The Explanation

Isaiah was a man who lived long ago. One day, something happened to him that he never forgot. He saw God. Not a small picture of God, but God sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. So high that just the edge of his robe filled the whole temple.

Around the throne stood strange and mighty creatures called seraphim. They had six wings each. Two wings covered their face, because even they could not look straight at God. Two wings covered their feet. And two wings they used to fly.

Then one of them called out to another. It was not a whisper. It was a shout that shook the doorposts. "Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!" Three times holy. Not because they ran out of other words, but because there is no God like this God. He stands alone. And the seraphim were saying: everywhere you look, on every road and field and sea, his glory is there.

What Does This Mean?

Imagine standing at the bottom of the biggest mountain you have ever seen. You have to bend your head all the way back just to see the top. That is a little bit of what Isaiah felt, only bigger, because this was not a mountain. This was the living God.

The word "holy" means set apart, completely different, shining clean. God is not one good thing among other good things. He is in a class of his own. And the seraphim were not scared to say it loud. They shouted it to each other like a fire spreading.

The smoke filled the house. The foundations shook. This was not a cozy little scene. It was overwhelming. And Isaiah's answer was not "wow, cool." His answer was "Woe is me!" He felt small and unclean standing before someone so holy. That is what happens when you truly see how big and bright God is. You see yourself clearly too.

The Common Thread

But here is the wonder. This holy God did not leave Isaiah standing there afraid. A seraph flew to him with a burning coal from the altar and touched his lips. "Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven." The holy God dealt with Isaiah's unclean lips himself.

That is the whole story of the Bible, really. The holy God, so bright that his glory fills the whole earth, comes near to sinful people. He does not stay far away on his throne. Later, Jesus came, God himself in the flesh, walking on dusty roads, touching sick people, forgiving sinners. The holy fire that touched Isaiah's mouth points forward to Jesus, who takes away sin for good.

For You

You will never see God sitting on a throne the way Isaiah did. But you can still notice his glory. Look at a huge sky full of stars at night. Look at the ocean, or a thunderstorm, or even an ant carrying something twice its size. The whole earth is full of his glory, Isaiah said. That means glory is not hiding somewhere far away. It is right outside your window.

When you feel small next to something huge and amazing, that is a good feeling. It is the same feeling Isaiah had. And you can do what Isaiah did next. After he was forgiven, God asked, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah said, "Here I am. Send me!" You can say that too, in small ways. When someone needs help, when someone needs to hear about Jesus, you can be the one who says, "Send me."

Talk About It

If you had seen what Isaiah saw, what do you think you would have felt?

Can you think of one place outside where you can see a little bit of God's glory this week?

Praying Together

Holy God, you are higher and brighter than anything we know. Thank you that you are not far away, but you come close and forgive. Open our eyes to see your glory around us today. Amen.