Isaiah, Chapter 6

The root of the Word is Truth. It is also the root of this blog, as Veritas was the Roman Goddess of truth. Today in chapter six of Isaiah, we see how the author was inspired to write this book, as he was confronted by the source of all truth, God. How do we know he was telling the truth, however? This is where the second pillar of the Word comes in: faith. We must take it on faith that the Truth is indeed the Truth. From a human perspective, it is naturally very hard to take hand-in-hand that the Truth is based on faith, but the reverse is also true. Our faith is built on the premise that God is the Truth, and knowing the Truth comes from having faith.

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
      And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

     9 He said, "Go and tell this people:
       " 'Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
       be ever seeing, but never perceiving.' – Isaiah 6:4-9

I have never seen God. I have never stood before the throne and had a seraph touch a live coal to my lips, but the symbolism here is the same. Isaiah takes a humble approach before the throne, knowing that he was unworthy of standing before God. Here though, is the third pillar of the Word, as God demonstrates his grace in order to forgive Isaiah of his sins. We see instantly that Isaiah is a changed man as he volunteers to spread the truth, so others might expand their faith.

This brings us back to the original principle of this entry, and that is how we know Isaiah is telling the truth? How do we know his warnings are true, and that he indeed was brought before the Lord for these visions? Well, God has promised to us, through numerous authors in the Bible, that the Word is his Truth. If the Word is not the Truth then we are totally lost, because if one single part of it is not true, then none of it is. However, since we've seen that so many parts of the Word have already been proven true, it becomes easier to accept the Word in its entirety through faith.

Many of Isaiah's visions were proven true over the course of the New Testament. Noah's promise was proven true as God has not destroyed the earth with a flood since that time. Christ promised that his Word would reach all nations, and considering that He only physically spoke to a dusty corner of the world 2,000 years ago, yet now has a church of billions, I would call that a fulfillment of a promise. So if these things are indeed true, and all of the Word is true, how can the rest be false?

TODAY'S QUESTIONS:

1. Did Isaiah actually make an appearance in the court of heaven here?
   
2. What does it mean to be ever hearing, but never understanding?
   
3. How is verse six an allusion to Christ's sacrifice?