Isaiah is commissioned by God and sees the Sovereign Lord sitting on His throne in Heaven. God is far too complex to cover every aspect of Him in a few minutes, so we’ll only focus on His sovereignty today.
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.” (v1-2)
Isaiah mentioning the death of King Uzziah is multifaceted: he was a great and wise king who obeyed God faithfully; he had a long and distinguished reign in Judah; he died tragically from one well-intentioned sin. King Uzziah (aka Azariah) was a good king who sat on a throne, but he was still mortal with a finite influence.
God sits on the throne of Heaven, ruling with absolute power and authority over the entire known (and unknown) universe and all perceivable realms (eg. heaven, earth, hell). In comparison, all other rulers only have a tiny amount of authority and power.
The train of God’s robe filling the temple is also important. Imagine a king or bride with a long train on their garment – it signifies that they’re the most important person in the room, and that others should honor their wishes (ie. serve them). God’s train is so massive it fills a room – this statement commands respect and service / obedience.
The seraphim (servant angels that are also called cherubim) also declare God’s glory and sovereignty both with their words and actions. They cover their faces because God is too glorious to look upon directly and they do not deem themselves worthy. The Lord told Moses “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live”. They cover their feet because those are one of the most humble parts of the body, often shown extra modesty, otherwise they become weathered, dirty and beaten from exposure. I don’t know very many people who draw attention to their feet, because they’re rarely considered an attractive feature. The seraphim hiding their feet also signifies that they are not worthy to stand in God’s presence.
Though there are further descriptors of God’s sovereignty I think it’s fairly clear that He us glorious, magnificent and powerful beyond our meager imaginations. If the angels show humility and modesty before Him, and we are constantly (spiritually) in His presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit, then I suggest we treat God the way we should respect, obey and honor Him with our every word and action (which can only be done with His help of course). He is truly sovereign and no one can overshadow Him.
Father God, our Glorious, Magnificent, Sovereign, and Omnipotent Lord, we humbly ask for Your forgiveness and understanding. Father we have not always treated You with the honor, praise and respect You deserve. Please help us the be humble and obedient, honoring You with our hands and lips. Please cleanse us of all unrighteousness, touching our lips with a burning coal to purify our speech so it honors You. In the name of Jesus Your holy son we love and praise You, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training