Isaiah’s Temple Experience – Isaiah 6:1-8 – Part 2

Symbolism in Isaiah Chapter 6

Here is my interruption of the drawing that I did last week.

This is a temple experience for the prophet Isaiah. The number three is very prominent. Symbolically the number three represents covenant. In the temple we as well as Isaiah make many covenants with the Lord.  The seraphims are temple workers that help administer the ordinances in the temple.

It is interesting that they cover their faces and feet.  The ordinances of the gospel via the Atonement of Jesus Christ cover us from head to toe.

Anciently, alters were used to perform animal sacrifices in which the animal was a symbol of the ultimate sacrifice that Christ would offer for all of us.  The coals on the alter where used in the ancient tabernacle to burn incense that produced the smoke. Smoke typically symbolizes our prayers as they rise to be heard by our Heavenly Father. It is very interesting that we offer prayers in the temple and even have a sacred prayer roll in which we offer prayers for those in need.

The coal is picked up by a temple worker and pressed to Isaiah’s lips, symbolically applying the power of the Atonement to Isaiah so that he, like all of us, can be made clean and endowed with power from on high in preparation for his calling to preach the gospel to a wicked Israel.

Of course the central figure in these verses is Jesus Christ, sitting on his throne in the Celestial Kingdom as King of Kings and Lord or Lords clothed with the robes of the holy priesthood. Like Isaiah, if we too will take upon us the ordinances and covenants of the Holy Temple and endure to the end we can return to the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son.