exposes our sin, as it exposed Isaiah's. Seek a true sight of God's holiness, which will bring a true sight of your own need, humbling you as it humbled Isaiah. And take heart: for God, having exposed Isaiah's sin, went on to cleanse him. The sight of God's holiness that humbles us also drives us to the cleansing he provides.

Lord, Isaiah was given a vision of you: seated on a throne, high and lifted up, the seraphim crying, Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. And his response was not delight, but a crushing sense of his own unworthiness: woe is me! I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips. Seeing your holiness, he saw his own uncleanness. Show me that connection, between seeing your holiness and seeing my own sin. Isaiah did not, at the sight of your holiness, feel comfortable or self-satisfied; he was undone, crushed by the awareness of his own uncleanness in your presence. The true sight of your holiness brings a true sight of my own sinfulness. I can have a shallow sense of my own sinfulness, thinking myself fairly good, because I have not truly seen your holiness. But when I glimpse your holiness, as Isaiah did, I see myself truly, and am humbled. A true encounter with your holiness does not leave me self-satisfied, but humbled, aware of my need. If my sense of my own sin is shallow, it may be that I have not truly seen your holiness. Help me seek a true sight of your holiness, which will bring a true sight of my own need, humbling me as it humbled Isaiah. And let me take heart, Lord: for having exposed Isaiah's sin, you cleansed him. The sight of your holiness that humbles me also drives me to the cleansing you provide. Show me your holiness, and cleanse me.