DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Isaiah 6:1-12 (2/2-2/15) Second Vesperal Reading,
Meeting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Two Theophanies: Isaiah
6:1-12, especially vss. 5-7: “‘...I saw the King, the Lord of hosts, with my
eyes!’ Then one of the
seraphim was sent to me. He had a
live coal in his hand, which he took with tongs from the altar! He touched my mouth and said,
‘Behold, this has touched your lips.
Your lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is cleansed.’” At the Vespers of the Feast of the Meeting of Christ we
hear of God’s appearance to Isaiah which places not one, but two theophanies - or meetings with God - before us. On the one hand, eight centuries before
Christ, Isaiah beheld God reigning in glorious majesty, and on the other hand,
at Vespers on this day today, we celebrate the righteous Simeon’s meeting
with the infant Jesus forty days after His birth. Although the two events are separated by
many centuries, both Isaiah and Simeon were privileged to see the Lord of hosts
despite all the limitations of human vision - two experiences, seemingly quite
different, yet, in fact, theophanies that shared more
than incidental similarities.
Plainly, Isaiah and Simeon are Prophets of God, but let us
be sure in what sense we say this.
Saint Nikolai of Zica points out that Prophets
are “...inspired men of
God,” that is, men “...filled with God the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, “The visions of the
holy Prophets are true, for the words and heavenly revelations in these visions
were indeed later confirmed. They
are true, and therefore have served men well, turning
them from evil to good.” Both
Isaiah and Simeon saw God, and both spoke of what they saw and the record has
proved each of them true. We cannot
even imagine the number of lives that have been established in righteousness
because of repeatedly singing the words from Isaiah, “Holy, Holy, Holy,
Lord of Sabaoth” (cf. Is. 6:3) or from Simeon,
“Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in
peace!” (cf. Lk. 2:29).
Still, as different as their experiences of God might
appear in form and content, both Isaiah and Simeon undeniably encountered the
living God, and each one, through his meeting with the Lord God, knew true
salvation - and so may we!
Initially, when God revealed Himself to Isaiah
“...high and lifted up” (vs. 1), the Prophet despaired of
salvation, for being God’s Prophet, he knew the implications of seeing the Lord face to face:
“...for no man can see My face and live”
(Ex. 33:20). Hence, Isaiah
heart-shaken cried out: “Woe is me...for being a man and having unclean
lips, I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips; for I saw the King,
the Lord of hosts, with my eyes!” (Is. 6:5). Yet the majestic seraph reassured him,
“Your lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is
cleansed’” (vs. 7).
Simeon’s readiness to repose reflects the same
personal realization of salvation: “Now lettest
Thou me depart, O Master, that I may tell Adam that I beheld as a babe the
immutable God, Who is before eternity, and the Savior of the world.” How remarkable that the revelation to
Simeon enabled him truly to see in the Babe Whom he received in his arms, the
awesome, terrible, and the wholly other God. Of course he was able to look upon the
face of God, because of the ineffable condescension of the Lord in taking our
human flesh as a humble infant man.
In both Isaiah’s and Simeon’s meetings with God, the Lord gave
personal direction even as He disclosed Himself. Isaiah heard the call of the Almighty
asking, “Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? (vs. 8). And
Isaiah accepted God’s call, and so received a
directive: “Go and tell this people, “You shall hear indeed, but
not understand?” (vs. 9). The Holy Spirit told Simeon to wait for
the Consolation of
The mere sight of the infant released Simeon from further
waiting, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
which You have prepared before the face of all peoples...” (Lk 2:30-31).
I behold Thee, O
Light before eternity, Thou Lord and Savior of the Christian people!
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