Isaiah’s Commission

Isaiah 6:1-13

“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.   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.  And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.  And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.” (Isaiah 6:1-4)

Uzziah was one of Judah’s good kings, and he was the one in power when Isaiah started his ministry.  Near the end of his reign, his pride led him into sin and punishment by God, and the people followed his example.  His son, Jotham followed the Lord, but he was never able to get the people to turn completely to the Lord.  Isaiah spent most of his ministry warning the people to turn back and serve the Lord.  This vision seems to have been to focus Isaiah’s attention on his job so he didn’t get discouraged. 

In the vision, Isaiah saw the Lord on a very high and exalted throne.  His retinue filled the entire temple or throne room.  Hovering over the crowd were the Seraphim, a six winged type of angelic being.  They each use two wings to cover their faces, apparently to keep from drawing attention to themselves and with two they cover their feet, while using the last pair to fly. 

The Seraphim praised God in voices that shook the walls, declaring his holiness and glory.  The entire building was filled with glory just as the tabernacle and the Temple had been when they were first dedicated, as described in Exodus 40:34-35 and in I Kings 8:10-11.

“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.” (Isaiah 6:5)

Like others who saw a vision of God and his glory, Isaiah immediately recognized his own sinful and undeserving state.  He was not even fitted to speak the Lord’s name in praise nor were the people of Judah, despite their great religious affectations.   The vision of God made him aware of his own unrighteousness.  It was a humiliating experience, but it is vital for those who are going to serve God. 

“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.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)

When he recognized and confessed his sinful state, one of Seraphim used a coal from the altar to disinfect his mouth, taking away the sin, just as we are promised in I John 1:8-9.  “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  Until we accept responsibility for both our mistakes and our deliberate sins, they cannot be corrected.   If we accept the responsibility, God is willing to forgive us for them.

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

 Then said I, Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)

Having seen the glory of the Lord, and been forgiven of his sin, Isaiah wanted to serve the Lord.  I believe that attitude will appear in everyone who truly receives God’s forgiveness.

“And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

God told Isaiah he was to go and tell the people, knowing full well that they would hear what he said and yet would only have a superficial understanding of what he was saying.  They would only see the surface results of his actions without understanding it was the power of God that made it happen.  They would be satisfied with their superficial understanding and not delve any farther, so that the message never got into their heart or resulted in their being converted and having their lives straightened out.

“Then said I, Lord, how long?

 And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.” (Isaiah 6:11-12)

Learning that his preaching was going to produce little fruit, Isaiah asked how long he should continue to preach.   God said he was to keep on until the land was desolate and the people had all left leaving the land uninhabited.  His job was not finished as long as there was anyone left to tell, even though they would not listen. 

“But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof.” (Isaiah 6:13)

While it might seem a total waste of time, there would be a small part, a tenth, which would eventually return to the land and to God.  It would be like deciduous trees such as oaks, which shed their leaves in the fall and are bare all winter, but in the spring send out new leaves.  Though they seem dead there is still life in the tree, and though Judah might seem to have completely forgotten God, there would still be a few who had not.   Isaiah’s preaching would not be wasted even though he saw no results.