Isaiah 6:5-7

b. THE GRACE

TEXT: Isaiah 6:5-7

5

Then I 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, Jehovah of hosts.

6

Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7

and he touched my mouth with it, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin forgiven.

QUERIES

a.

Why did Isaiah consider himself undone?

b.

What does the altar signify?

c.

Why touch Isaiah's lips?

PARAPHRASE

Then I said, My doom is sealed for I am a foul-mouthed sinner a member of a foul-mouthed, sinful nation, and I have looked upon the Holy King. Then one of the seraphs flew over to the altar and with a pair of tongs picked out a burning coal. He touched my lips with it and said, Now you are pronounced -Not guilty-' because this coal has touched your lips. Your sins are all forgiven.

COMMENTS

Isaiah 6:5-7 THE GRACE: The cry of need. Isaiah 6:5. Isaiah's vision of the Holiness and glory of Jehovah brought conviction of his own sinfulness.

(a)

I am cut off, destroyed. He had seen God and could not expect to live. Exodus 33:20. Doomed to die.

(b)

My lips are unclean! And if his lips are unclean, then his heart is unclean. James 3:2; Matthew 12:34.

(c)

My people are unclean, 1 Corinthians 15:33.

(d)

Mine eyes have seen the king - The Real King.

The divine Response, Isaiah 6:6. A glowing coal from the altar - a hot stone. Altar of Incense - Prayer. Isaiah's prayer of confession of sin is answered as the angel takes a coal from Altar of Prayer to cleanse his impure lips. Here is revealed the Grace of God:

1.

The prayer of the sinner is heard.

2.

The song of the Seraphim is hushed that the prayer of the sinner might be answered.

Divine forgiveness. Isaiah 6:7. Thy sin is forgiven.

(a)

Sin can be purged.

(b)

The highest angelic nature alone cannot purge it.

(c)

God never acts alone in saving men from sin.

(d)

Forgiveness from sin is always conditional upon the following:

1

Desire on part of sinner

2

Intervention of second person (messenger - servant)

3

Application of divinely appointed means.