We are on this journey, studying part of, Isaiah 6. It is the scripture where the prophet saw the train of the Lord fill the temple. He saw Seraphim with 6 wings and saw the posts of the door of the temple shake in the presence of Abba Father. We have seen some amazing Hebrew pictures, carefully stored away in these verses. Mind blowing revelations. The reaction of Isaiah in Isaiah 6:5 leaves me astounded every time! We see something startling, unfold in the presence of Abba Father:
“Then said I, 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 says, “I am undone”. The Hebrew word translated as the word undone, is the word “damah”. “Damah” means, “I am silenced” or “brought to silence”. The prophet says that he is undone because he is a man of unclean lips. The Hebrew picture for unclean is to be impure, defiled and polluted. Isaiah declares that he is silenced or brought to silence because of the polluted words that have been spoken from his lips. But, listen to this remarkable portrait if we press in a bit deeper. The Hebrew root word translated into the word lips, is the word “Sapha” which means to be laid naked or bare in the presence of the Most-High God. If you read the Hebrew Isaiah is saying that the uncleanliness and impurities of the words from his mouth have left him silent and feeling naked in the presence of the King!
Isaiah continues to say that he is amongst people that also have unclean lips, people that are in a “naked” state, like himself. This confirms that man, is unfit to save another man, as all people are defiled with the impurities of sin and left naked in the holy and glorious presence of Abba Father.
Isaiah continues to say, but now, that I have seen and experienced Your presence Lord, things change. He continues the vision and describes seeing one of the Seraphim, take a live coal from the altar and touch his “polluted lips of nakedness”.
The Hebrew root word for this live coal that Isaiah sees in Isaiah 6:6 literally describes a picture of lightning or a bolt of fire, sent forth to ignite or set an object ablaze. The Hebrew word for altar describes a “place where an offering was made with bloodshed”. We see, from this verse, immersing the most beautiful revelation as we realize that Isaiah is describing the fact that because of the presence of God, a fire is ignited within him. A fire, ignited in every area of nakedness in his life, caused by his own sin, and the fire is ignited because of an offering of bloodshed that was made. Can you see the salvation plan of Abba Father in this, creation of God? It is in the presence of our King, and because of the price of bloodshed, paid on the “altar” of Calvary, by our King Jesus (Hebrew – Yeshua), that we are able to enter His presence, where the fire of Holy Spirit ignites and fills us. Where we were naked in sin, He clothes us with a garment of salvation and a robe of righteousness (Isaiah 61:10).
Isaiah continues in verse 7 to say that now, the fire has been laid upon his mouth and touched his lips, he knows that his iniquity had been taken away and his sin purged. The Hebrew word for iniquity means “the perversity and wickedness of sin”. The English word purged, is the Hebrew word “Kaphar” which means – to make atonement for or to be reconciled to. The Hebrew picture in this scripture draws the picture, of, our iniquities and sins were atoned for with a blood offering and therefore, the fire of Holy Spirit fills us and we can enter the presence of Abba Father through this offering and enter everlasting life in Him.
This experience of God’s presence, removed all doubt from the heart of Isaiah, who started off by thinking that he was too unrighteous to be used by God, but ending with a shout of “here I am Lord, send me” (Isaiah 6:8).
Why are we so afraid, many times to enter the presence of the One who created us? More often than not, we are satisfied with the crumbs that religion has to offer us and try to satisfy our conscience with head knowledge and good deeds. This is not part of the salvation plan of God. The salvation plan of God was to return His bride to His presence.
May we yearn for more of Him!
Prof Gerrie Bester PhD