God is an infinitely holy God who desires and deserves worship from all. When we have been made to see our sin and be cleansed from it, we cannot do anything but be willing men and women for his service. If we ever lose sight of who God is and who we are, then we must run back to the word of God where we see the glory of Christ. In short: Faithful evangelism begins with clear sight. This will do it every time.

It is one of the most staggering and gripping narratives in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah is allowed to see a vision of God’s holiness that leads him to pronounce judgment upon himself and then concludes with him going to tell other people about this unfathomably holy God and their substantial lack of holiness.

What is particularly instructive is the connection between his cleansing and his commissioning. When he realized what he had been cleansed from then he was more apt to embrace who he was cleansed for. Let’s be honest, one of the reasons why we sputter in evangelism is a truncated view of God’s holiness. Isaiah saw this and he was focused on his mission.

Cleansing

The need for cleansing comes from the awareness of sin. In other words, seeing a lack of holiness next to God’s ineffable holiness leads one to a gratitude for being cleansed.

Isaiah tells us that this vision came in the year of King Uzziah’s death. Why is this important? It is because this king got leprosy for failing to see the significance of God’s holiness (2 Chron. 26.16-21). At a time when a king’s death and God’s holiness is on the mind, this heavenly portal opens and Isaiah has his face melted off.

He sees the angels flying about with wings flapping and their mouths declaring that God is in fact holy (Is. 6.2-3). Alec Motyer notes that “their down-folded and up-stretched wings they look like huge flames surrounding the throne of the Holy One.” Adding to this scene is the house filling with smoke and the thresholds shaking. Isaiah, almost choking to death from the sight of holiness declares, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Is. 6.5).

Note this: Isaiah sees himself worthy of judgment because he is unclean. He is ruined.

But, thankfully this is not the end. An angel comes to him with the burning coal of the altar. He touches Isaiah’s mouth and declares that his guilt is gone and his sin is atoned for (Is. 6.6)! This is beautiful. The angel carries with him all of the rich theological themes encapsulated in a coal. God brings atonement, makes propitiation, secures forgiveness, removes guilt, accomplishes redemption, and takes away any alienation from sin. He is cleansed! He has seen God’s holiness and instead of being struck dead for his sin he is cleansed from it.

Commissioning

Right after this pronouncement of cleansing there is an announcement that Isaiah has a job to do. The freshly cleansed prophet declares his willingness to serve (Is. 6.8) and God then sends him to people (Is. 6.9).

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