Isaiah 6

Readings Leviticus 23, 1 Corinthians 3

Memory Verses: Romans 14:7-8

Good Afternoon Brothers and Sisters,

There is a lot in this chapter, I am going to go over it quickly, and trust that if I miss something, you will all pick up the slack, and send in your comments.

Isaiah 6:1-4  On Sunday, Jeff, one of the elders in our church ask the question, what would you do if you came to church and Jesus was standing there?  How would you worship different?  In those words, this chapter is summed up.  Jesus appeared to Isaiah in this vision, John 12:37-43. What an awesome time, imagine it, try to picture it in your mind.  The Seraphim are only mentioned in this passage in the Bible, others think that an additional description is given in Revelation 4:6-9, since their message is the same.  The name Seraphim means "to burn", and implies the holiness of God.  Which is demonstrated by the smoke, and by the healing of the iniquity in vs. 6-7.

Jesus sat on the throne, as one who was ready to issue judgment on a rebellious people, with all the pomp and glory that comes with being King.  He had reclaimed His temple, after the death of King Uzziah.  It is interesting that his death is referred to after he had defiled the temple in 2 Chronicles 26:16-20.  Where he was struck with leprosy, and opposed by 80 priests of God.  The significance of Jesus sitting on His throne after this is marvelous.  Jesus established that He was still in control, and that He was there to pronounce judgment.

6:5-7  Isaiah recognized that he was unholy, and unworthy to stand in the presence of God.  He stood condemned in the presence of God, one man who had seen the face of God and lived.  The significance of the Seraphim healing his unclean lips with a burning coal, which probably either came from the alter of incense or the altar of burnt offering.  Either way, the burning coal was significant of blood that was shed and offered up before the Lord, making the coals of the altar holy and pure before the Lord, with the significance of forgiving sins.  Blood was shed on the altar, which took away the penalty of sin, which Jesus finished on His return to earth as a man.

6:8-10  Isaiah is commissioned to spread a message, note the willingness to go and be a mouthpiece for the Lord.  What a message, as referenced at the beginning of this chapter John 12:37-43, Israel had deafened their ears, and remained that way until Jesus had come.  Imagine, knowing that you were sent to spread a message to a people that were absolutely not going to hear the message.  Can you imagine the impossibility of spreading a message under those conditions?  God commissioned Isaiah to spread the word, even though the people absolutely refused to listen, could not see the message, and could not understand it in their hearts.  God was pronouncing judgment on Israel because of the sin that they had lived in up to this point.  He was tired of them going through the motions, just to fulfill the requirements of the law, but forgetting who He was as Lord.

6:11-13  The question Isaiah ask was a good one, "Lord, how long?"  Today that question still is waiting for an answer.  The Lord assured Isaiah that Israel would be utterly defeated, the houses and the land totally desolate, with Israel removed far away.  With a remnant left, which will also be "subject to burning", yet, as we see today, the stump remains.  Israel is once again a nation today, even though it had totally been wiped out before.  The remnant was Isaiah's only hope in spreading this message to a people who would utterly reject his message.  God gave him a ray of hope to focus on so that he would feel that he was accomplishing something.  In the short term, the Babylonian exile took all the people from the land, yet the poor were left, 2 Kings 24:14, which accounts for the tenth.  In the end most of them were killed, Jeremiah 41:10-18; 43:4-7.  This is an example of a short term prophecy, which was also a long term prophecy. 

Lord, as we study Your word this morning, I ask that each one of us will open our hearts to You, listening intently to Your instruction, that we will listen with our ears, and that we will see with our eyes, Your will, and Your plan for our lives.

In Him,

Joe Turner.