Scripture

Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. he touched my lips with it and said, “See this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

Observation

Isaiah sees the Lord in the temple. The Lord is sitting on a high throne and the train of his robe fills the whole temple. Mighty seraphim surround the Lord, calling out His praises.

Isaiah is terrified. He recognises his sin in the presence of God’s holiness. A seraph takes a burning coal to Isaiah’s lips and says his guilt is removed and his sins are forgiven.

The Lord asks whom can he send as a messenger? Isaiah volunteers to go. Isaiah is to call the nation to repentance, but their hearts will be hardened. This will go on until the whole country is abandoned. The Lord will leave a stump from which Israel will grow back.

Application

Some christians believe that the Old Testament only about the law. A person had to obey God’s Law to be considered holy or righteous. But in this chapter, we read about Isaiah’s sins being removed by a seraph with a burning coal.

Everything about God’s dealings with people revolves around grace. Isaiah did not have to offer a sacrifice to be forgiven. He didn’t need the seraph to touch his lips; this was just a teaching aid to help Isaiah receive God’s forgiveness.

Jesus died once and for all. His death covers all the sins of all people through all history.

To be effective, we have to receive the gift. Isaiah could have turned his face away from the coal and held onto his guilt. People do just this. For a variety of reasons, they refuse God’s offer of grace through Christ. They remain unforgiven even though the offer is available.

If you have not accepted God’s forgiveness through Christ, do it now.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, your death on the cross took my sins away. I am forgiven and restored. Thank you. Amen.