Isaiah 6

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Isaiah 6

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

What can we tell about God from this?


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The seraphs have been serving and worshipping a holy God. We must also realise that God is called a ‘consuming fire’ in the Bible and give him the respect he deserves. The seraphs are also shouting with loud voices declaring who God is (holy) and what he is (the whole earth is filled with his glory). Around the throne are angels with 6 wings flying and declaring how holy God is, how the whole earth is filled with his glory. The sound of their voices were like a thunderstorm, so that the temple shook.

What are seraphs and what do they do? (Verse 2)


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(Fact – Isaiah 6 is the only place in the Bible where seraphs are mentioned. The word ‘seraph’ is taken from a word meaning ‘fire’. We know that God is an ‘all-consuming fire’)

Write down Deuteronomy 4.24:


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See also verse 6 and see what else the Seraphs did


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(Fact – another type of angel mentioned in the Bible is the ‘cherubim’)

See Genesis 3.24. Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 10 and Revelation 4.6-9 

These Bible verses give you a clue about cherubim. We also find out from Ezekiel 28 that satan was once a cherubim and a warning to us to stay well away from pride. Write down anything you learn from these Bible verses…


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What is worship? Write down what you think


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We find that the seraphs in heaven are worshipping God. More specifically, two of the wings are ‘serving’ (flying), four of the wings are ‘worshipping’ (covering their faces and their feet). This is a pattern we can follow – 2/3 of our time is worship (this doesn’t just mean music, though music is part) and 1/3 is service. Out of our worship, flows our service. If we’re not filled up with God, we can’t give out to others! The Bible tells us that out of what’s in our heart, our mouth speaks. 

Isaiah sees God in heaven

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

One worship song says, ‘Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you.’ This is about seeing God move – but just imagine if we really did see God in heaven like Isaiah! We’d fall down on our knees. In fact, we know that no-one can truly see God as he is! We also need to know who we are, compared to who God is! Let’s get rid of pride, not under-estimate ourselves or God in us. But remember it’s God’s power in you, not your power in you!

Read Exodus 33.20 and write it down


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Ever met with God?

Have you ever had a powerful experience with God? Talk about it with others if you’re up for it. Or do you know any good true stories about how God has worked with people? I know of a story where a young person went to find another one with a specific name across the room at Soul Survivor (12,000 young people at a festival in UK). He found this young person with the right name and gave him a word which was very specific and spot on.

Share these stories, and then ask God for more.

What things does the Bible say about God?

The Bible also has some other pictures of the Lord in his glory. 

Go back and read Ezekiel 1.26-28 and Revelation 4 and think about the true nature of God.


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God reaches down

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

The incredible thing about Jesus was that he came down to earth and died so that we could be free. All we have to do is accept him in our life completely and then just stay in relationship and obedience to him. Religions always tell you that you have to do things to be right with your ‘god’. In Christianity, God says, ‘there’s nothing you can do to make me love you. In fact I’ve already died for you. Just say yes to me!’

Read Romans 5.6-8

Isaiah understood who he was compared to God and cried out that he was a man of unclean lips. What do you think Isaiah meant by this? 


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What about you? Ever said anything ‘unclean’? Maybe write it down, or think about it and then confess it to God (say sorry). You don’t have to say sorry for things you’ve already really said sorry to God about, but ask God to bring wrong things into your mind and say sorry to him (and mean it!)


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God responds 

One of the angels places a burning hot coal on Isaiah’s lips and tells him, ‘see, your guilt has been taken away and the price has been paid for your sin.’ God has paid the price for your sin.

Read Romans 5.15-19 and summarise it:


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Our response

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” 
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!
Then the Lord’s voice boomed out asking who he could send to do his work. Isaiah cried out, ‘send me!’
Wow! This has to be our response too. We have to go where God sends us! And don’t worry, God has made you like he has for a special reason – he’ll call you to do the things you like and are good at. Or he’ll give you his power to help you want to do it 🙂

We learn from Isaiah 6 that God is on the throne and that he is interested in people like you and me. He sees and knows what we do, he wants to use us and he will meet with us to work his plan. We’ll all have a unique experience and journey with God. But today he wants to meet with you. Why not sit and focus on Isaiah 6 and ask God to speak to you in the silence.

Ask God now what he’s saying to you. Wait and then write something down


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