Isaiah 6 illuminates the dynamics of divine-human dialogue consisting of revelation and response while concurrently reflecting a “gospel-shape” within such dialogue. Thus, liturgical scholars often cite Isaiah 6 as a paradigm for worship wherein its narrative sequence provides a model for Christian liturgy. Informed by the events of the text, the so-called “Isaiah 6” model consists of a call to worship, adoration, confession, assurance, hearing the word, responding to the word, and sending. This paper will devote specific attention to Isaiah’s confession of sin (Is 6:5) occurring after God reveals his holiness (Is 6:1–4), followed by the Lord bestowing the assurance of salvation upon Isaiah (Is 6:6–7). These events exhibit a trifold sequence of confession consisting of the call to confession, the confession of sin, and the assurance of pardon.
This paper will argue that the trifold sequence of confession exhibited in Isaiah 6 provides a model for liturgical confession which embodies the essence of the gospel. Namely, the call to confession embodies how God’s self-revelation initiates relational engagement with his people while exposing their need of redemption. The confession of sin embodies repentance and faith in Christ for salvation. And lastly, the assurance of pardon embodies the eternal security of the believer as being united to Christ by the Spirit to share communion in the life of the Triune God.
This discussion will (1) present a theological analysis of Isaiah 6:1–7 to accentuate the embedded trifold sequence of confession, and (2) illustrate the implementation of this trifold sequence of confession as exemplified in Thomas Cranmer’s Morning Prayer liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer (1552). Together, the theological realities revealed in Isaiah 6 and their practical embodiment demonstrated in Cranmer’s liturgy supply a model for liturgical confession which embodies the essence of the gospel.