Isaiah's Witness

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

9He said, “Go and tell this people:

“ ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;

be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

10Make the heart of this people calloused;

make their ears dull

and close their eyes.^a

Thoughts: Isaiah began his witness in the year that King Uzziah died.  Uzziah was a good king that let his pride get out of control.  His son was a better king.  When Uzziah died there was a rebellion of the Ammonites and the world seemed in disarray.  Twenty two years before Amos prophesied and twenty years before (during Uzziah's reign) a major earthquake hit Judah.  Isaiah was willing to answer God's call to prophesy.  The call was not a pleasant one.  It was not that Isaiah was promised the fruit of popularity or repentance.  Instead Isaiah was promised that the people would not listen.  Yet Isaiah was still willing to be faithful to God.
     Isaiah wrote that the people would be taken into exile for judgment because they follow other gods and break the Sabbath.
     Isaiah also wrote that Cyrus would bring them back to the land. 

     Isaiah also wrote that Immanuel- God with us- the Messiah would come, and that He would be a suffering servant.  In short, Isaiah has some of the most profound and comforting  verses in scripture.  His faithfulness and steadfast focus on the Lord led to great beauty and comfort for millions. 

Prayer: Comfort, comfort my people, Lord.  Have mercy on us and draw us back to yourself.