“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:9)

It is a time of transition, both in the land of Judah and in the life of Isaiah the prophet. During the days of mourning, after the death of Uzziah the King of Judah, Isaiah has an encounter with God. It is a time of God’s revelation and calling. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1)

Isaiah is given a glimpse of the glory of God. Unlike Moses, who had been hidden in the cleft of the rock when God’s glory passed by. Isaiah sees Him on the throne, high and lifted up. God’s majesty is expressed as the train, the last part of the robe, filled the Temple. As was promised, God is greater than His Temple because His Temple cannot contain Him. Solomon’s rhetorical questions present the truth of the majesty and greatness of God as he prepares to build the Temple. “But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?” (2 Chronicles 2:6) In the vision, the seraphim proclaim this truth, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

Isaiah is humbled, as he is in the presence of God. “’Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’” (Isaiah 6:5) It is in God’s presence where we understand our sin and recognize our unworthiness. Jesus would remind us of this truth in the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector. “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’” (Luke 18:11-13)

God responds to Isaiah with forgiveness and cleansing. “Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” (Isaiah 6:6-7) Now Isaiah is ready to hear the call of God.

The call is not specific to Isaiah, but Isaiah is ready to receive and respond to the call. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)

The rest of the book of Isaiah is filled with God’s message to the people and ultimately to all God’s people. While in Isaiah’s day the people did not respond in a welcoming way as God had said, “Go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.’” (Isaiah 6:9-10) The message God would give him would proclaim the coming of Jesus, His life, servanthood, death, resurrection, and so much more as recorded in the New Testament. An example is in the coming of the Messiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)

God’s call is also offered to you and me. We are to respond as did Isaiah, with forgiveness, amazement, humility, and obedience. Whether or not people accept or reject our message, we are with humility and love, tell them of God’s love for them through the promised one Jesus Christ. He is our only hope. “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block