Highlights from Isaiah

Prophesy is received and recorded as it happens, it is not in any necessary order. The calling of Isaiah is in Chapter 6. This is a good place to start our highlights from Isaiah.

Vision of Almighty God

Isa 6:1 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.

Who was king Uzziah? Uzziah was a mighty king, but in the end he overstepped his authority and burned incense on the altar. This was the duty of God's priests and the son's of Aaron. Because of this he was stricken with leprosy until his death. Perhaps Isaiah was pondering the life of the king and all the good and mighty acts that he had accomplished, and how the one transgression caused him to perish.

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Thank God for the grace that we have received in Jesus.

Isaiah saw a vision of the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. God does not share his glory with man. If we obey him he blesses, if we transgress, under the law he brings judgment. God is lifted up and His glory fills the temple. He is the absolute power and authority over all nations and all creation. We must understand this.

Isa 6:2 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.

Above the throne in heaven are angels flying; having six wings, two covering his face, two covering his feet and with two each did fly.

If angels be thus reverent in their attendance on God, with what godly fear should we approach his throne! (Matthew Henry)

Why were there faces and feet covered? They were in the presence of Holiness.
We can look to Moses in the presence of God in the burning bush.

Exo 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Exo 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Isa 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

The triune God is implied in the words; Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts, the Lord of all angels and creation. All creation reveals the glory of God, the creation is not to be worshipped as god, but it glorifies the creator.

Isa 6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

The temple was shaken, and the house filled with smoke. The smoke of incense, or perhaps the shekinah glory of God.

Lev 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

2 Chr 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
2 Chr 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

Send Me LORD

Isa 6:5 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 was undone, as a man of flesh to see the King of Kings in a vision.

Deu 4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Isa 6:6 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:
Isa 6:7 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.

Was this real, or was it a vision? Were his sin's really removed? Yes, he was chosen of God, there would be nothing in the way if he trusted in Him and his promises. Unbelief is what hinders us; looking at our sins and failings. If we do see them, that is a first step, then we let God have them. For us, it is trust in Jesus; for Isaiah, it was faith in God and obedience to his words. His lips were free of sin.

Isa 6:8 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 now had lips that were ready to speak. Here am I, a faithful servant relying on what I will receive from God. Here am I, send me. He would have a speaking gift, the clear speaking forth of prophesy, speaking clearly the word of God.

Moses was not as quick to respond to his calling.

Exo 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Exo 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

Isaiah saw the vision and the call, and he was ready to go forth as the LORD sends him. May we be as Isaiah, LORD, Here I am, send me! Let no unbelief hinder the call of God. May we be as Moses, not trusting in our own abilities, but rather trusting in the power of God.

Hearing God's message

Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

Go tell the people God's message. God knows that they do not hear Him.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Isa 6:10 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.

Because of their lack of desire to hear, God gives them over to fatness of heart, heavy sluggish ears, shut, sleeping eyes, to make it even harder for them to be converted. Listen to this; he is saying many will not receive your message. They may have heard it many times and have hardened their hearts. This is as America that has a great spiritual heritage. The once mighty Christian nation has grown cold to the gospel message. The Spirit is saying that many will refuse your message. Do not let that stop you for there is a remnant who will serve God in truth. The LORD said let them alone, for they have chosen their way.

Prov 6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
Prov 6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
Prov 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

There are spiritual sluggards too.

Isa 6:11 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,
Isa 6:12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

How long do I keep talking to these people who will not listen? Continue until their city is destroyed and they go into captivity. They cannot blame God, for he warned them through his prophets.

Isa 1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
Isa 10:21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God.

Isa 6:13 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.

(NKJV) Isa 6:13 But yet a tenth [will be] in it, And will return and be for consuming, As a terebinth tree or as an oak, Whose stump [remains] when it is cut down. So the holy seed [shall be] its stump."

One in ten shall remain in the land or shall return to the land, but they shall also receive more judgement from God. The holy seed, those of God would be from this number. A stump of a great tree is the description of the remnant. A stump rooted in the word of God. A stump that sets out new growth, new ministries, new churches, sprouting many new trees that are the planting of the LORD. We had a mighty Redwood in our yard that broke in a storm. The tree cutter cut it down to a stump. New life came from that stump and from the roots so that now we have many trees 20-30 ft. high.

Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

The Remnant may be small, but when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit it is a powerful remnant. In our land that speaks of "In God We Trust"' it is the Remnant that has faith and that prays. The Remnant has the power and truth of God. You who are the Remnant need to follow the Spirit of God and be the light of God's truth and justice in a sin darkened world. Some may be martyred, but they will not stop being the called of God. They will be received into the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ.