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King Uzziah’s death in 736 b.c. brought to an end an era of prosperity and well being and ushered in a time of uncertainty and anxiety. The Assyrian threat was beginning to loom on the horizon. No doubt feeling the weight of these tremulous times, Isaiah made his way to the temple. It was there that he was confronted by God.
It is difficult to catch the full impact of Isaiah’s vision simply from reading the English text. The Hebrew word often translated “train” of his robe is really “hem,” the bottom portion of a robe or dress. The “hem” of his robe filled the temple!
A comparison with the mythology of Israel’s neighboring countries brings out the grandeur of v.2. It was common to see images of seraphs with wings outstretched surrounding the deities of other countries to protect them. But here, note that the God whom Isaiah sees is so powerful and awe-inspiring that the seraphs, rather than stretching out their wings to protect him, protect themselves.
We noted that Isaiah’s vision was of a high, exalted, and powerful God. V.3 adds another dimension, a dimension that was to play a dominant role in Isaiah’s understanding of God’s character and God’s action: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.” It is his holy character that will not allow the offenses of the people of Judah, which were chronicled in the previous chapters, to stand. And not only the offenses of Judah, but of all peoples, past and present, for the whole earth is full of his glory.