The angels in Isaiah’s vision are described as having six wings, with each set of two having an important purpose. Verse two tells us about the wings. “With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.” What is the meaning of the placement of the wings? It seems to be an important part of the vision. The placement of the wings speaks to us of the character of these mighty beings. Unlike the fallen Lucifer, Satan, who proudly walks on the earth seeking whom he may devour, disrespectful of God’s authority, these angels stay around God’s throne and sing of His glory, not their own. The two wings covering their faces speak of their deep reverence and respect for God. The two covering their feet speak of their humility as they move about in God’s presence. The two that fly speak about their obedience to do God’s will. They restrain themselves to do what God wants them to do, and nothing else. If they were inclined they could fly faster with all six wings and impose their will on many because of their strength if they wanted to live independent of God. But out of humility and reverence for God they exist within His purposes for them. And they are not complaining. Satan bucks at God’s authority. These angels sing His praises. They sing of what they know about Him. “In a great chorus they sang, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty!’”

God’s holiness is the _expression of His immeasurable goodness and total lack of guile, deceit, or perversity of any kind. There is no one else like Him. He is absolutely unique. The angels sang “holy, holy, holy” three times. One of the ways Hebrew writing emphasized something is to repeat it. When the Hebrew repeats something it is for impact. It is like saying, “I saw a stone. I saw a big stone. I saw a big, big stone. I saw a big, big, big stone.” If someone were to speak like this, you would understand that he or she was describing a gigantic boulder. A boulder beyond what anyone could lift, beyond what anyone could handle himself. When the angels say “holy, holy, holy,” they are saying that God’s holiness is beyond measure, beyond what they could bear. And so they covered their eyes while in God’s presence.

Isaiah was a pretty good guy by human standards. For the most part, he did the right things. He was like most of us. But compared to God, he was not good enough. In fact, as he saw God’s holy glory in his vision he cursed himself because of his sinfulness. Isaiah had no moral right to be where he was, before God’s very throne. And he knew it. Isaiah confesses his sin in the presence of God and His angels. At Isaiah’s confession, God has His angel touch Isaiah with a coal from the holy altar. This act symbolizes God’s holy provision for human sinfulness. In light of Christ’s holy sacrifice, Isaiah’s guilt can be removed from him and forgiveness granted. It is the Lord’s holy altar that makes the coal special, able to symbolize holy purity. John 12:41 tells us that the majesty Isaiah sees actually belongs to Christ Himself, the Son of God, before His incarnation. This majestic One who provoked the angels to hide their faces out of reverence and cover their feet out of humility, is the same Lord who united Himself with humanity to suffer, bleed, and die at Calvary’s cross, an act that made it possible for Isaiah’s, yours, and my sins to be forgiven.

1 John 1:9 speaks to the importance of confession in God’s plan for us: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” As we see with Isaiah, the need for confession and repentance has always existed. Confession is not a New Testament invention. God’s heart is toward us, but our sin often separates us from Him. Confession and repentance, based on Christ’s work at Calvary, restores the relationship between God and sinful men and women.

The correct response to what God has done for us is a thankful willingness to let Him influence our lives. That is why Isaiah says, “Here am I, send me.” Isaiah had a willing, responsive heart. Contrast this with Moses who was asked, “Will you do this for me?” but came up with all kinds of excuses why he could not. Isaiah overheard God saying, “Oh, I wish I could warn my people, to express my words and thoughts in a clear way they can understand. To paint the pictures that I see of what they are doing. I wish there was someone who could go.” Isaiah went. Isaiah was willing to go and speak God’s message to His people.

God has created each one of us to have a personal relationship with Him. The scene Isaiah describes in chapter 6 does not depict a close, personal, intimate relationship between God and His angelic messengers. They cannot even look at Him as He shines in His glory. A celestial hug does not seem possible.

Brothers and sisters, this very person who struck awe and fear in the angelic hosts took off His kingly robe, descended the heavenly throne, passed the angelic hosts, and wrapped Himself in swaddling clothes, thorns, sweat, blood, and heartache. The Bible tells us in two major passages who God is at His core. The two passages are Isaiah 6:1-4 and 1 John 4:7-8. We have already read Isaiah 6:1-4. Now listen to1 John 4:7-8: “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love.” God is, at His core, holy-love. Holiness points to His goodness. Love points to His caring. God loves His own goodness and is willing to defend it from all who would try to pollute and overthrow it. God cares about His goodness because it results in blessings for His creatures. God’s goodness cannot help but overflow into the lives of His creatures, it is His nature to care. A definition of God’s holiness offered by Thomas Traherne gives us a connection between holiness and love. God is not two qualities at His core but one viewed from different perspectives. Traherne said this about God’s holiness: “The infinite love of his own goodness is the holiness of God…. Holiness is that virtue in God, by which he loves the most perfect things, and infinitely delighteth in them. For by virtue of this affection he shuns and hates all that is profane, pursuing and delighting in all that is holy” (Christian Ethicks, p. 87). Now, How does someone who is holy-love in His core solve the relationship problem? He gets involved! Personally!

Ironic, isn’t it? The Lord sits on His throne and even the angels have to shield their eyes because of His holiness. At Calvary, in plain view, the Lord hangs on the cross, half-naked and beaten, and Jew and Gentile look and sneer. It is at Calvary where God exhibited His greatest glory for all who are willing to see. It is not the blinding light that grabs our hearts, it is the crown of thorns, the spital on the face, and the heartache of separation from the Father that draws us toward Him.

With this picture in your mind, will you allow God to touch your lips? Will you agree with Isaiah and give God’s message to others around you? America is growing more corrupt much as Judah was in Isaiah’s day. God commanded Isaiah to warn the people. Most did not listen. But some did!

Copyright 2003 by Pastor Dave Strem