Isaiah 6:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

NIV: At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

NASB: And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

CSB: The foundations of the doorways shook at the sound of their voices, and the temple was filled with smoke.

NLT: Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

KJV: And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

NKJV: And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

The scene Isaiah describes in these verses is filled with dread and awe. The Lord has caused Isaiah to see Him in the temple, seated on a throne, surrounded by multiple angelic, serpent-like, six-winged seraphim. They stand or fly around the room calling out to each other worshipping about the God's holiness and glory (Isaiah 6:1–3). The following verse shows Isaiah is shaken to his core at this scene (Isaiah 6:5).

He now adds that the foundations are shaking from the voices of the seraphim. On top of that, the house is full of smoke. This could be due to smoke of burning incense used in worship or perhaps the "cloud of glory" that sometimes comes when God is near (Exodus 16:10; Isaiah 4:5). In other words, the room is loud, the floor is shaking, the aroma may be intense. And what Isaiah is glimpsing through the thick smoke seems impossible. He knows, though, that it is all terribly real, and that he, as a sinful man, does not belong in such a place (Isaiah 6:5).

Isaiah 6:1–7 describes Isaiah's call to serve as God's prophet in response to a powerful vision. This vision takes place near the beginning of his ministry, which is also the same year that King Uzziah of Judah dies. In this vision, Isaiah sees the Lord on a throne in His temple. Angelic seraphim call out about God's holiness in voices that shake the building. The prophet is overwhelmed by his own uncleanness. One of the seraph touches his lips with a coal from the altar, pronouncing his sin paid for.

Isaiah 6 describes the vision of God, experienced by Isaiah, which began his work as a prophet. He sees the Lord in royal robes sitting on a throne in the temple. There are angelic seraphim calling out to each other about His holiness. Isaiah is overwhelmed by his own uncleanness until one seraph touches his lips with a burning coal from the altar. With his sin symbolically atoned for, Isaiah volunteers to go to his people on behalf of the Lord. The message he preaches will not penetrate their dull hearts. Yet Isaiah must preach until the judgment comes.

Isaiah 6 seems to answer the question of why Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1) was qualified to speak of Judah's sin and the Lord's coming judgment. The previous five chapters have already been on this topic. Isaiah describes seeing God in the temple on a throne, while hearing seraphim calling out about the Lord's holiness. After his lips are cleansed, Isaiah volunteers to take the Lord's message to his people Judah. The Lord shows Isaiah that message will not be received and that he will preach until the judgment comes. Chapters 7 and 8 detail Isaiah's early prophecies, including a famous prediction about the Messiah.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 5/18/2024 8:22:04 PM