So you’ve experienced God’s holiness – now what?
While Isaiah is in the midst of a vision of the throne room of God – a place where God’s holiness is radiant and tangible – Isaiah’s first response is “Woe is me! For I am lost: for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). His response is prompted by experiencing the seraphim worshiping God and declaring His holiness. He could not join them in their praise because he recognized his broken state in relation to God’s holiness. In relation to God’s holiness, Isaiah recognized his sinfulness and the sinfulness of his people.
The seraphim see Isaiah’s distress and they use a burning coal to cleanse him from his sin. It is in this process of purification that Isaiah is able to step into purpose and mission: “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”
When we are met with the glory of the Lord, our perspective shifts and we are awoken to the reality of who we are and the reality to which we’re called. Understanding the holiness of God means that we can receive the salvation that only He can offer, and that we can live for something greater than ourselves. When we understand the holiness of God, we can trust His character and live in the reality of peace. When we understand the holiness of God, we can live in His sovereignty and live in the purpose that we were created for.
