Jump Start # 954

Isaiah 6:6-7 “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

Our passage today comes from the incredible vision that Isaiah had. It is marked with a time reference, “in the year of King Uzziah’s death.” Isaiah saw God. He saw GOD! How did he see God and live? He did steal a peak at God. It was God who sent this vision. It was God who wanted Isaiah to see Him.

What he saw was incredible. He saw God sitting on his throne—lofty and exalted. Seraphim stood above God. They called out, “Holy, holy, holy.” The foundations shook and the temple filled with smoke. This was an incredible picture.

The first words out of Isaiah’s mouth was not something stupid, irreverent, or cocky. He didn’t speak to God directly. He said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips; and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah recognized the holiness of God and his own sinfulness. He immediately acknowledged that he had unclean lips and he was standing before the clean God. Unclean lips…unclean heart…unclean choices…unclean life. There is no denying it. It was true. The presence of God brought that out.

As soon as he says that, our verse takes place. One of the seraphim took a burning coal from the altar, where sacrifices are made, and touched Isaiah’s lips. That took away his sin.

Two thoughts for us:

Removing sin is painful. Although this passage is a vision, the reality of it is very vivid. A burning coal placed on someone’s lips would cause immediate pain, swelling and all kinds of problems. Sin hurts. Removing sin, hurts. God doesn’t speak in this section, the seraphim did. The seraphim didn’t tell Isaiah that his unclean lips were ok. He didn’t say, “Well, everyone is like that.” He sinned and needed forgiveness. It hurts to acknowledge sin. It hurts to realize that you have failed others and broken and disappointed God. It took the death of Jesus upon the cross, a violent, and slow and painful death to remove our sins. Removing sin is painful.

Second, it was God who is first to do something about our sin. God sent the seraphim to the altar and then to Isaiah. Isaiah didn’t do this on his own. He wouldn’t know what to do. His thought was that he was “ruined,” which probably meant that he was going to die. God wouldn’t have that. God forgave him. God is active in forgiving us. It was God who sent Jesus. We didn’t call for Jesus to come, He was sent. It was God’s plan, not ours, that put Jesus upon the cross.

God wants you forgiven. God wants you saved. God wants you with Him. God works hard to accomplish that. Isaiah had to allow the seraphim to put the coal to his lips. We have to believe God’s plan and obey Him. Don’t resist what God is trying to do for you. For Isaiah, it was hot coals on the lips. For us, it’s the waters of baptism. Both, God designed, planned and Heaven sent.

Forgiveness is wonderful. It’s a fresh and new start. It’s being clean. For some, it’s been a long, long time since they were clean from the heart out. It’s seeing that God hasn’t turned his back on you. It’s seeing how much God loves you.

Forgiven…standing before God…clean! It can happen to you. God wants that. Do you?

Roger