@Isa 6:1-13. VISION OF JEHOVAH IN HIS TEMPLE.
Isaiah is outside, near the altar in front of the temple. The doors are supposed to open, and the veil hiding the Holy of Holies to be withdrawn, unfolding to his view a vision of God represented as an Eastern monarch, attended by seraphim as His ministers of state (@1Ki 22:19), and with a robe and flowing train (a badge of dignity in the East), which filled the temple. This assertion that he had seen God was, according to tradition (not sanctioned by @Isa 1:1; see Introduction), the pretext for sawing him asunder in Manasseh's reign (@Heb 11:37). Visions often occur in the other prophets: in Isaiah there is only this one, and it is marked by characteristic clearness and simplicity.
1. In . . . year . . . Uzziah died--Either literal death, or
civil when he ceased as a leper to exercise his functions as king
[Chaldee], (@2Ch 26:19-21). 754 B.C.
[CALMET] 578
(Common Chronology). This is not the first beginning of Isaiah's
prophecies, but his inauguration to a higher degree of the prophetic
office: @Isa 6:9, &c., implies the tone of one who had already
experience of the people's obstinacy.
Lord--here Adonai, Jehovah in @Isa 6:5; Jesus Christ is meant as speaking in @Isa 6:10, according to @Joh 12:41. Isaiah
could only have "seen" the Son, not the divine essence (@Joh 1:18).
The words in @Isa 6:10 are attributed by Paul (@Ac 28:25,26) to
the Holy Ghost. Thus the Trinity in unity is implied; as also by the
thrice "Holy" (@Isa 6:3). Isaiah mentions the robes, temple, and
seraphim, but not the form of God Himself. Whatever it was, it was
different from the usual Shekinah: that was on the mercy seat, this on a
throne; that a cloud and fire, of this no form is specified: over that
were the cherubim, over this the seraphim; that had no clothing, this
had a flowing robe and train.
2. stood--not necessarily the posture of standing; rather,
were in attendance on Him [MAURER],
hovering on expanded wings.
the--not in the Hebrew.
seraphim--nowhere else applied to God's attendant angels; but to
the fiery flying (not winged, but rapidly moving) serpents, which
bit the Israelites (@Nu 21:6), called so from the poisonous
inflammation caused by their bites. Seraph is to burn; implying
the burning zeal, dazzling brightness (@2Ki 2:11 6:17 Eze 1:13 Mt 28:3) and serpent-like rapidity of the
seraphim in God's service. Perhaps Satan's form as a serpent (nachash) in his appearance to man has some connection with his
original form as a seraph of light. The head of the serpent was the
symbol of wisdom in Egypt (compare @Nu 21:8 2Ki 18:4). The
seraphim, with six wings and one face, can hardly be identified with the
cherubim, which had four wings (in the temple only two) and four faces
(@Eze 1:5-12). (But compare @Re 4:8). The "face" and "feet" imply
a human form; something of a serpentine form (perhaps a basilisk's head,
as in the temples of Thebes) may have been mixed with it: so the cherub
was compounded of various animal forms. However, seraph may come from a
root meaning "princely," applied in @Da 10:13 to Michael
[MAURER];
just as cherub comes from a root (changing m into b), meaning
"noble."
twain--Two wings alone of the six were kept ready for instant flight
in God's service; two veiled their faces as unworthy to look on the holy
God, or pry into His secret counsels which they fulfilled
(@Ex 3:6 Job 4:18 15:15); two covered their feet, or rather the whole
of the lower parts of their persons--a practice usual in the presence
of Eastern monarchs, in token of reverence (compare @Eze 1:11,
their bodies). Man's service a fortiori consists in reverent
waiting on, still more than in active service for, God.
3. (@Re 4:8). The Trinity is implied
(on "Lord," see on Isa 6:1).
God's holiness is the keynote of Isaiah's whole prophecies.
whole earth--the Hebrew more emphatically,
the fulness of the whole earth is His glory
(@Ps 24:1 72:19).
4. posts of . . . door--rather, foundations of the thresholds.
house--temple.
smoke--the Shekinah cloud (@1Ki 8:10 Eze 10:4).
5. undone--(@Ex 33:20). The same effect was produced on others
by the presence of God (@Jud 6:22 13:22 Job 42:5,6 Lu 5:8 Re 1:17).
lips--appropriate to the context which describes the praises of the
lips, sung in alternate responses (@Ex 15:20,21 Isa 6:3) by the
seraphim: also appropriate to the office of speaking as the prophet of
God, about to be committed to Isaiah (@Isa 6:9).
seen--not strictly Jehovah Himself (@Joh 1:18 1Ti 6:16), but the
symbol of His presence.
Lord--Hebrew, "JEHOVAH."
6. unto me--The seraph had been in the temple, Isaiah
outside of it.
live coal--literally, "a hot stone," used, as in some countries in
our days, to roast meat with, for example, the meat of the sacrifices.
Fire was a symbol of purification, as it takes the dross out of metals
(@Mal 3:2,3).
the altar--of burnt offering, in the court of the priests before the
temple. The fire on it was at first kindled by God (@Le 9:24), and
was kept continually burning.
7. mouth . . . lips--(See on Isa 6:5). The mouth was
touched because it was the part to be used by the prophet when
inaugurated. So "tongues of fire" rested on the disciples
(@Ac 2:3,4) when they were being set apart to speak in various
languages of Jesus.
iniquity--conscious unworthiness of acting as God's messenger.
purged--literally, "covered," that is, expiated, not by any physical
effect of fire to cleanse from sin, but in relation to the
altar sacrifices, of which Messiah, who here commissions Isaiah, was
in His death to be the antitype: it is implied hereby that it is only by
sacrifice sin can be pardoned.
8. I . . . us--The change of number indicates the Trinity (compare
@Ge 1:26 11:7). Though not a sure argument for the doctrine, for
the plural may indicate merely majesty, it accords with that truth
proved elsewhere.
Whom . . . who--implying that few would be willing to bear the
self-denial which the delivering of such an unwelcome message to the
Jews would require on the part of the messenger (compare @1Ch 29:5).
Here am I--prompt zeal, now that he has been specially qualified for
it (@Isa 6:7; compare @1Sa 3:10,11 Ac 9:6).
9. Hear . . . indeed--Hebrew, "In hearing hear," that is,
Though ye hear the prophet's warnings again and again, ye are
doomed, because of your perverse will (@Joh 7:17),
not to understand. Light enough is given in revelation to guide those
sincerely seeking to know, in order that they may do, God's will;
darkness enough is left to confound the wilfully blind (@Isa 43:8).
So in Jesus' use of parables (@Mt 13:14).
see..indeed--rather, "though ye see again and again," yet, &c.
10. Make . . . fat--(@Ps 119:17). "Render them the more hardened
by thy warnings" [MAURER].
This effect is the fruit, not of the truth in itself, but of the corrupt state of their hearts, to which God here
judicially gives them over (@Isa 63:17).
GESENIUS takes the
imperatives as futures. "Proclaim truths, the result of which
proclamation will be their becoming the more hardened"
(@Ro 1:28 Eph 4:18); but this does not so well as the former set
forth God as designedly giving up sinners to judicial hardening
(@Ro 11:8 2Th 2:11). In the first member of the sentence, the order
is, the heart, ears, eyes; in the latter, the reverse order,
the eyes, ears, heart. It is from the heart that corruption flows
into the ears and eyes (@Mr 7:21,22); but through
the eyes and ears healing reaches the heart (@Ro 10:17),
[BENGEL].
(@Jer 5:21 Eze 12:2 Zec 7:11 Ac 7:57 2Ti 4:4). In
@Mt 13:15, the words are quoted in the indicative, "is waxed
gross" (so the Septuagint), not the imperative, "make fat";
God's word as to the future is as certain as if it were already
fulfilled. To see with one's eyes will not convince a will that is
opposed to the truth (compare @Joh 11:45,46 12:10,11). "One must
love divine things in order to understand them"
[PASCAL].
be healed--of their spiritual malady, sin
(@Isa 1:6 Ps 103:3 Jer 17:14).
11. how long--will this wretched condition of the nation being hardened
to its destruction continue?
until--(@Isa 5:9)--fulfilled primarily at the Babylonish
captivity, and more fully at the dispersion under the Roman Titus.
12. (@2Ki 25:21).
forsaking--abandonment of dwellings by their inhabitants
(@Jer 4:29).
13. and it shall return, and . . . be eaten--Rather,
"but it shall be again given over to be consumed": if even a
tenth survive the first destruction, it shall be destroyed by a second
(@Isa 5:25 Eze 5:1-5,12), [MAURER and
HORSLEY]. In English Version, "return"
refers to the poor remnant left in the land at the Babylonish
captivity (@2Ki 24:14 25:12), which afterwards fled to Egypt in fear
(@2Ki 25:26), and subsequently returned thence along with others
who had fled to Moab and Edom (@Jer 40:11,12), and suffered under
further divine judgments.
tell--rather, "terebinth" or "turpentine tree" (@Isa 1:29).
substance . . . when . . . cast . . . leaves--rather, "As a
terebinth or oak in which, when they are cast down (not 'cast their
leaves,' @Job 14:7), the trunk or stock remains,
so the holy seed (@Ezr 9:2) shall be the stock of that land."
The seeds of vitality still exist in both the land and the scattered
people of Judea, waiting for the returning spring of God's favor
(@Ro 11:5,23-29). According to Isaiah, not all Israel, but the
elect remnant alone, is destined to salvation. God shows unchangeable
severity towards sin, but covenant faithfulness in preserving a remnant,
and to it Isaiah bequeaths the prophetic legacy of the second part of
his book (the fortieth through sixty-sixth chapters).