Throughout the last lesson we looked upon the woes spoken against the children of Judah. Although the people did not respond to his warnings, Isaiah warned them of the judgement that would come. For it was coming; yet, there was one thing missing. Oh, yes Isaiah was called to be a prophet of God. He was specially chosen and loved God, wanting to serve him. Perhaps though one thing did he miss. To fully be God’s messenger to these people, he needed a realistic view of God and himself in relationship to God. Furthermore, He needed to see the fullness, intensity and fierceness of God’s Glory as well as the magnitude of His grace. So, he needed to see God in the fullness of His Glory. Only then could he understand the depth of his own sin and the magnitude of God’s grace.
It was an extraordinary time, in the year that King Uzziah died. King Uzziah had been a godly, faithful king throughout most of his reign. His time as King brought great prosperity and strength to the nation of Judah. Nearing the end of his reign, he did make a fatal error in judgement because of pride, as too often happens. Perhaps as a warning or benefit, Isaiah, who would bare the news of judgement and the coming Messiah needed an extra portion of humility. Just as did Peter and Paul who were taxed with carrying the gospel into the nations.
Moses had asked God to see His Glory. God allowed Him to glimpse upon it (protected by a cliff). God knew that Moses would need to understand the fierceness of God’s Glory as well as the magnitude of His grace to lead the people through the wilderness.
In the Year that King Uzziah Died
King Uzziah had been a godly king for most of his reign, apart from a moment of pride when he decided he would go into the holy place of the temple where only the priests could go. He wanted to burn a sacrifice to God, but that was trying to do things his way and forgetting God’s order of things. God is mercy and love, but also demands holiness of his people. “Because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (I Peter 1:16).
2 Chronicles 26:
16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the Lord—valiant men. 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. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the Lord, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the Lord had struck him.
21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.
So, it was King Uzziah was humbled and saw the intensity and the fierceness of God’s Glory.
Then
2 Chronicles 27: Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was [a]Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the Lord). But still the people acted corruptly.
Did you notice that. The Kingdom of Judah experienced a time of great prosperity, strength, and Godly leaders (not perfect for they were men); but leaders who tried to do what God asked of them. Despite this the people acted corruptly. Idol worship was rampant. People in leadership were corrupt and bribed easily. Just look at the woes discussed in the last lesson. (Similar to our own as a nation).
Isaiah Commissioned by God:
In 740 B.C. Isaiah went to the temple to seek God.
Isaiah 6 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
Whatever you may have been told of seraphim being some chubby cheeked babies, there were not. They were awesome creatures of great stature and strength. But notice they had two wings to cover their faces, because the Glory of God is too bright to gaze upon. They also had two to cover their feet, for they stood on holy ground. With two wings they flew in service for God. They cried forth to each other Holy, Holy, Holy—this was a maximum declaration of holiness. The Holiest of Holy, is
Therefore
6:1–5 In preparation for calling Isaiah to be the prophet who would proclaim the coming judgment, God gave him a vision of His majestic holiness so overwhelming that it devastated him and made him realize his own sinfulness.[1]
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am [a]undone!
Because 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.”
He who had just pronounced the woes upon the people of Judah, now declared himself worthy of condemnation. His lips, the ones that would proclaim God’s truth, he realized were of their own unclean. It would take a pure act of grace by a loving God. He felt himself suddenly undone. He saw the intensity and the fierceness of God’s Glory. God, however, would declare him “forgiven” and commission him to speak for God.
Grace displayed
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin [b]purged.”
The Call:
8 Also 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.”
Can you imagine how softly, timidly Isaiah must have spoken. He saw the intensity and the fierceness of God’s glory. He had also seen His grace.
So what is he to do?
9 And He said, “Go, and tell 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 shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
And return and be healed.”
What?
You will keep telling them that judgement is coming, that God is righteous and they are sinners. You will proclaim the truth wherever you go: but no one is going to listen to you at all. In fact the more you tell them, the harder their hearts will be come. They don’t want to know the truth.
Wow, how long are you willing to proclaim the truth with no one responding? Isaiah asked that same question.
11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?”
And He answered:
“Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant,
The houses are without a man,
The land is utterly desolate,
12 The Lord has removed men far away,
And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
In other words, until everything is destroyed. Wow! Are we not to do the same? How long are we to keep proclaiming the truth? Even if no one seems to listen.
Ah, but there is hope:
Yes, God is righteous. There is an intensity and fierceness of God’s Glory; yet, there is grace. For Isaiah, he was promised there would be a remnant who would believe.
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.”
It was that remnant that would lead to the birth of Christ. The messiah came, paid the penalty of our sin on the cross and stands as the justifier to any who will believe and accept Him as Savior.
Concluding thoughts
We stand in a place like that of Isaiah. Our country is torn. Evil runs rampant. Despite years of great prosperity, there are so many who have turned from God. Judgement is coming. God has shown that over the years. Who will listen? Will we fall or will we stand for a while longer? No one knows for certain. But I do know this. We need to bow before the intensity and the fierceness of God’s Glory, so we might humbly repent and receive His grace. “Whom shall He call? Who will go?”
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD?
If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Or if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Poetry Books Available
If you enjoyed this poem perhaps you would like to read more of my poetry in my newest book which can be found on Amazon
Other Books Available
If you want to know more about books I have written,then, click on this link to my Book Resources.
Another option is going to Amazon.com. Because, there you can find my books by searching for Effie Darlene Barba. Or click this link to be taken there
Furthermore, for inspirational photos or home decor click here.
Previously
Disclosures
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2020
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com
[1] John McArthur, the McArthur Bible Commentary, Thomas Nelson, Copyright 2005, page 765