Our current weekly study from Scripture concerns the subject of holiness. This week’s essay begins to examine the holiness of God from Isaiah 6:1-7.
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3).
To truly know God is to know His attributes, or His personal characteristics. They are those qualities which make God, God. Some of the LORD’s attributes He has chosen to share with His creation. Some of His attributes He alone possesses. Isaiah 6:1-3 reveals one of God’s most significant attributes; holiness.
I Peter 1:15-16 says, “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” Peter quotes Leviticus 11:44.
What does it mean when the Bible says that God is holy? As previously noted, holy, or holiness, means to be set-apart. In Scripture, holiness refers to a variety of people, places and things. However, the word holy ultimately points to God as the one who is qualitatively different or set apart from creation. Holy may also be used to describe someone or something that God has “set apart” for special purposes. In the NT holiness takes on the sense of ethical purity or freedom from sin. Holiness is God’s “otherness” and “purity”, as well as to God’s prerogative to set people and things apart for God’s own purposes.
In Isaiah 6, we see one of the most striking accounts of not only the holiness of God but also the un-holiness of man. Isaiah 6 does not apply just to the Prophet Isaiah alone, but also to sinners and believers in Christ today.
Isaiah was a prophet during the kingly reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in the Kingdom of Judah. He ministered for over 40 years. As Isaiah 6 opens, King Uzziah died approximately in the year 740 B.C. The king died of leprosy (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). This was a direct result of disobedience before God. His death signaled the conclusion of a long period (52 years) of peace and prosperity for the nation of Judah.
Following Uzziah’s death, Isaiah encountered a theophany, or a Christophany (John 12:41), which is a visible manifestation of God. Such instances are often accompanied by earthquakes, smoke, fire and lightening (Isaiah 29:1-6; 30:27-31; Exodus 19:18-19; Psalm 18:7-15; 50:1-3; 97:1-2; Micah 1:1-4; Nahum 1:3-8; Habakkuk 3:1-15).
Isaiah 6:1 says that the prophet saw the Lord. The word Lord is the Hebrew word Adonai which literally means Sovereign One or Master. Isaiah described the Lord sitting upon a throne. This symbolically means the Lord is consistently ruling over heaven and earth in power and authority. While the human king Uzziah was dead, the eternal King of kings was very much alive and reigning.
The prophet said the Lord was “high and lifted up.” The Lord’s throne was greatly elevated illustrating that this was the One and only Most High God. No one is higher or greater. Additionally, the “train of his robe filled the temple.” The hem or fringe of God’s glorious robe filled the temple acknowledging supreme majesty. The Lord is the central and only object of worship.
Verse 2 focuses upon the reality, the rejoicing and the resulting effect of the praise given to God by the Seraphim angels. “Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.”
The Hebrew word Seraphim literally means burning ones. The Seraphim are specifically named angels whose task is to worship God before His heavenly throne. We do not know how many Seraphim angels there are before God’s throne, but we do know that there were/are more than one.
Dr. R.C. Sproul explains that, “Angels appear frequently throughout the Bible, particularly in the New Testament. In fact “angelos,” the Greek word that means “angel/messenger,” occurs more frequently than the term translated as “sin” (hamartia). Yet at the same time, Scripture does not give us much detailed information about these beings. They appear at key points in redemptive history to help God’s people, but the Bible says little about their appearance and origin. Still, the information we do have is sufficient for what we need to know about angels.”
However, God does give us information regarding the appearance of the Seraphim angels. To begin with, each one of these innumerable angels have six wings. Why six? The only reason given is what the Seraphim do with each set of wings.
With two wings, the Seraphim cover their face. Why do they do this? The reason is the Seraphim have no inherent glory of their own which compares with God’s glory. Therefore, as created beings they cannot directly look upon the glory of God.
The Seraphim cover their feet. Why do they do this? The reason is the Seraphim are created beings. They recognize their lowliness before God even as they engage in divine service. This is something which would be wise for humans to keep in mind regarding their own worship and service for God.
Finally, with two wings the Seraphim fly. Why do they do this? The reason is the Seraphim serve God in their flight. Fish swim, lions roar and snakes’ slither. Angels fly! That’s what God designed them to do.
The Seraphim have an all-important task to perform. They call to one another in antiphonal praise and cry out “holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” The threefold repetition indicates this attribute of God is superlative. It is unmatched, untouchable, and unparalleled. There is no greater attribute God possesses than holiness.
Holiness is the only attribute God possesses which is repeated to the third degree. God is never described as love, love, love. Neither is He mentioned as just, just, just. However, He is regarded as holy, holy, holy. This indicates a possible reference to the Trinity, but it also may mean all of God’s other attributes are shaped and influenced by His holiness. Therefore, His love is a holy love. His justice is a holy justice. And so on.
The name LORD of hosts refers to the most personal name for God: Yahweh. Yahweh, the self-existent One possesses divine control over the entire universe. He is the holy One. He is the self-existent One. He is I AM WHO I AM (Ex.3:13-14; John 8:58).
Because the LORD of hosts is holy, holy, holy, all of creation is full of His glory. The LORD is ruler over all, and His glory, truthfulness, righteousness and beauty of His character, fills creation.
To truly know God is to recognize and understand He is holy, holy, holy, and we are not. He is set apart from sin, while we belong and revel in sin. How then can sinful creatures ever hope to eternally be in the presence of this God who is holy, holy, holy? What hope then does any sinner have before the awesome holiness of God? What hope did the Prophet Isaiah have?
There is no hope in ourselves. Our only hope or confidence is in the gracious redemption by the LORD Jesus Christ. This biblical truth is illustrated in Isaiah’s response to the holiness of God and the LORD’s response to the sinful prophet.
Take the time today to meditate and consider the holiness of God.
Soli deo Gloria!
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