[4] Sin has already served, as all things must, to bring into view more clearly the glory of God, for had there been no sin there could have been no mercy; and in its punishment, its overthrow, and its extirpation, His glory will be yet more signally displayed. Hercules could never have been deified, if there had been no monsters to overcome. True is the seraph’s song even now, but it shall be more manifestly and gloriously true in that day, so surely and swiftly drawing nigh, when Christ shall have subdued all enemies unto Him, and God shall be All in all.—R. A. B.
The vision reaches its highest point in the cry, Holy, holy, holy! It is the holiness of God which the seraphim proclaim, that which cannot be represented to the eye, that of which descriptions and symbols furnish no image. It is that holiness which fills not the heaven of heavens only but the whole earth, seeing that was made very good, seeing that in its order and constitution it was still perfectly good, though man defiled it by their deeds, though the habitations of cruelty were set upon the midst of it.—F. D. Maurice.
[5] The voice of the seraphim at this time was so loud and melodious, and the power of their heavenly music was so great, when extolling the holiness and glory of Jehovah that the posts, with the lintel of the door of the temple, seemed to tremble, to be shaken in the place where they stood, or loosed from their place. This was a very surprising effect (though seen only in vision); for these posts were so large and strong, that they supported gates of brass which are said to have required twenty men to shut them, on account of their ponderous weight.—Macculloch.
[6] Delitzsch thus gives the usual interpretation of this clause: The house was filled with smoke. Many compare this with the similar occurrence in connection with the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings viii. 10); but Drechsler is correct in stating that the two cases are not parallel, for there God simply attested His own presence by the cloud of smoke behind which He concealed Himself, whereas here there was no need of any such self-attestation. Moreover, in this instance God does not dwell in the cloud and thick darkness, whilst the smoke is represented as the effect of the songs of praise in which the seraphim have joined, and not of the presence of God. The smoke arose from the altar of incense mentioned in verse 6. But when Drechsler says that it was the prayers of saints (as in Rev. v. 8, viii. 3, 4), which ascended to the Lord, in the smoke, there is a thought which is quite out of place here. The smoke was the immediate consequence of the seraph’s song of praise.
A Sight of God and a Sense of Sin.
vi. 5–7. Then said I, &c.
Visions of the throne of God were given to Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel among the prophets, and to John among the Apostles.[1] I. The distinguished privilege. “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.” “Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” The invisible and unapproachable God revealed Himself to the bewildered seer through the glory of the afterwards incarnate Christ (John xii. 41). May we behold God? Certainly we may. 1. In His Son Jesus Christ (Heb. i. 3; 2 Cor. iv. 4; Col. i. 15; John xiv. 8, 9). 2. In His works and Word. The works are the embodied words of God. In the Scriptures we may see the mind, the heart, the purposes, the character of God. 3. In His sanctuary. In the act of worship, while in the temple, Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord (Ps. lxiii. 1, 2, lxviii. 24). II. The profound abasement. It is true that “before honour is humility.” The converse is also true. Isaiah’s humility was the effect of overwhelming honour. A sight of God brought self-revelation; depravity was revealed by the dazzling whiteness of Divine purity. 1. There was consternation. “Woe is me; for I am undone.” 2. There was self-loathing. “I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” The vision of God results in a vivid and painful sense of sin (Job xlii. 5, 6; Luke v. 8). III. The Divine cleansing. Absolution is connected with confession (1 John i. 9). 1. The cleansing was efficacious. 2. The purification was by means of sacrifice. 3. The removal of defilement was immediate. A man so prepared is made ready for any ministry of testimony, toil, or tribulation.—Matthew Braithwaite.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] We should naturally expect that a vision vouchsafed to an Apostle of Christ, at the end of the first century of the Christian era, would be larger in scope, brighter in glory, less enigmatical in structure, in significance, than those which were attached to the ministrations of prophets. This expectation is not disappointed. We find the visions of the throne of God which prophets saw revived and incorporated in the Apostle’s vision, and we find the Christian seer enlightened with a more distinct understanding of the heavenly symbols. Isaiah saw the throne of God in the temple, surrounded by seraphim, “crying one to another, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.” Ezekiel, sitting by the river of Chebar, saw the throne of God, as a chariot of war coming out of a whirlwind and going forth over the earth, attended by mighty ministers of judgment, carrying the Son of Man to victory. Daniel beheld the great session of justice; the gathered myriads before the awful purity of the Divine Judge; the consuming laws executed by the faithful servants. But the Christian Apostle, looking through the door of heaven, beheld all these ancient visions, which had come down through eight centuries of time, blended into one. He saw Isaiah’s seraphim, but they had the appearance of Ezekiel’s living creatures, with fourfold countenances; their wings were still visible, and their voices still responded, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!” He saw the thrones round about the Throne, as Daniel saw them, but he was able to count them; they were four and twenty; and upon the seats he “saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” The stream of fire, which the prophet saw proceeding from under the throne was now “a sea of glass like unto crystal.” He that sat on the throne, who appeared to Ezekiel as though He were clothed with fiery amber, was “to look upon like a jasper and sardine stone;” and the rainbow was still there, “round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.” “Lightnings, thunderings, and voices” proceeded out of the throne, as before fire flamed out and devoured. “The seven spirits of God,” like “burning lamps of fire,” stand in the presence of the Holy One. And the Apostle witnesses the sublime service of heaven, the living creatures “giving glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne;” and, in response to their worship, “the four and twenty elders falling down before Him and worshipping Him,” and singing their united praises, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created!”—R. A. Redford.