“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 had a rare experience – a vision of God – which he describes in the sixth chapter of his book:
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.
Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! 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 hosts,” (Isaiah 6:1-5)
Isaiah saw God in all His glory, righteousness, and holiness… and immediately he knew the depth of his utter sinfulness by comparison. Abraham, on encountering the Lord, referred to himself as “but dust and ashes,” (Gen. 18:27). David reflects on his own transgressions before a holy God in this way, “… my sin is always before me. I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me,” (Ps. 51:3, 5). And Paul reiterates that “there is none righteous, no not one,” (Rom. 3:10).
We are all wretched creatures on account of our transgressions against a holy God, such that if God gave us what we deserve, our end would be none other than eternity in the bottomless pit of hell.
But Isaiah’s vision did not end with his wretchedness. He continues…
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”
Because our sin is infinitely dirty and God’s holiness infinitely pure, it is infinitely impossible for us to garner God’s favor by way of our own merit. And yet God chose to freely bestow His love, His favor, and His complete and eternal forgiveness for every one of our sins if we come to Him by way of the blood of Christ that was shed in our stead on the cross.
In response to His mighty love, we can only pray:
“Lord, Your gospel assures me that Your mercy is above all Your works, that Your grace transcends Your law, and Your goodness delights to reign where sins most abound (Rom. 5:20). Relying on the multitude of Your mercies and the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior, I humbly implore that in Your holiness You forgive me of all my sins, and all the errors of my whole life, freeing my soul from the judgment which is due me for them.
Having received those sinners before me Lord (Matt. 21:31-32), will You now receive me also? You are the same God of mercy to me that You were to them, and Your compassions never fail. Deal with me according to Your great mercy. Exercise Your longsuffering towards me. I have nothing to present, save those bloody wounds and bitter death which Your blessed Son, my only Savior, suffered for me. His cleansing blood is all I offer You for all my sins. Christ my Mediator, my righteousness, my Savior,” (2 Cor. 5:21, Heb. 12:24).
Lewis Bayly said, “Look to God for favor, and so be drawn in by His grace that you may experience His holy love in Jesus Christ.” May God clarify our vision so we can see Him rightly, adoring God and His Christ in humble response. And may He give us grace to keep holy all that He requires, looking to Christ’s holiness for our covering, that we may be holy as He is holy, conformed to His glorious image, to the praise and honor of His most glorious name.
- What do those heavenly angels sound like who continually sing Your praises in heaven Lord? No one on earth praises You with the fervency, joyfulness, and constancy as those angels who stand before Your throne. What may I learn from them and how may I imitate their continual adoration of You?
- 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.” Even in Rev. 4:8, “The four beasts rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” Your power and sovereignty, as the Lord of hosts, is mentioned only once, but it is mentioned with a repetition of Your blessed holiness. How much importance do I place on Your holiness? How important is that attribute to me and my life?
- All throughout Scripture, Your holiness is that attribute which You swear by (Psalm 89:35); “Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David:” and Amos 4:2, “The Lord will swear by his holiness.” Your holiness is a pledge for the assurance of Your promise, as the attribute most dear to You, most valued by You, as though no other attribute can give assurance to me as much as Your holiness. This attribute is the summation of Your glory and beauty. Am I as moved by Your holiness as You are? Do I reflect Your holiness as I should? In Psalm 27:4, David desires “to behold the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His holy temple.” Help me also desire, as David did, more and more to look on and learn of Your holiness.
Further References for Isa. 6:3
Rev. 4:8; Exod. 15:11; Ps. 72:19; Num. 14:21; Rev. 15:4
