Woe, Lo, Go

Isaiah 6 opens with the prophet being brought into the very throne room of God. He sees the Lord seated high and exalted, surrounded by seraphim, burning creatures of worship who cry out in unceasing praise. Their declaration that God is holy, repeated three times, is unlike anything else in Scripture. It is not simple repetition but an expression of perfection beyond measure. The sound of their voices shakes the doorposts, and the temple fills with smoke. Every sense Isaiah has is overwhelmed by the presence of a God who is in an entirely different category from anything or anyone else.

Faced with this holiness, Isaiah does not respond with praise. He responds with confession. He sees himself clearly for the first time, a sinful man among a sinful people, standing before a perfectly holy King. But God does not leave him there. A seraph flies to him with a coal taken from the altar and touches his lips, declaring that his guilt is removed and his sins are forgiven. This moment points directly to the cross of Jesus Christ, where the ultimate sacrifice was made so that every person's guilt could be taken away. The cleansing Isaiah received in his vision is fully realized in what Christ accomplished at Calvary.

Once cleansed, Isaiah hears the voice of God asking who will go as His messenger. Without knowing the full assignment, Isaiah raises his hand and volunteers. His freed conscience unleashes a willingness to act. The message God sends him to deliver is a hard one, but Isaiah remains willing because he knows who his King is. And even in the midst of judgment, hope breaks through. From the stump of a cut-down nation, a holy seed would grow. That seed is Jesus, the Branch from the line of David, whose grace makes all things new. The same three movements Isaiah experienced, recognizing sin, receiving cleansing, and responding to calling, are the movements every follower of Christ is invited to walk through today.