atone
/əˈtōn/ | verb | past tense: atoned
make amends or reparation
Isaiah 6 is such a fascinating chapter of the Bible.
We learn from the @thebibleproject study: Isaiah the prophet had a strange vision where he was in the temple (where he didn't belong!) and in the direct presence of God.
He is terrified for his life because of his moral impurity ("unclean lips") but instead of being destroyed, God has a burning, holy coal taken from his presence and applied to Isaiah's lips.
Instead of the temple becoming contaminated by Isaiah's impurity, the opposite happens: God's holiness transfers to Isaiah and erases his sin and impurity.
This is unexpected to say the least! The implications of Isaiah's vision are huge. Perhaps God doesn't need to be protected by the impurity our sin, maybe it's the other way around. Maybe it's our sin that is endangered by God's holiness. --- And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:5-7 | ESV
