Isaiah 6: 1-13 (Daily Bread of 23/1/2018)

ISAIAH'S CALLING

Key verse 6:1

After having urgently called his people to repent, Isaiah takes the time now to explain how he was called. In this vision the prophet's confession manifests itself (v.6) and he decrees the hardening of the Lord's heart towards His rebellious people. Through this vision we get to learn about God's unescapable holiness ; before His divine glory all knees bow down. He who repents is purified of his sin and new life will spring forth out of the beaten down tree trunk.

1. Holy, holy, holy is the LordIn the year that Ozias died, Isaiah had a vision. The Lord was sitting down on a throne held up high and His presence filled the temple. There were some Seraphins (this name means he who is made of fire) above His throne. His presence fully expressed His divine holiness. The angels shouted : Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God. Through the booming loud refrain, Isaiah learnt about the name and the power of God as well as the expanse and character of His dominion. The entire Earth was, not just Israel, was created by Him. The fact that the temple shook so violenty accompanied with the prophet's fear and the darkness that he felt reminds us of the episode on the Mount Sinai (Ex 19: 16-18). There was a feeling of imminent judgement in the air. The messanger with the fire and the coal represented everything but salvation. However, he was coming from the place where the sacrifices are offered and he was speaking about atonement. The coal signifies that a sacrifice was offered up to pay for the sinner's crimes and to save him from judgement. When it was put on Isaiah's life, this gave him a strong conviction of his own salvation and forgiveness.

2. Here I am, send me (8-13)

Isaiah's response was "here I am..."and this shows two things. First of all his response is far different from his preceeding hopelessness and the lukewarm responses of other prophets like Moses or Jeremiah for instance. His voice was then accepted by the celestial court (1R 22:19s). Verses 11-13 show us how the fear of judgement can make us grow. God shares Isaiah's ministry and understands its difficulty. Isaiah took assumed the mission of bombarding the people with the truth. However, Israel refused to accept this truth and chose to remain a sinner and thus the object of God's judgement.