Seraphim, judgment and mercy

Justice to the Left – Mercy to the Right. The left and right hand of Jesus (i.e. Justice and Mercy) is also present with the Father, here, in Isaiah, represented by two Seraphim (Seraph is in plural properly written Seraphim, not Seraphims). This is from the account of Isaiah’s calling as a prophet, which had to be preceded by repentance and a cleansing;

1 IN the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. (Isaiah 6:1-7)

Seraphim – Symbols to Represent Justice and Mercy. The Seraphim, as we gather from the text, consisted of two individual beings, but what where they?

saraph {saw-rawf'}

Hebrew: noun masculine

Possible Definitions:

1) serpent, fiery serpent

   1a) poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison)

2) seraph, seraphim

   2a) majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands/voices in attendance upon God. (Lexicon of Old Testament Hebrew)

Left Seraph – Justice. In order to understand this more fully, let us look closely at the account of Isaiah. There he was, in the presence of the God, and all his hosts of Heaven and earth. We can understand this since his train (entourage) flooded from his throne in the heavens and filled the temple on earth. In this gathering of holy individuals, the Seraph on the left side of God cried to the Seraph on the right hand of God, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory”.

This communication from the left Seraph was not intended for the right Seraph, since they had all knowledge in common, living in the presence of God, as they obviously did. Who was the guest in this company? Isaiah, of course, and the words were intended for him to hear, and for everyone who would enter into the temple. Who were they who would enter into the temple? The people of God, the House of Israel!

So, when the house of Israel, among whom where Isaiah, heard the powerful and undeniable voice of the Seraph to the left, proclaiming the holiness of the LORD of Hosts, it had the effect to make them see their own unworthiness before that holy being. This filled them with fear, and justice was upon them (“And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke”). One might say that the Seraph on the left side of God was the Seraph of Justice.

Right Seraph – Mercy. We then hear the words of Isaiah, who fears for the welfare of his soul:” Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts”. He is very much in a state of repentance.

“This was the queue for the Seraph on the right side of God to do his part: “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged”.

If the Seraph to the left was the Seraph of Justice, this Seraph, the Seraph on the right side of God was the Seraph of Mercy, or salvation.

The Seraphim – a Symbol of Jesus Christ as Judge and Savior. Let us look a bit closer at the Seraph to the right. He cleanses Isaiah from his sins!

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 14:12)

So, if a Seraph from the presence of God cleanses Isaiah from his sins, and there is no one but Jesus who can save man from his sins; who is the Seraph on the right side of God? Do we not have supportive testimonies of holy men testifying that they have seen Jesus on the right hand of God? Did not Jesus himself say to Pilate that he would be seen on the right hand of God?

So, if the seraph to the right is Jesus, who is the Seraph on the left side of God?

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son (John 5:22)

If the Seraph on the left is the Seraph of justice, it would make sense that this seraph is also Jesus Christ, being the judge of all. Put in another way; the Seraphs represent the two functions that must come together at the last day, Justice and Mercy. Jesus is the great judge of all men, and so he is the great Seraph on the left side of God. All those who fear God, like unto Isaiah, and come unto Christ, will meet complete mercy from the great Seraph of Salvation and Mercy. So, justice and mercy have merged into one and the same being; justice in his left hand, mercy in his right hand.