Isaiah 6:1-5 – Isaiah’s Vision of Jehovah

In the year that king Uzziah died, Isaiah saw “the Lord” sitting upon a throne. Heavenly creatures stood above this divine Being crying, “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” In the presence of such majesty the prophet felt his exceeding sinfulness, hence, declared: “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, Jehovah of hosts” (Isaiah 6:1-5). Note the word glory in verse three. In your margin you may wish to enter this note: See John 12:41.

In this New Testament context, the inspired apostle is dealing with the Jews’ general unbelief in the miracles which Jesus Christ was performing. Though the Lord had done many signs in their presence, yet they believed not on Him (John 12:37). John then quotes from Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10, showing that the Jewish disposition to disbelieve was predicted centuries earlier. In this connection, amazingly, the apostle affirms that Isaiah said these things because he saw “his [Christ’s] glory and spake of him” (12:41). The divine Being, called “Jehovah of hosts,” which the prophet was permitted to see was none other than the preincarnate Jesus. This is a wonderful argument for the deity of Christ.