" .
Isaiah's soul is suddenly taken up to heaven, and he sees a great vision of God. He witnesses that "The Lord seated on a high and lofty throne (Isa. 6:1). " Isaiah's depiction of God's throne is probably one of the several proofs that Isaiah is rather "slavish " or inferior. God's throne is the representation of His authority and power. And, the description that He is "high and lofty " signifies that nobody is equal to Him. After Isaiah has seen the vision of the Lord, he cries out, "Woe is me! I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips (Isa. 6:5)" He says so because he not only admits but also believes that he is sinful, unworthy, and useless. From the very beginning of his encounter with God, Isaiah creates a servant-to-master relationship between himself and God. Isaiah reflexively asks for His forgiveness. This interaction, or more specifically his plead for redemption without having any doubt or asking a question, underscores that Isaiah does not have his own set of values. Instead, he yields himself to God and the moral values (in this particular case, the holy duty to spread God's words to the corrupt people of Israel) created by this higher power. .
Taking a live coal from the altar and laying it on Isaiah's mouth, a seraph says to him that his guilt and sins are washed away. The altar signifies a place of sacrifice. In other words, this altar means that the entry into the presence of God must be preceded by sacrificial atonement for sin. This is a rule set by God, the One who has more power than Isaiah. And, Isaiah goes along with the flow or yields to the given condition. .
Although Isaiah is forgiven, the live coals from the altar to the mouth surely cause him pain in a physical and metaphorical sense. Physically, live coals to a human mouth cause a tremendous pain. And, metaphorically, Isaiah gives up his "old " activities, such as being an official at the royal court, and "old " relationships to the people of Jerusalem.
