As Isaiah beheld this revelation of the glory and majesty of his Lord, he was overwhelmed with a sense of the purity and holiness of God. How sharp the contrast between the matchless perfection of his Creator, and the sinful course of those who, with himself, had long been numbered among the chosen people of Israel and Judah! "Woe is me!" he cried; "for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: 308 for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Verse 5. Standing, as it were, in the full light of the divine presence within the inner sanctuary, he realized that if left to his own imperfection and inefficiency, he would be utterly unable to accomplish the mission to which he had been called. But a seraph was sent to relieve him of his distress and to fit him for his great mission. A living coal from the altar was laid upon his lips, with the words, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." Then the voice of God was heard saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" and Isaiah responded, "Here am I; send me." Verses 7,8.

Denne åbenbaring af Herrens herlighed og majestæt, renhed og hellighed gjorde et uudsletteligt indtryk på Esajas. Hans skabers absolutte fuldkommenhed stod i den skarpeste modsætning til Israels og Judas det udvalgte folks synd og ufuldkommenhed. "Ve mig!" råbte han, "det er ude med mig, thi jeg er en mand med urene læber, og jeg bor i et folk med urene læber, og nu har mine øjne set kongen, Hærskarers Herre!" 5. vers. For ham så det ud, som om han stod over for Guds ufordunklede herlighed i det allerhelligste, og han var fuldstændig klar over, at han umuligt kunne røgte den gerning, som han var blevet kaldet til, i sin egen ufuldkommenhed og svaghed. Men nu blev der sendt en seraf hen for at hjælpe ham og udruste ham til hans store gerning. Serafen berørte hans læber med et glødende kul og sagde: ",Se, det har rørt dine læber; din skyld er borte, din synd er sonet!" Derpå lød Guds røst: "Hvem skal jeg sende, hvem vil gå bud for os?" og Esajas svarede: "Her er jeg, send mig!" Es. 6,7-8.