Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Isaiah
Book: Isaiah
Chapter: 6
Overview:
The
Vision which
Isaiah beheld in the
Temple.
(1-8) The
Lord
declares the blindness to come upon the Jewish nation, and the
Destruction which would follow.
(9-13)
1-8 In this figurative
Vision, the
Temple is thrown open to
view, even to the most
Holy place. The
Prophet, standing outside
the
Temple, sees the Divine Presence seated
On the
Mercy-seat,
raised over the
Ark of the
Covenant, between the cherubim and
Seraphim, and the Divine
Glory filled the whole
Temple. See
God
upon his
Throne. This
Vision is explained, Joh 12:41, that
Isaiah now saw
Christ's
Glory, and spake of Him, which is a full
proof that our
Saviour is
God. In
Christ Jesus,
God is seated
On
a
Throne of
Grace; and through him the way into the holiest is
laid open. See
God's
Temple, his
Church On Earth, filled with
his
Glory. His train, the skirts of his robes, filled the
Temple, the whole world, for it is all
God's
Temple. And yet he
dwells in every contrite
Heart. See the blessed attendants
By
whom his government is served. Above the
Throne stood the holy
angels, called
Seraphim, which means "burners;" they burn in
Love to
God, and zeal for his
Glory against
Sin. The
Seraphim
showing their faces veiled, declares that they are ready to
yield obedience to all
God's commands, though they do not
understand the secret reasons of his counsels, government, or
promises. All vain-
Glory, ambition, ignorance, and pride, would
be done away
By one view of
Christ in his
Glory. This awful
Vision of the Divine Majesty overwhelmed the
Prophet with a
sense of his own vileness. We are undone if there is not a
Mediator between us and this holy
God. A glimpse of heavenly
Glory is enough to convince us that all our righteousnesses are
as filthy rags. Nor is there a
Man that would dare to speak to
the
Lord, if he saw the
Justice,
Holiness, and majesty of
God,
without discerning his glorious
Mercy and
Grace in
Jesus Christ.
The live
Coal may denote the
Assurance given to the
Prophet, of
Pardon, and acceptance in his work, through the
Atonement of
Christ. Nothing is powerful to cleanse and comfort the soul, but
what is taken from
Christ's satisfaction and intercession. The
taking away
Sin is necessary to our speaking with confidence and
comfort, either to
God in
Prayer, or from
God in preaching; and
those shall have their
Sin taken away who complain of it as a
Burden, and see themselves in danger of being undone
By it. It
is great comfort to those whom
God sends, that they go for
God,
and may therefore speak in his name, assured that he will
Bear
them out.
9-13 God sends
Isaiah to foretell the ruin of his people. Many
hear the sound of
God's
Word, but do not feel the power of it.
God sometimes, in righteous
Judgment, gives men up to blindness
of mind, because they will not receive the
Truth in the
Love of
it. But
No humble inquirer after
Christ, need to fear this awful
doom, which is a spiritual
Judgment On those who will still
Hold
Fast their sins. Let every one pray for the enlightening of the
Holy
Spirit, that he may perceive how precious are the Divine
mercies,
By which alone we are secured against this dreadful
danger. Yet the
Lord would preserve a remnant, like the tenth,
holy to him. And blessed be
God, he still preserves his
Church;
however professors or visible churches may be lopped off as
unfruitful, the holy seed will shoot forth, from whom all the
numerous branches of
Righteousness shall arise.