Isaiah 6:1. “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.”
“I SAW ALSO…” When Uzziah died of that awful disease of leprosy, everyone would’ve been talking about that death. He had usurped the position of the priest and had imposed himself into a place and an act that was not his to be. The head of even a good man can be swelled to such an extent that he will not listen to the voice of reason. When that happens, there is not much we can do except pray to the Lord that the effects of such an arrogant act will not create a tidal wave of divine retribution upon the whole land. Uzziah must’ve rushed out of that place in terror when he realized he had been struck with that isolating disease and there was nothing he could do about it.
The word would’ve spread through the whole land. “The king has leprosy; the king has leprosy!” It would have been the talk of the nation. The king would have taken all his meals alone; he would have had a cover over his mouth; he would have slept alone; he would have walked alone. For the remainder of his life, he would not have felt the comfort of human touch, nor have been close enough to look into another person’s eyes. The dreadfulness of distance from all other people would have reminded him of the separation of sinners from God.
The year of his death would have been remembered like we remember 1963 when John F. Kennedy was assassinated; or 9/11/01 when 3000 people died from terrorist attacks. “The year that king Uzziah died” would be remembered by almost everyone. Isaiah had more than the death of a king that affected him for the rest of his life. That was the year he “saw also the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up.” The word “also” changed his whole perspective on the world news. He saw more than the death of a monarch; he saw the Lord “sitting on a throne.” Uzziah’s throne was empty, but the Lord’s throne was filled. Uzziah had died a tragic death, but the Lord’s train (the tail of his robe) filled the temple. Uzziah would have been alone, but the Lord had seraphim hastening to do His bidding. Uzziah would have been remembered for going where he shouldn’t have been and doing what he shouldn’t have done. The Lord was known by the words, “Holy, holy, holy.” Uzziah’s passing would have left Isaiah with a sense of loss; but when he saw also the Lord, he knew a sense of his own uncleanness and unworthiness.
The whole picture of the world scene today is changed when we add the word “also.” There is war in the Middle East, genocide in Africa, tragedy because of natural disasters in the Far East and the United States, poverty in many of the world’s countries, AIDS and other incurable diseases world-wide. If that is all that we could see, we would be dismayed and despairing of any hope for the future of mankind. But we too have seen “also the Lord.” He is still God; He is still Lord; He is still the Almighty and for His own purposes, is letting things run out their own natural course of sin. When the right time comes, there will be the Messenger of God who will clearly address the situation and correct all that has been running its sinful route.
“O Righteous Father: my eyes sometimes look too long on what is going on around and wondering “where will it all end.” But I am thankful to Thee that I can lift my eyes above all the turmoil and see there, seated above, the One who has everything under control – and I can rest easy. Thanks so much for heavenly “eye-salve.” In the name of the One who sits on the Throne of God. Amen.”