“And one cried unto another, and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.’”
(Isaiah 6:3)
At the outset of Isaiah’s ministry, he was granted a vision of God in all His majesty, seated upon His throne, surrounded by seraphim crying out in ceaseless worship. The temple trembled at the sound of their voices, and the air was thick with smoke—a sign of the overwhelming presence of divine glory.
Isaiah describes his encounter:
“In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.” (Isaiah 6:1-4)
“Isaiah’s vision shows that matter still does continue in lauding and blessing God; as David says in Psalm 71:8, ‘Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thine honor all the day.’ There is no moment of time wherein we are not obliged to praise and glorify God.”[1]
But upon seeing the Lord, Isaiah’s response was not one of joy or even curiosity; rather he was struck with sheer terror. Overcome by his own sinfulness in the presence of absolute holiness, he said: “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 6:5)
This same response was seen when Abraham was confronted with the holiness of God. Standing before the Lord, he declared himself to be “but dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). David, reflecting on his sin, cried out, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:3, 5). Paul, surveying the corruption of humanity, concluded, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10).
But Isaiah’s vision did not end with despair. He continues: “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it, he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Our sin makes us unfit to stand before a God who is utterly pure, set apart, and perfect in all His ways. And yet, through the blood of His Son, He extends full and free forgiveness to all who come to Him by faith. What Isaiah experienced in symbol—the burning coal from the altar—we experience in reality through the cleansing blood of Christ.
Indeed, we cannot stand before God in our own merit, for our sin defiles us. But clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we are made fit to dwell in the presence of the Holy One for all eternity.
Contemplations
- The Songs of Heaven. What do those heavenly angels sound like, Lord, who continually sing Your praises in heaven? No one on earth worships You with the same fervency, joyfulness, and constancy as those glorious beings who stand before Your throne. What may I learn from them, and how may I imitate their ceaseless adoration of You?
- The Supreme Attribute of God. In Scripture, none of Your attributes are reiterated in triplet as Your holiness is—“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). Even in Revelation 4:8, the four living creatures “rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” Your power and sovereignty are declared, but it is Your holiness that is repeated, emphasizing its absolute supremacy. How much importance do I place on Your holiness? How central is it in my worship and in my daily walk?
- The Holiness of God’s Promises. All throughout Scripture, Your holiness is the attribute by which You swear: “Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David” (Psalm 89:35). And again in Amos 4:2, “The Lord God hath sworn by His holiness,” because Your holiness is the foundation of Your faithfulness. If You were not holy, You could not be trusted. It is because of Your perfect holiness that Your promises are unshakable.
- Desiring the Beauty of Holiness. In Psalm 27:4, David longs “to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His holy temple.” Lord, do I desire to see Your holiness as David did? Do I meditate on it, study it, and seek to reflect it in my life? Help me long for the beauty of Your holiness more than I long for all those passing things of this world.
Prayer
[Thanksgiving for the Gift of Holiness in Christ]
Gracious and righteous God, I lift my heart in gratitude before You, for You alone are holy, and yet You have drawn near to one so unworthy as I. Who is like You, O Lord, “glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). The angels cry, “Holy, holy, holy,” yet You have set Your love upon sinners, redeeming them by the blood of the Lamb.
I thank You, O God, that though I was once unclean, You have made me clean. Though my lips have spoken what is unworthy, though my heart has been stained by sin, You have not cast me away. In Your mercy You provided atonement through Christ, the perfect sacrifice. His blood has washed me, His righteousness has covered me, and now I stand justified before You—not by my works, but by His grace. Blessed be Your name, for You have not left me in my sin, but You made me a new creation in Christ!
I thank You for the gift of conviction, that You do not leave me blind to my own sin. You show me my unworthiness, not to crush me, but to lead me to Your grace. You teach me to see Your holiness that I may not take Your mercy for granted. What kindness, Lord, that You would call me out of darkness and set me apart for Yourself! That You would sanctify me by Your truth, shaping me into the image of Christ.
O God, I thank You that the work You have begun in me will not be left unfinished. Though I struggle, though I stumble, You are faithful to conform me to Your holiness. I praise You that I am not what I once was, nor am I yet what I will be. But even now, I taste the sweetness of Your presence and live in the hope of that day when I shall see You as You are. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,” (Matthew 5:8). What greater gift could there be than this—to behold You in the fullness of Your glory!
Until that day, Lord, I thank You for every trial that refines me, every affliction that humbles me, every chastisement that draws me nearer to You. You are at work in all things for my good, purging away what is unholy that I may be fit for the kingdom of heaven. Let my heart never grow cold to the wonder of Your grace. And let me never cease to give thanks for the righteousness of Christ, undeserved yet freely given.
All praise and honor be to You, O God, for Your mercy that reaches to the depths, for Your holiness that lifts me up, for Your love that never lets me go. You are my portion forever, my hope, my salvation, and my joy. I thank You in the name of Jesus Christ, my Redeemer and my King.
Amen.
Further References for Isaiah 6:3
Revelation 4:8; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 72:19; Numbers 14:21; Revelation 15:4.
[1] Thomas Manton, One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on the Hundred and Nineteenth Psalm, (London: Printed for T.P. &c. and are to be sold by Michael Hide, bookseller in Exon, 1681), 1016.
