Isaiah 6 sets the stage for a powerful contrast seen in Isaiah’s journey as a prophet.
Interestingly, it’s implied that many years may have passed between Isaiah’s early prophetic messages recorded in chapters 1 to 5 and the life-changing encounter he recorded in chapter 6.
This suggests that Isaiah had been actively ministering for quite some time before King Uzziah’s death.
Yet, it was in the year that King Uzziah died that Isaiah saw the Lord—a detail he remembered distinctly. Perhaps Isaiah couldn’t recall the precise hour, day, or month of that life-altering vision, but the timing—marked by the death of the king was unforgettable.
It is likely that Isaiah, like many of us today, had been praying earnestly, saying, “Lord, reveal Yourself to me; let me have an encounter with You.”
And in God’s timing, Isaiah’s prayer was answered, and his eyes were opened to behold the glory of the Lord.
When Isaiah saw the Lord, he exclaimed, “Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips!” (Isaiah 6:5).
It wasn’t the Lord who pointed out Isaiah’s state; rather, the holiness of God’s presence exposed it. The encounter brought Isaiah to a place of deep self-awareness.
The Seraphim, without direct instruction from the Lord, took a live coal from the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips, purging his sin and removing his iniquity (Isaiah 6:6-7).
This demonstrates that in God’s presence, even the righteousness of man is as filthy rags. This aligns with the vision of the High Priest Joshua in Zechariah 3, where his garments were stripped and replaced before the Lord.
Despite Isaiah’s years in prophetic ministry, God was still seeking a man to send (Isaiah 6:8).
This is a profound reminder that being active in ministry or even having a divine encounter does not automatically make one usable by God. Isaiah’s willingness to say, “Here I am, send me,” (Isaiah 6:8) was what made him both available and usable.
Had Isaiah not volunteered, he might have remained sidelined, even in the midst of that glorious encounter.
This shows that God honours our free will. He does not impose His plans on anyone who has not willingly offered themselves.
It’s a humbling truth: we can be in ministry, have spiritual experiences, and yet be overlooked if we do not actively surrender to God’s purpose.
Isaiah’s response to God’s call is a timeless lesson in availability and obedience—a call to willingly offer ourselves for God’s use.
