Isaiah chapter 6 opens with a theophany. The Lord is "sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple" (v. 1). Above the throne are the seraphim. This would match the pattern in the ancient tabernacle and temple. The wings of the cherubim would cover the mercy seat, which is on the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, and the mercy seat represents the throne of God in ancient Israel (see Exodus 25:20). The seraphim would represent members of the divine council.
Voice of the Divine Council
The leitwort (theme word) voice is used twice in this chapter to emphasize the voice of God. The voice is so powerful it causes the door posts to move. Later Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah answers, "Here am I; send me" (v. 8). This is the formula for a messenger of the divine council, similar to the council where the Savior is chosen. In another council setting the Most High God asked, "Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me" (Abraham 3:27).
Sanctification By Fire
Isaiah exclaims in fearful tones, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (v. 5). He knows he is not ready to stand in the presence of the Lord in his natural state.
"Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar" (v. 6). The live coal would come from the Altar of Burnt Offerings connecting this sanctification process with the law of sacrifice. The seraph then proclaims, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged" (v. 7). The live coal represents the baptism of fire, or baptism of the Holy Ghost. Two verses in Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon expound on this idea of sanctification and baptism of the Holy Ghost.
"And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not" (3 Nephi 9:20).
"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day" (3 Nephi 27:20).
Notice the connection between sacrifice and sanctification in the first verse, and notice how the concept of sanctification by the Holy Ghost prepares us to stand in God's presence like Isaiah.
Isaiah's Mission Call
Isaiah receives his mission call to the land of fat hearts, heavy ears, and closed eyes. Apparently it is the same mission where our Savior served. In Matthew 13 our Lord laments that the gross hearts, dull ears, and shuteye have prevented the healing and conversion of His people (see Matthew 13:15).
The Lord prophesies concerning the Great Apostasy and calls it a "great forsaking in the midst of the land" (v. 12)
Israel Ain't Dead Yet
In spite of the apostasy, a remnant shall return in the latter days. Isaiah compares Israel to a teil tree, which is a linden tree. My parents have two of these in front of their house. The "holy seed" of the Abrahamic Covenant is the substance (or sap) of this tree. In the early spring these trees look dead, but if you park a car under one of these, you will get a layer of sap on your windshield. The "substance of the holy seed" is the restored gospel. The gospel is the new lifeblood of the house of Israel.
No comments:
Post a Comment