Notes on Isaiah
Lesson #
Isaiah 6
I. Introduction:
We are going to study the call of Isaiah tonight and thus look at one of the classic “call narratives” of the Old Testament. You have several of these, and the most famous is the call of Moses in Exodus 3-4.
There other call narrative and here are some of them:
Samuel in I Samuel 3
Elisha in I Kings 19:19-21
Saul in I Samuel 9, 10
David in I Samuel 16,17
Micaiah in I Kings 22
Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:4-10
Ezekiel in Ezekiel 1-3
Some of these are prophets others are politicians. What Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Moses and Isaiah all have in common is a sense of fear of what the call will do to them. For the first three it seems to be a fear of men, but also there is a fear of God and the prophet’s inadequacy for the task. We will see what Isaiah fears or feels is his inadequacy.
II. The Call of Isaiah: Isaiah 6.
Perhaps, we should begin by thinking about why such people are called to be prophets. You may ask: “Why is a prophet called, and why is this so important?” A prophet is called to do a task. A good example of this is shown to us in the book of Acts in referring to the call of the apostle Paul. Let us read together Acts 9:15.
Another question that might come to your mind is whether there is a difference between a prophetic call and a modern call to the ministry. There might be great similarities. One thing we wish to avoid is that so many in Christian ministries whether as priests or as ministers see themselves not called to a task but as having a “career”. Let us look at the call of Isaiah and see what we can learn. Perhaps, some of the weakness of the clergy today is how they started.
>>>> Let us read together Isaiah 6:1-8
What strikes you or impresses itself on your mind as you read this? Let us go back now and look at these verses in detail.
>>>> Let us re-read Isaiah 6:1-4
After the dating of this event, what seems to dominate these verses are descriptions of God’s royalty: He sits on a throne, a lofty throne and sits exalted with an enormous flowing robe. There is a description of God’s majesty that centers on God Himself. The majesty is not the surroundings but the very presence of God.
Also, there are beings called seraphs or seraphim. In Hebrew, this is means literally “burning ones”. These creatures seem to be beings of fire. They have six wings and they speak of the holiness of God.
You might ask why these angels cover there eyes and their feet (in Hebrew this could refer to the genitals) but not cover their ears. Perhaps, it is to show sexual priority when in a situation of worship is appropriate (Exodus 20:26) if feet refers to genitals, or actual feet are referred to then their feet are covered to disavow any intention to choose their own path and God will choose where they will walk. They cover their eyes so as not to pry into His glory. They do not cover their ears though. Thus they are ready to hear and listen to God’s direction (the word to hear is the same word to obey in Hebrew).
Why are the beings or angels referred to as fire? Fire in Hebrew often referred to wrath and thus these angels are instruments of judgment. Moses met a bush that burned and God announced that He was going to judge Egypt for their abuse of Israel. Perhaps, these beings signify that God is about to act in judgment as their wings imply action or movement.
It seems that seraphim announce to the supreme truth about God. He is holy. To repeat something in Hebrew means to emphasize something and so to say it three times is to show double emphasis. God is holy, it is His hidden glory. Holiness is dangerous according to the Old Testament and so Moses is told to take off his shoes when he first encounters the fire of God in the bush. Fear seems appropriate. The trembling of the very foundations of the temple forbid entrance and the smoke forbids sight.
>>>> Read together Exodus 3:2-5
Notice, that God knows Moses’ name, and He knows our names tonight. He knows who we are and what He wants us to specifically do. He knows all about Moses and as we shall see, His very presence begins to reveal to Isaiah who Isaiah is.
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:5
Is not Isaiah’s response what our response would be if we saw the glory of God? Isaiah sees his own sinfulness and the sinfulness of his people. When we truly see God we will see the same two things.
>>>> Read together Luke 5:1-9
Notice the similarities in Isaiah and the apostle Peter.
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:6-7
The divine response is to cleanse. God must clean us up before He can give us the tasks he has. Paul had to repent, Moses hid his face, and Isaiah realizes he needs cleansing and cleansing begins when we acknowledge our sinfulness. Isaiah does not cleanse himself, it is done for him. However, his role to admit that he needs it. So many in Christian ministries have never seen their need for cleansing and perhaps that is because they have never seen God. Finally, God speaks….
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:8
What does the Lord say? Why does the Lord ask? Will God force us to enter true ministry?
Notice, Isaiah is now cleansed and so is in a position to hear about God’s agenda, about what concerns the heart of God. Now Isaiah can choose to hear and to respond.
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:9-10
What kind of task is God calling the prophet to? Isaiah is to preach to a people who will not understand. The more he preaches the less they comprehend. They will not “get it”. His audience will be stupid and not convert and not get saved. God seems to be calling Isaiah to absolute failure. Does God do this today? What does this mean for us today?
Isaiah’s preaching was not hard to understand or too complex to perceive what the prophet was trying to convey. They did not hear or understand because Isaiah was a poor communicator. His task was to preach with great clarity, but with their response, “they would reach the point of no return”. Chapters 7-11 of Isaiah will prove the Lord was correct.
We can reach a point, that only the Lord knows, that hardens our hearts.
>>>> Have someone read Acts 28:26-27. What does this quotation of this passage mean here? See Acts 28:24 and then read together John 12:37-43. How much of our free will is intact? See John 12:42,43. This passage about hard hearts is in all four Gospels as well as quoted in Acts (Mark 4:10-13, Matthew 13:10-17 and Luke 8:9-10). Even Jesus was not believed or understood. Part of hearing the call of God is to face opposition. Many times that means we will not be understood. See also Ezekiel 3:7-11.
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:11-12
What is Isaiah’s question? Isaiah knew that God never did things in a meaningless way. There must be an end to preaching to closed minds and hearts. He wanted to know when it would end. God’s answer is not a pleasant one. It will end after the judgment has fallen. Remember the seraphim are being of fire, or wrath or judgment. What does this mean for our ministry?
>>>> Read together Isaiah 6:13
Notice, that after the judgment, some hearts will be open. God will bring fruit, after judgment, just like in our lives. We have met judgment, but now there is hope. Isaiah preached a long time and seldom did the people or the leaders listen, but some did, because his words were preserved. Some one wrote them down and passed them on. Isaiah is one of the most widely quoted books in the New Testament and it is read with great intensity by believers today as it has been thorough out time. Isaiah has bore fruit, but he did not see a lot of it in his life time. His book is most quoted Old Testament book in the New Testament. God’s Spirit did not forget Isaiah’s words. Neither will God forget your words to your family, to your friends.
A true call to ministry is a difficult one. Moses had a difficult time. Paul had a difficult time. However, two things will be true. First, true ministers and brought salvation to their people. If we are truly called of God it will follow Isaiah, and it will follow what Jesus said: “Narrow is the way to salvation….” Second, God will not forget us, nor what we said, no matter who seemingly does. Remember the first two words God said to Moses in Exodus 3 are Moses’ name. God knows our name and will not forget us. In addition, as we speak His Word, it will not be forgotten: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8.