All of chapter six describes Isaiah’s encounter with the Lord which forced him to examine himself in a new depth. This account preserves for us the essentials of any genuine experience of eternal judgment in the realm of self-examination.  

Isaiah saw himself in the light of God’s holiness (vv.1-4).

It takes the light to make us aware of darkness. Until God’s holiness shines upon us we do not look so bad to ourselves. We are prone to compare ourselves with other people and make relative judgments. But when we see God we are faced with absolute perfection. Then we recognize our faults for what they are.  

 Isaiah verbally acknowledged his sin to God (v. 5).

We cannot hide what we are and expect to be changed. We must be open and candid with the Lord. He already knows us at our worst. But we will find His mercy ready to come to our aid the moment we agree with His estimate of our need. We must admit our need without any attempt to excuse ourselves or to call sin by some other name.  

God applied His judgment directly to the area of need (vv. 6,7).

Isaiah confessed his problem with speech. He was too easily influenced to speak with the same unclean lips that those around him did. Instead of standing up for God and changing his environment, he allowed his environment to corrupt him. The angels purified his lips and God demanded a walk of separation. He was to be different than all the other people. Only by being willing to be different could he influence his generation.  

Isaiah’s hearing was restored (vv. 8-9).

As soon as Isaiah allowed God to cleanse his ways, he was able to hear afresh the commission of God. We become dull of hearing when we allow our walk to become cluttered with unconfessed sin. Eternal judgment is God’s means of digging our ears and making us sensitive once more to His direction and priorities.