Repenting phrase by phrase.

Bible book of Isaiah. Chapter 6. Verses 1-7. We get to listen to the prophet Isaiah repent. Phrase by phrase.

Isaiah saw the Lord on His throne.

Exodus 33 tells us that Moses asked to be able to see the glory of God.

God tells Moses that He can’t see His full glory or he would die.

He would show him the back of His glory, hiding him from His full glory.

Seeing only the back of His glory made Moses’ face glow.

Certainly, if his face glowed from the back of God's glory, full on face to face would burn him up.

But interestly, that’s what we’re moving towards if we’re in relationship with Jesus, seeing Him face to face.

That day if any of us don’t see Him face to face, it will be bad for us.

Somehow I think we’ll know it’s bad.

Somehow I think we’ll long to see His face, and we won’t. Ever.

So how will we see Him face to face then, and not burn up?

Jesus’ teaching on the mountain said "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

But the absolutely pure in heart is NO ONE.

Hmmmm. Something must have to happen.

The angels are calling to each other, Holy, holy, holy.

The repetition of 3 is on purpose. It is dramatically emphasized.

The sound of Holy Holy Holy brought quite the scene.

Doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple fills with smoke.

And then this. There are things called Oracles. Usually only God would say….Blessed is he who…. Or Woe is he who….. Blessing and Curse.

From the mouth of God only. His to speak.

Isaiah sees the glory of God on His throne.

Woe is me, Isaiah says.

Isaiah pronounces judgement on himself.

Woe is me. I am undone.

Glimpsing the holy God has given him a clear assessment of himself.

And then it zeros in on his…..

Mouth.

Not heart. Not habits. Not thoughts.

Mouth. And the mouths of other people.

Our mouths.

I am a man of unclean lips. He sees more clearly.

I live among a people of unclean lips. It’s pervasive.

He repents.

How does He know so clearly now?

My eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.

He has a new and radical understanding of sin in him and everyone.

No wonder he was undone.

He saw God on the throne and it undid his life.

My eyes have seen the King, he said, and it mattered.

He saw what God was like and then he really saw what hisself was like.

And remember his Woe?

He is suffering from his sin in light of the glorious God.

The merciful God uses an angel to bring a hot coal to… his… mouth.

He touched his mouth with the hot coal. Touched it to his lips. Burned away the sin, refined by holy fire.

Cleansed completely.

Forgiven to the core.

Real repentance is present.

Not just I’m sorry.

I am mourning my sin because I am in awe of You.

Stunning turn of events.

Guilt is taken away.

Sin is atoned for.

Phrase by phrase.

Today.

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