III. CHRIST’S PERSON
Christ is seen in Isaiah 6 as God in His divinity, signified by the smoke, and as a man in His humanity, signified by the train of His robe.
IV. CHRIST’S DIVINE GLORY BEING UNIVERSAL
AND HIS HUMAN VIRTUES BEING LOCAL
Christ’s divine glory is filling the earth (Isa. 6:3b), whereas His human virtues are filling the temple (v. 1b). The glory filling the earth is universal, and the robe filling the temple is local.
V. ISAIAH BEING SENT
Isaiah 6:8-10 shows us Isaiah being sent. He was sent by the Christ who is full of the divine glory and the human virtues in His holiness (vv. 1-4). Christ’s holiness is based upon His righteousness. Isaiah 5:16 says, "Jehovah of hosts is exalted in judgment, and the holy God shows Himself holy in righteousness." God is sanctified in His righteousness. Someone who is righteous is separated from the common people. A righteous person is a sanctified person. He is not common but holy, separated unto God. Righteousness is the foundation of God’s throne (Psa. 97:2), and we are expecting new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13). Since God is righteous, He is holy, sanctified, separated from the common people. In the four Gospels, Jesus surely was a separated, unique, and particular person because He was righteous all the time. Therefore, He is holy, sanctified.
Isaiah was sent by Christ to a people who were short of the divine glory, were violating the divine holiness, and were corrupt in the human virtues (Isaiah 6:5). He was sent by the Lord to lead Israel to express Christ’s divine glory in His human virtues held in His holiness (Isa. 5:16b). In other words, God wanted Israel to be a holy people, fully separated from the nations. Their holiness is based upon their righteousness. Then they could express God’s glory. Today to live Christ is to express God’s glory. To live Christ is to be righteous. Righteousness is the base, the foundation, of God’s salvation. God’s salvation firstly justifies us, making us righteous. Then we will be holy, sanctified, separated. Spontaneously, we will be brought into the expression of the divine glory of Christ, which is to live Christ.
Every sent one is sent by the Lord to do the same thing. First, God sent the prophets. Second, God sent His Son. Third, God sent the New Testament apostles. He sent them all to bring God’s chosen people into a state of living Christ. He desired that they would live righteousness, showing that they are a holy people, different and distinct from the nations. Then they would express Christ’s divine glory. To live Christ is to express Christ’s divine glory in His holiness with His righteousness. We must be righteous people, holy people, and people full of the divine glory. Then we will be those who live Christ.
(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 34, by Witness Lee)
