Isaiah 6:1-5 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, 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.”
Text Psalm 14:2-3 “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
Isaiah would learn that there is a price associated with privilege; the revelation of the Sovereign’s splendor revealed the subject’s sinfulness; “Then said I, Woe is me!” This is the natural response of a heart open to spiritual truth. It is the response of Job (Job 42:5-6), Daniel (Daniel 10:8-11), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:28), and John (Revelation 1:17). Here we see Isaiah’s awareness of pollution. While it is disturbing upon its discovery, it is divinely determined if one is to ever seek deliverance. The rags of self-righteousness had proved to be inadequate as the inward parts of his depravity was laid bare! Isaiah was aware of his polluted state.
On the heels of Isaiah’s awareness is the announcement of pollution; “Then said I, Woe is me!” What his eye has seen, his lips must declare. If he is to receive any help, he must be honest with self and the Sovereign. This truth is magnified in the life of the prodigal in Luke 15. Previous to leaving the far country, the prodigal declared, “will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee” (vs.18) and declare he did; “the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son” (vs.21). A repentant spirit is one in which we are in agreement with God concerning our sin!
The last thing we notice is the areas of pollution, “for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” When Isaiah acknowledges his pollution; he is speechless with respect to an excuse. The phrase “I am undone” means to be dumb or silent, hence to perish or be cut off. Isaiah declares that the pollution is personal, “I am a man of unclean lips” and public, “I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” Isaiah can identify with the words of the psalmist, “They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”
With the privilege of the vision comes the pollution of the vision; a necessary stage in the progression of grace!