- Review 6 "woes"
- Greed / Hedonism (stupidity) / False intellectualism (mocks truth) / Redefining good and evil / Pride & arrogance / Corruption (no justice)
- We need to start with a look at Uzziah. 2 Chron 26 is a history of Uzziah's reign
- 16 years old at start; good king
- Time of incredible prosperity and victories over enemies
- Became arrogant in his old age
- What part of the temple did Uzziah enter?
- Most holy place (showbread, altar of incense, and lampstand)
- Priests and could enter on a regular basis
- Not the Holy of Holies
- Only the high priest could enter
- Some speculate that the phrase "the year King Uzziah died" was when he got leprosy. Essentially Jotham is in charge for (two to eight) years until he physically dies. It doesn't really change much in one's understanding of the events
- Uzziah was a great man who accomplished a lot but it only took one stupid act to mar his legacy
- One of the reasons that Jesus told us to pray for protection from the evil one, and Paul included it in his prayer request (2 Thess 3) as well, is that we are all only one step away from ruining our witness
- Uzziah's success probably brought comparisons to David and Solomon (and he started to believe the press clippings)
- Two examples from this week:
- I once did something with a database that bordered on unethical and it upset a member of my study team greatly. I had to apologize to her and tell my boss as well
- Contrast. I did a simple task for the support staff that I guess few senior people take the time to do and I got a very kind letter in return
- What is Isaiah's overriding impression as he has this vision and how does it contrast with Uzziah?
- Holiness of God -- Uzziah saw himself as special, someone who could break the rules and go directly to God (think of the priests--men of valor--who stood up to Uzziah and blocked him)
- Glory of God -- Uzziah saw his power as what made Judah great
- Power of God (sound of the voices shook the threshold and doorposts) -- Uzziah thought he was powerful, his army and his riches; note how Uzziah's power dwindles when a spot of leprosy appears on his forehead
- Where is Isaiah or where is his vision?
- Temple (it is possible, but Hebrews says that the earthly temple is a shadow of the reality in heaven)
- Heavenlies (most likely, since Isaiah does not appear to be a Levite or a Priest)
- APPLICATION:
- Are we careful to avoid evil? How close are we to making that one bad choice that ruins our witness? We need to regularly pray for God's protection from the evil one and his schemes
- How do we view worship? Do we focus on God or do we focus on our problems that God must solve? If we really believed that we were in God's presence (like Isaiah), we would start with a focus on God, his holiness, his glory, and his power.
- What is Isaiah's response to standing in God's presence?
- "woe" is me
- Frightened, afraid of death -- because of his sinfulness; again the contrast to Uzziah before and after the leprosy
- Repentance, admitting sin -- these are always a good way to start worship
- Interesting contrast of the preceding chapters to chapter six. What did Isaiah prophesy in chapter 5?
- Six woes against Israel and Judah because of their sin
- The six woes are very "obvious" sins. Most of us would see Isaiah, at least in contrast, as righteous. Yet how does Isaiah see himself? As sinful
- What was Isaiah's sin? Unclean lips
- Unclean lips reveal unclean hearts (Matt 12:34)
- Thoughts, words, and consequently actions
- APPLICATION:
- I think a sign of spiritual maturity is a recognition of how deep our sin is
- Worship should start with repentance. I think that is why some get concerned with a lack of quiet at the beginning of the worship time
- Isaiah admits his sin, and the immediate response is for a Seraph to get a coal from the altar and touch Isaiah's mouth. We know that some of this is symbolic, why?
- The Seraph must use tongs to take hold, yet Isaiah's mouth is not burned
- It's not clear whether the altar is in heaven or is a dream of the altar on earth or actually is the altar on earth. Either way, the altar is where the sacrifice of sin is paid and a person's sin is atoned for (covered). In response to Isaiah's confession, his sin is atoned for (covered)
- The coal from the sacrifice does two things, what are they?
- It takes away guilt
- It atones for (covers) sin
- Guilt is one of those hidden things that sometimes we don't even recognize that we are struggling to overcome. You see it when you can't let go of something you did years ago. We need to grasp onto the truth, that when we accepted Christ and when we confess our sins, our past and present guilt is washed away
- We choose to let guilt control us because we don't really believe what God has said
- Heb 9:12-14 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! NIV
- Heb 10:22-23 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. NIV
- So, we have seen three separate events (actions, …), 1) recognition of God's holiness, 2) repentance, followed by 3) atonement (forgiveness). What do we see next?
- The call to ministry
- Why is the order important?
- We can't serve God without a recognition of God's holiness and our own sin and helplessness
- We can't worship God without cleansing
- Also, what didn't God do that we might have expected him to do at this point?
- He didn't tell Isaiah his ministry
- He called out, and Isaiah had to choose to respond
- Lastly, let's re-emphasize the context with the statement, "in the year King Uzziah died." Why is the mention of Uzziah potentially important in relationship to what is now happening to Isaiah?
- Uzziah was called (he was a king), BUT…
- Uzziah did not understand God's holiness
- Uzziah did not appreciate his sinfulness
- Uzziah could not continue to serve God
- APPLICATION:
- We have free will, not only in salvation but also in service. We must hear and respond to God's calling. Before we can respond, we need to recognize God's holiness, our sin, and our need for forgiveness
- Lastly, I disagree that this is Isaiah's salvation experience. It does not fit in the order of events, even if you don't see a chronological ordering. One could call it a "lordship" experiencing or even a "special" calling. The fact of the matter is that believers who are truly seeking God experience these "events" or special times with God throughout their spiritual life
- Is there something I've done, that I have not let go of, because I have difficult believing that God could cleanse me from that sin? Let it go, he has promised, the guilt is taken away. The only one holding onto the guilt is our self
- One person felt that God was telling Isaiah how the people would respond, rather than an actual message. I disagree because the verses starts out, "Go and tell this people …"
- Why does God not give the people a chance to respond?
- First of all, the previous discussion concerning vines is best understood as referring to people groups and nations, Israel and Judah in this case
- God has rejected his people as a nation, because they have not done what he wanted them to do, as a nation (be a light to the world around them). So God hardens the heart of the nation in response to their hard heart
- Also, God does not stop individuals from responding to the message. As in Matt 11, where the leaders reject Jesus as the messiah, despite the fulfillment of the messianic miracles, God withdraws the offer of the kingdom to the nation Israel at that time. God does not prevent individual Jews from responding to the message. The entire early church was Jewish believers
- Mark 4:25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." NIV
- APPLICATION: There is a principle is this verse which relates to the prophecy. When God gives, he expects us to use what he has given or taught us. When we don't use it we lose it and more
- How does Isaiah respond and why?
- Interestingly, Isaiah does not ask "Why?"
- He knows that they are deserving, so he asks, "How long?" focusing on God's mercy
- What is God's response?
- The judgment will continue until the land is ruined, ravaged, and barren
- After that, the blindness is lifted
- What about "a tenth remain?"
- It could be the group brought back by Ezra and Nehemiah.
- Antiochus IV of Syria will kill many during the 400 silent years.
- The Romans will kill almost the entire population in AD 70 (except Christians)
- Ultimately, Jesus is the true holy seed that will arise out of this mess
- APPLICATION: Even in judgment, God offers hope. And there is always hope for the individual who will repent and turn to God
Isa
6:1-4 (ESV) In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a
throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his
face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called
to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
4 And
the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and
the house was filled with smoke.
2
Chron 26:16-21 (ESV) But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his
destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple
of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 But Azariah the priest
went in after him, with eighty priests of the Lord who were men of valor, 18
and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, "It is not for you,
Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests the sons of Aaron,
who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have
done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the Lord God." 19 Then
Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he
became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead in the
presence of the priests in the house of the Lord, by the altar of incense. 20
And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he
was leprous in his forehead! And they rushed him out quickly, and he himself
hurried to go out, because the Lord had struck him. 21 And King Uzziah was a leper to the day of
his death, and being a leper lived in a separate house, for he was excluded
from the house of the Lord. And Jotham his son was over the king's household,
governing the people of the land.
Isa
6:5 (ESV) And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my
eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"
Isa
6:6-9 (ESV) Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning
coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth
and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away,
and your sin atoned for.
8 And
I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go
for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."
Isa
6:9-10 (ESV) And he said, "Go, and say to this people:
"'Keep on hearing, but do not
understand;
keep
on seeing, but do not perceive.'
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and
their ears heavy,
and
blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and
hear with their ears,
and
understand with their hearts,
and
turn and be healed."
Isa
6:11-13 (ESV) Then I said, "How long, O Lord?"
And he
said:
"Until
cities lie waste
without
inhabitant,
and
houses without people,
and
the land is a desolate waste,
12 and
the Lord removes people far away,
and
the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
13 And though a tenth remain in it,
it
will be burned again,
like a
terebinth or an oak,
whose
stump remains
when
it is felled."
The holy seed is its stump.
