The Meaning of Isaiah 6:6 Explained

Isaiah 6:6

KJV: Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

YLT: And flee unto me doth one of the seraphs, and in his hand a burning coal, (with tongs he hath taken it from off the altar,)

Darby: And one of the seraphim flew unto me, and he had in his hand a glowing coal, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;

ASV: Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then flew  one  of the seraphims  unto me, having a live coal  in his hand,  [which] he had taken  with the tongs  from off the altar: 

What does Isaiah 6:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Isaiah only acknowledged his hopeless condition-he did not plead with God or make vows to God-and God then went into action. Confession must precede cleansing (cf. 1 John 1:9). The altar from which the seraph took the coal was probably the brazen altar in heaven, in which case the coal itself symbolizes substitute sacrifice. [1] Fire from the brazen altar lit the incense on the incense altar in Israel, Song of Solomon , whichever altar may be in view, the coal connects with sacrifice. Fire in the Old Testament symbolizes the wrath of God ( Genesis 3:24; Numbers 11:1-3), the holiness of God ( Exodus 3:2-6; Exodus 19:18-25), His purifying process ( Numbers 31:22-23; Malachi 3:2-3), and the context of the Law ( Deuteronomy 4:12; Deuteronomy 4:33; Deuteronomy 4:36).
"A seraph peels off from his flight path around the throne, diving straight for Isaiah. He"s holding a burning coal that he took from the altar with tongs, but not because it is hot. After all, a seraph himself is a burning one. He took this coal with tongs because it is a holy thing. It belongs to the place of sacrifice and atonement and forgiveness. But this holy thing touches Isaiah"s dirty mouth, and it does not hurt him, it heals him. What we must see, in the context of the whole Bible, is that this burning coal symbolizes the finished work of Christ on the cross." [2]

Context Summary

Isaiah 6:1-13 - A Call To Heroic Service
Kings die; Jesus lives. See John 12:41. We are here reminded of Acts 22:17-18. How great the contrast between the worship of these seraphim in the Unseen-Holy and man's perfunctory rites! Six wings-two for meditation, two for humility, and two for service. Service should take only a third of our energy. One cried unto another-one inspired spirit will awaken others. The threefold repetition of the word holy, implies the Trinity. If door-posts tremble, much more should the hearts of sinful men! Isaiah, in the previous chapter, had uttered six woes against others, but his seventh and sorest woe is against himself. The sinner, like the leper, cries, Unclean! Leviticus 13:45. The seraph did not wait to be told; he knew that there was only one cure for such need as the prophet's, Isaiah 6:9-13. When men refuse God's offered grace, every refusal hardens. It is either "the savour of death unto death" or of "life unto life," 2 Corinthians 2:16. The life of the oak and the terebinth only seems to become extinct in winter; there is revival in the spring. Is it winter with you? Pray for the springtime! [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 6

1  Isaiah, in a vision of the Lord in his glory
5  Being terrified, has apprehensions removed
8  He offers himself, and is sent to show the obstinacy of the people
13  A remnant shall be saved

What do the individual words in Isaiah 6:6 mean?

And flew to me one of the seraphim and in his hand having a live coal with the tongs [which] he had taken from the altar
וַיָּ֣עָף אֵלַ֗י אֶחָד֙ מִן־ הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים וּבְיָד֖וֹ רִצְפָּ֑ה בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם לָקַ֖ח מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

וַיָּ֣עָף  And  flew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּף 
Sense: to fly, fly about, fly away.
אֵלַ֗י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֶחָד֙  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
הַשְּׂרָפִ֔ים  the  seraphim 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׂרָף  
Sense: serpent, fiery serpent.
וּבְיָד֖וֹ  and  in  his  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רִצְפָּ֑ה  having  a  live  coal 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִצְפָּה 
Sense: pavement.
בְּמֶ֨לְקַחַ֔יִם  with  the  tongs 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, md
Root: מֶלְקָחַיִם  
Sense: snuffers, tongs.
לָקַ֖ח  [which]  he  had  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.