CONTENTS
The prophet in this chapter is soaring very high in visions and revelations of the Lord. Here is much of Jehovah's grace, in the glories of the Redeemer's person and kingdom, in this Chapter. The prophet gives the date of it also.
Wherefore the prophet was so particular as to put down the precise time, when the Lord favoured him with this glorious vision, which he relates in this chapter, is not said; but from the strong impressions it made upon his mind, it was indeed impossible, that he himself should ever forget it. Jacob at Bethel, and Moses at Horeb, where the visions of God began with them, could neither of them ever lose the remembrance of the time or place to all eternity. Reader, you and I have our spots, our Bethels of remembrance also, I hope. They are sweet things in the believer's recollection. The year that Uzziah died, was memorable, 2 Chronicles 26:21-23. But what we are most highly interested to observe, in the relation of this vision of the prophet, is the intention of it, and for what purpose the account of it is handed down in all ages to the church. This is the grand point for us to attend to, that what Isaiah hath here recorded, under the Spirit of the Lord, we may take home to ourselves, and by the lively exercises of faith, behold our interest in it. May God the Holy Ghost thus unfold its glories to our hearts. He tells us, that in this vision, he saw the Lord, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Now, Reader, I pray you to turn to that blessed chapter of John the Evangelist, where the Holy Ghost hath decidedly explained the relation of the prophet, and made application of it to the person and glories of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Mediator and Head of his people; These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory and spake of him, John 12:41. Hence the Lord, whom the prophet saw, was the Lord Jesus Christ, in his mediatorial glory. And this serves at once to unfold, and explain to us a thousand things of the highest moment to our joy and comfort, to have right apprehensions concerning, for it throws a light upon all those other scriptures, where the visible appearance of the Lord is spoken of, and which from other scriptures compared with them, we otherwise could not explain. As for example, it is said, Exodus 33:11, that the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. So again, Exodus 24:9-10, Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, went up into the mount: and they saw the God of Israel! Yet in all the parts of scripture, we find one uniform account given, of the impossibility of seeing Jehovah's face, and live, Exodus 33:20; 1 Timothy 6:16. How are these scriptures to be reconciled? The Evangelist John hath done it in a single verse: No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him, John 1:18. Hence nothing can be more plain, than that all the manifestations God hath been graciously pleased to make of himself in all ages of the church, hath been in the person of his dear Son, as the God-man Mediator, both before his incarnation and after; as the Son of God was, (as he himself saith) set up from everlasting in this glorious character, as the Head of his Church, so his glory in that character, was frequently manifested to the Church, and to special servants in the church. What a blessed thought to the Church, and to the people. The Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, which Isaiah saw, was Jesus. Hence, Reader, what unanswerable testimonies are found in this one scripture, to the Godhead of your Lord. Surely it never can be questioned whether he be possessed of all divine attributes, that was thus seen upon a throne in heaven. Surely none, if they thought aright, would doubt the sovereignty and eternity of his nature and essence, who thus sat on a throne, as if to intimate both his power, and glory, and government, and dominion. And how blessedly are those sweet words of our Lord Jesus explained by this very scripture: what and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? John 6:62. So again: No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven, John 3:13. Blessed Jesus, we thank and adore thee for these gracious manifestations of thyself. Oh let the train of thy graces fill our souls, as the train of thy glory filled the temple, Revelation 3:21; Revelation 3:21.