Tillich, 1948, Chapter10, "The Experience of the Holy"

Chapter 10, “The Experience of the Holy” pp. 87-92

Isaiah 6

This chapter expresses an experience of God, human existence, and the work of the prophet. God is holy, man is unclean, the prophet seeks to accomplish an impossible task.

God as presented in Isaiah 6 is wholly other. He is the veiled God, hidden from our view. Unlike the gods of our creation, he is holy and pure, not merely glorious.

We, however, represented by the prophet, are unclean. If we are to speak for God we must do so with purified lips. It is only by divine cleansing that we can speak god’s Word.

When we consider the work of isaiah we find he is given a work which is hopeless. He will receive a negative response. The prophet speaks god’s Word, not the word which the people would like to hear. The message of a prophet draws opposition. He receives persecution. Yet the prophet does the work of the Holy God who can create his people out of those who were not his people.