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Commentary on Isaiah 6 verses 5–8
Our curiosity would lead us to enquire further concerning the seraphim, their songs and their services; but here we leave them, and must attend to what passed between God and his prophet. Secret things belong not to us, the secret things of the world of angels, but things revealed to and by the prophets, which concern the administration of God's kingdom among men. Now here we have,
I. The consternation that the prophet was put into by the vision which he saw of the glory of God (Isa 6:5): Then said I, Woe is me! I should have said, "Blessed art thou, who hast been thus highly favoured, highly honoured, and dignified, for a time, with the privilege of those glorious beings that always behold the face of our Father. Blessed were those eyes which saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and those ears which heard the angels' praises." And, one would think, he should have said, "Happy am I, for ever happy; nothing now shall trouble me, nothing make me blush or tremble;" but, on the contrary, he cries out, "Woe is me! for I am undone. Alas for me! I am a gone man; I shall surely die (Jdg 13:22; Jdg 6:22); I am silenced; I am struck dumb, struck dead." Thus Daniel, when he heard the words of the angel, became dumb, and there was no strength, no breath, left in him, Dan 10:15, Dan 10:17. Observe,
1.What the prophet reflected upon in himself which terrified him: "I am undone if God deal with me in strict justice, for I have made myself obnoxious to his displeasure, because I am a man of unclean lips." Some think he refers particularly to some rash word he had spoken, or to his sinful silence in not reproving sin with the boldness and freedom that were necessary - a sin which God's ministers have too much cause to charge themselves with, and to blush at the remembrance of. But it may be taken more generally; I am a sinner; particularly, I have offended in word; and who is there that hath not? Jam 3:2. We all have reason to bewail it before the Lord, (1.) That we are of unclean lips ourselves; our lips are not consecrated to God; he had not had the first-fruits of our lips (Heb 13:15), and therefore they are counted common and unclean, uncircumcised lips, Exo 6:30. Nay, they have been polluted with sin. We have spoken the language of an unclean heart, that evil communication which corrupts good manners, and whereby many have been defiled. We are unworthy and unmeet to take God's name into our lips. With what a pure lip did the angels praise God! "But," says the prophet, "I cannot praise him so, for I am a man of unclean lips." The best men in the world have reason to be ashamed of themselves, and the best of their services, when they come into comparison with the holy angels. The angels had celebrated the purity and holiness of God; and therefore the prophet, when he reflects upon sin, calls it uncleanness; for the sinfulness of sin is its contrariety to the holy nature of God, and upon that account especially it should appear both hateful and frightful to us. The impurity of our lips ought to be the grief of our souls, for by our words we shall be justified or condemned. (2.) That we dwell among those who are so too. We have reason to lament not only that we ourselves are polluted, but that the nature and race of mankind are so; the disease is hereditary and epidemic, which is so far from lessening our guilt that it should rather increase our grief, especially considering that we have not done what we might have done for the cleansing of the pollution of other people's lips; nay, we have rather learned their way and spoken their language, as Joseph in Egypt learned the courtier's oath, Gen 42:16. "I dwell in the midst of a people who by their impudent sinnings are pulling down desolating judgments upon the land, which I, who am a sinner too, may justly expect to be involved in."
2.What gave occasion for these sad reflections at this time: My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. He saw God's sovereignty to be incontestable - he is the King; and his power irresistible - he is the Lord of hosts. These are comfortable truths to God's people, and yet they ought to strike an awe upon us. Note, A believing sight of God's glorious majesty should affect us all with reverence and godly fear. We have reason to be abased in the sense of that infinite distance that there is between us and God, and our own sinfulness and vileness before him, and to be afraid of his displeasure. We are undone if there be not a Mediator between us and this holy God, Sa1 6:20. Isaiah was thus humbled, to prepare him for the honour he was now to be called to as a prophet. Note, Those are fittest to be employed for God who are low in their own eyes and are made deeply sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness.
II. The silencing of the prophet's fears by the good words, and comfortable words, with which the angel answered him, Isa 6:6, Isa 6:7. One of the seraphim immediately flew to him, to purify him, and so to pacify him. Note, God has strong consolations ready for holy mourners. Those that humble themselves in penitential shame and fear shall soon be encouraged and exalted; those that are struck down with the visions of God's glory shall soon be raised up again with the visits of his grace; he that tears will heal. Note, further, Angels are ministering spirits for the good of the saints, for their spiritual good. Here was one of the seraphim dismissed, for a time, from attending on the throne of God's glory, to be a messenger of his grace to a good man; and so well pleased was he with the office that he came flying to him. To our Lord Jesus himself, in his agony, there appeared an angel from heaven, strengthening him, Luk 22:43. Here is, 1. A comfortable sign given to the prophet of the purging away of his sin. The seraph brought a live coal from the altar, and touched his lips with it, not to hurt them, but to heal them - not to cauterize, but to cleanse them; for there were purifications by fire, as well as by water, and the filth of Jerusalem was purged by the spirit of burning, Isa 4:4. The blessed Spirit works as fire, Mat 3:11. The seraph, being himself kindled with a divine fire, put life into the prophet, to make him also zealously affected; for the way to purge the lips from the uncleanness of sin is to fire the soul with the love of God. This live coal was taken from off the altar, either the altar of incense or that of burnt-offerings, for they had both of them fire burning on them continually. Nothing is powerful to cleanse and comfort the soul but what is taken from Christ's satisfaction and the intercession he ever lives to make in the virtue of that satisfaction. It must be a coal from his altar that must put life into us and be our peace; it will not be done with strange fire. 2. An explication of this sign: "Lo, this has touched thy lips, to assure thee of this, that thy iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged. The guilt of thy sin is removed by pardoning mercy, the guilt of thy tongue-sins. Thy corrupt disposition to sin is removed by renewing grace; and therefore nothing can hinder thee from being accepted with God as a worshipper, in concert with the holy angels, or from being employed for God as a messenger to the children of men." Those only who are thus purged from an evil conscience are prepared to serve the living God, Heb 9:14. The taking away of sin is necessary to our speaking with confidence and comfort either to God in prayer or from God in preaching; nor are any so fit to display to others the riches and power of gospel-grace as those who have themselves tasted the sweetness and felt the influence of that grace; and those shall have their sin taken away who complain of it as a burden and see themselves in danger of being undone by it.
III. The renewing of the prophet's mission, Isa 6:8. Here is a communication between God and Isaiah about this matter. Those that would assist others in their correspondence with God must not themselves be strangers to it; for how can we expect that God should speak by us if we never heard him speaking to us, or that we should be accepted as the mouth of others to God if we never spoke to him heartily for ourselves? Observe here,
1.The counsel of God concerning Isaiah's mission. God is here brought in, after the manner of men, deliberating and advising with himself: Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? God needs not either to be counselled by others or to consult with himself; he knows what he will do, but thus he would show us that there is a counsel in his whole will, and teach us to consider our ways, and particularly that the sending forth of ministers is a work not to be done but upon mature deliberation. Observe, (1.) Who it is that is consulting. It is the Lord God in his glory, whom he saw upon the throne high and lifted up. It puts an honour upon the ministry that, when God would send a prophet to speak in his name, he appeared in all the glories of the upper world. Ministers are the ambassadors of the King of kings; how mean soever they are, he who sends them is great; it is God in three persons (Who will go for us? as Gen 1:26, Let us make man), Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They all concur, as in the creating, so in the redeeming and governing of man. Ministers are ordained in the same name into which all Christians are baptized. (2.) What the consultation is: Whom shall I send? And who will go? Some think this refers to the particular message of wrath against Israel, Isa 6:9, Isa 6:10. "Who will be willing to go on such a melancholy errand, on which they will go in the bitterness of their souls?" Eze 3:14. But I rather take it more largely for all those messages which the prophet was entrusted to deliver, in God's name, to that people, in which that hardening work was by no means the primary intention, but a secondary effect of them, Co2 2:16. Whom shall I send? intimating that the business was such as required a choice and well-accomplished messenger, Jer 49:19. God now appeared, attended with holy angels, and yet asks, Whom shall I send? For he would send them a prophet from among their brethren, Heb 2:17. Note, [1.] It is the unspeakable favour of God to us that he is pleased to send us his mind by men like ourselves, whose terror shall not make us afraid, and who are themselves concerned in the messages they bring. Those who are workers together with God are sinners and sufferers together with us. [2.] It is a rare thing to find one who is fit to go for God, and carry his messages to the children of men: Whom shall I send? Who is sufficient? Such a degree of courage for God and concern for the souls of men as is necessary to make a man faithful, and withal such an insight into the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven as is necessary to make a man skilful, are seldom to be met with. Such an interpreter of the mind of God is one of a thousand, Job 33:23. [3.] None are allowed to go for God but those who are sent by him; he will own none but those whom he appoints, Rom 10:15. It is Christ's work to put men into the ministry, Ti1 1:12.
2.The consent of Isaiah to it: Then said I, Here am I; send me. He was to go on a melancholy errand; the office seemed to go a begging, and every body declined it, and yet Isaiah offered himself to the service. It is an honour to be singular in appearing for God, Jdg 5:7. We must not say, "I would go if I thought I should have success;" but, "I will go, and leave the success to God. Here am I; send me." Isaiah had been himself in a melancholy frame (Isa 6:5), full of doubts and fears; but now that he had the assurance of the pardon of his sin the clouds were blown over, and he was fit for service and forward to it. What he says denotes, (1.) His readiness: "Here am I, a volunteer, not pressed into the service." Behold me; so the word is. God says to us, Behold me (Isa 65:1), and, Here I am (Isa 58:9), even before we call; let us say so to him when he does call. (2.) His resolution; "Here I am, ready to encounter the greatest difficulties. I have set my face as a flint." Compare this with Isa 50:4-7. (3.) His referring himself to God: "Send me whither thou wilt; make what use thou pleasest of me. Send me, that is, Lord, give me commission and full instruction; send me, and then, no doubt, thou wilt stand by me." It is a great comfort to those whom God sends that they go for God, and may therefore speak in his name, as having authority, and be assured that he will bear them out.
(Verse 8.) And 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. Because both us and all the other interpreters have translated it, the Hebrew phrase Lanu (), which means 'for us,' is put by the LXX to this people, which is not at all found in the Hebrew. But when it is said in the person of God, 'for us' is to be understood in that sense in which it is read in Genesis: Let us make man in our image, and likeness (Gen. 1:26), to indicate the sacrament of the Trinity. For just as we read in the Gospel, when the Lord says, 'I and the Father are one' (John 10:30), and we refer this to the unity of nature, namely, that we are one in essence, but to the diversity of persons, the Trinity governs as commanded by the Lord. However, the Lord does not specify whom to go forth, but presents the listeners with an option, so that the will may obtain the reward. And the Prophet does not promise to go forth by presumption and the arrogance of his own conscience, but by confidence: because his lips have been cleansed, and iniquity has been removed, and sin has been purified. Therefore Moses also, to whom the Lord said: Come, I will send thee to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Exod. III, 10), and he said: I beseech thee, Lord, I am not eloquent, send whom thou wilt (Exod. IV, 13), answered not with contempt, but with humility, because he had not heard anything from his purified lips, who had been educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. And Isaiah, not by his own merit, but by the grace of the Lord, by which he was purified, offered himself to the service. But others think that Isaiah offered himself because he thought that he had good news to announce to the people. But because he heard, 'Go, tell this people: You shall indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed see but not perceive' (Isaiah 6:9), therefore, in the following passages, when the voice of the Lord said to him, 'Cry out,' he does not immediately cry out, but he asks, 'What shall I cry?' The prophet Jeremiah, to whom it had been said, 'Take this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand and drink to all the nations to which I send you' (Jeremiah 25:15), willingly receiving the cup of sufferings, so that he might offer it to the opposing nations, for them to drink, and vomit, and fall down; after he heard, 'Go and first offer it to Jerusalem,' he replied, 'You have deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived' (Jeremiah 20:7). This is the observance of the Hebrews. However, we say that it is not a matter of rashness, but of obedience, to offer oneself to be sent by the Lord.
When Isaiah had seen the Lord seated high upon a lofty throne, what does he say? “Woe is me, because I am in sorrow; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people that has unclean lips.” Pay attention to his exact words: Woe is me because of my unclean lips. After that, what does he tell us? Because his lips are soiled, one of the seraphim is sent to him, and the seraph taking a burning coal from the altar touches with it Isaiah’s lips and tongue and purifies his mouth. Then what does the seraph say? “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your tongue is cleansed.” Then immediately, what does the Lord say? “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” O divine secrets of Scripture! As long as Isaiah’s tongue was treacherous and his lips unclean, the Lord does not say to him, Whom shall I send, and who shall go? His lips are cleansed, and immediately he is appointed the Lord’s spokesman; hence it is true that the person with unclean lips cannot prophesy, nor can he be sent in obedient service to God. “With fiery coals of the desert.” Would to heaven this solitude were granted us, that it would clear away all wickedness from our tongue, so that where there are thorns, where there are brambles, where there are nettles, the fire of the Lord may come and burn all of it and make it a desert place, the solitude of Christ.
It was not with temerity and arrogance that the prophet promised his own conscience that he would go, but with fidelity, for his lips were cleansed and the iniquity of his sins washed away and purified. When the Lord had said to Moses, therefore, “Come, I will send you to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt,” he too responded with humility, not contempt, saying, “I beg you, Lord, to send another because I am not worthy,” or as we read in Hebrew, “Send him whom you were about to send,” for he who had been educated with all the wisdom of the Egyptians had heard nothing about the cleansing of his lips. Isaiah also offered himself for ministry by the grace of the Lord with which he was cleansed, not by his own merit. But others think that Isaiah offered himself because he thought that the message to be announced to the people was favorable, because he heard, “Go and say to this people: ‘You will hear with your ears and not understand, you will see and not recognize.’ ” Subsequently, therefore, when the voice of the Lord had said to him “Cry,” he did not cry immediately but inquired, “What shall I cry?” Jeremiah also, to whom it had been said, “Take this cup and make all the nations to whom I will send you drink from it,” willingly accepting the cup of punishments to give to the enemy nations that they would drink and vomit and fall, later heard, “Go and first make Jerusalem drink from it,” to which he replied, “You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived.” This observation pertains to the Hebrews, but we acknowledge that others were obedient, not impetuous, in offering themselves to be sent by the Lord.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 6:8 encapsulates the pivotal moment of the prophet Isaiah's divine commissioning, occurring immediately after a profound vision of God's transcendent holiness and a subsequent spiritual purification. In this verse, Isaiah hears the sovereign voice of the Lord posing a direct, rhetorical question, seeking a willing messenger for a challenging, yet unspecified, divine mission. Isaiah's immediate, unreserved, and courageous response—"Here am I; send me"—serves as a timeless paradigm of availability, obedience, and humble readiness to serve God's purposes, embodying a profound commitment to the divine call.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 6:8 is rich with literary devices that amplify its theological and narrative weight. The entire chapter functions as a classic Call Narrative, a common biblical pattern (seen also with Moses and Jeremiah) where a prophet is divinely commissioned. This narrative typically involves a Theophany (God's visible manifestation), a Confession of Unworthiness, a Cleansing or assurance of forgiveness, and finally, the Commission. Here, the Dialogue between God and Isaiah is central, highlighting God's direct initiative and Isaiah's personal, volitional response. The Lord's question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?", employs Rhetorical Question to invite a volunteer, emphasizing the urgent need for a willing heart rather than demanding an answer. Isaiah's repetition of the root shâlach (to send) in his response ("send me") directly echoes God's question ("Whom shall I send?"), creating a powerful sense of Echo and immediate, direct alignment with the divine will. The emphatic "Here am I" (Hebrew: Hineni) is a form of Exclamation that conveys profound readiness, availability, and a posture of humble submission.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 6:8 stands as a foundational text for understanding the nature of divine calling and human response. It underscores that God is always actively seeking willing instruments for His redemptive purposes, and that true availability stems from a posture of humility and spiritual cleansing. The divine question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?", reveals God's active pursuit of messengers, while Isaiah's "Here am I; send me" exemplifies the ideal human response: immediate, unreserved, and born of a heart transformed by divine encounter. This exchange highlights the crucial partnership between divine initiative and human volition in the outworking of God's sovereign plan. It teaches that genuine service flows not from self-sufficiency or inherent worthiness, but from a profound awareness of God's holiness and one's own need for grace, leading to a humble yet bold commitment to His will.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 6:8 provides a profound blueprint for our own spiritual lives and service within God's kingdom. It challenges us to cultivate a heart that is not only attentive to God's voice but also spontaneously and unreservedly available for His purposes. Just as Isaiah's vision of God's holiness and subsequent cleansing preceded his call, we are reminded that a deep, transformative encounter with God's character and grace often precedes and prepares us for His service. Our "Here am I; send me" should be a declaration born not of presumption or self-confidence, but of humility, recognizing our continuous need for God's cleansing, empowerment, and guidance. This verse encourages us to be watchful for divine invitations to serve, whether in grand public ministries or in quiet, everyday acts of obedience within our spheres of influence. It calls us to lay aside our excuses, fears, and perceived inadequacies, trusting that the God who calls also equips, empowers, and sends. Our greatest contribution to God's kingdom often begins with a simple, willing "yes" to His sovereign call, whatever the cost or challenge may be.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the plural "us" in God's question, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?"
Answer: The plural pronoun "us" (Hebrew: lanu) in Isaiah 6:8 has been interpreted in several significant ways by biblical scholars. One common understanding is the "majestic plural," where God refers to Himself in a way that emphasizes His grandeur, authority, and the fullness of His being, similar to a king using "we" in a royal decree. Another view suggests it refers to the "divine council," a concept found in ancient Near Eastern literature and alluded to elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., 1 Kings 22:19-23), where God deliberates with heavenly beings like the seraphim who are present in the vision. A third, and theologically profound, interpretation sees it as an early, veiled intimation of the Trinity—God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in counsel regarding the divine mission. Regardless of the precise interpretation, it underscores the weighty and significant nature of the mission being proposed and the unified purpose within the Godhead concerning humanity's salvation and redemption.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 6:8 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and mission of Jesus Christ. While Isaiah responded with a willing "Here am I; send me," Jesus is the ultimate "Sent One" of God, the perfect embodiment of this divine commission. He did not merely respond to a call; He was eternally the very purpose and fulfillment of God's sending. As the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, Jesus perfectly understood and embraced the Father's will, declaring, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me" and "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God" (quoting Psalm 40). His entire earthly life was a living "Here am I; send me," culminating in His sacrificial death and resurrection, which opened the way for humanity's cleansing and reconciliation with God. Moreover, just as God sent Isaiah, Christ, having accomplished His mission, commissions His followers: "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you". Thus, Isaiah's call becomes a prototype for the call of every believer to participate in Christ's ongoing mission, empowered by His Spirit, to bear witness to His saving grace to a world in need.