THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH

Transcription

1 0 THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH Chapter 6

2 The World of Isaiah 1 Israel Enters the Land (1406 BC) Babylon Deports Judah (586 BC) ISAIAH EX. THE JUDGES UNITED KINGDOM NORTHERN KINGDOM SOUTHERN KINGDOM

3 The Times of Isaiah 2 King Reference Reigned Uzziah (aka Azariah) 2 Chr. 26:1-23, 2 Ki. 15: BC Jotham 2 Chr. 27:1-9, 2 Ki. 15: BC Ahaz 2 Chr. 28:1-27, 2 Ki. 16: BC Hezekiah 2 Chr. 29:1-32:33, 2 Ki. 18:1-20:21, Isaiah 36:1-39: BC Manasseh 2 Chr. 33:1-20, 2 Ki. 21: BC

4 3 Chapters 1-12 Prophecies concerning Judah and Jerusalem God s Charge against His People (ch. 1) God s Word to Judah (ch. 2-5) The Vision of the Thrice Holy God (ch. 6)

5 Chapter Outline 4 Two major divisions Vs 1-7 Preparation Conviction Cleansing V 8-13 Commission Call, consecration Prediction of outcome

6 Setting 5 When: Year that King Uzziah died (740/739 BC) Where : in the temple (Solomon s) Chronology: Occurs before messages in Ch. 1-5 Prophet looks back to recount his cleansing and call to be the Lord s messenger to a rebellious people

7 KING UZZIAH 6 Uzziah (Yahweh is my strength), also known as Azariah (2 King 15) Son of Amaziah Took throne at 16 and reigned for 52 years He became militarily powerful. He was faithful to God, and "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kings 15:3) As long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him. (2 Chr. 26:1) He didn t remove the high places. (2 Ki. 15:4)

8 KING UZZIAH 7 Pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense (2 Chronicles 26:15-16) Struck with leprosy and compelled to reside in a separate house The government was turned over to his son Jotham (2 Kings 15:5), a co-regency that lasted for the last 11 years of Uzziah's life (751/750 to 740/739 BC) Year of his death would have been 740 BC; also 11th year of Jotham Isaiah s ministry officially began during the reign of Uzziah and continued to the reign of Hezekiah.

9 Purpose 8 Demonstrates Isaiah s qualification based on: realization of his wretched state his seeking and receipt of mercy and grace his eagerness to be a witness and servant. He responded while Israel would be rebellious and apathetic Reveals what ignited and empowered Isaiah s ministry - a personal encounter with god

10 Qualification for ministry 9 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:5-6)

11 Empowerment for ministry 10 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 )

12 Location: Temple 11 God revealed himself to Isaiah while he was attending a service in the Temple at Jerusalem... others may have thronged the temple courts at this time, but none but Isaiah saw the glorious vision. (Ironside) Solomon s temple - Built in the 10 century BC Destroyed in 587 BC by Nebuchadnezzar II

13 Placement in Book 12 Commission occurs in a different sequence from other major prophets: Jeremiah (chap 1): called in 626 (about 87 years later) Ezekiel (Chap 1-2): called in 592 BC Isaiah 1-4 starts off by covering the deplorable/despicable condition of Judah and the judgment that is coming Isaiah 5 is a song about Israel s rebellion despite the Lord s protection and shelter Isaiah 7 looks forward (past Jotham to Ahaz) to the time when judgment begins on Israel with the coming of the Assyrian armies Chapter 6 is a look back to Isaiah s consecration and commission during Uzziah s reign.

14 Vision - Introduction 13 Vision coincided with and preceded his call and commission to the ministry. Similarities and differences than other major prophets Jeremiah (1:4): Received a visitation from the Lord Before birth he was consecrated and appointed as a prophet I have put my words in your mouth. Ezekiel: Saw heavens opened and visions of God 4 living creatures and a throne

15 Vision - Introduction 14 Others who received a vision of God: Daniel: Dan 7:9 (Fiery throne) John: Rev 4:2 (Throne in Heaven) Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: Ex 24:9

16 Vision - Throne 15 I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up Throne speaks of sovereignty, dominion, omnipotence High and lifted up High: ruwm, rum (to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted): state of being lofty and exalted; elevated Lifted up: na sa (to lift, bear up, carry, take): was being carried Speaks of transcendence, immutability

17 Vision - Train 16 and the train of his robe filled the temple. Flowing skirt of a robe Symbol of a king with multiple victories Speaks of glory (1 Kings 8) Speaks of His dignity and right to be served The Lord is the center of attention

18 Vision - Seraphim references to Cherub or Cherubim in bible from Genesis to Hebrews Seraphim mentioned explicitly in Isaiah 6: Vs 2&6 - In both cases plural Seraphim literally means "burning ones Ezekiel 1:13 - As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches Word saraph is normally a synonym for fiery serpents when used in the Hebrew Bible. (See Num 21:6,8)

19 Vision - Seraphim 18 Focus or theme is God s Holiness one called to the other responsive praise Their declaration of God s holiness is directed toward each other. Rev 4:8 - And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!

20 Holy, Holy, Holy 19 Holy found 56 times in the book to refer to: God s person and influence : Holy One (Most common), Holy arm God s people and dwelling places: seed, city, mountain Special occasions: feast, day Dominant theme of the book Because God is a holy God that he must judge sin in His people. (He cannot overlook it).

21 20 Vision Conviction and Confession Woe is me! For I am lost; When faced with God s ultimate holiness, Isaiah s is immediately convicted and conviction leads to confession. Woe : 14 Woes pronounced in book most on the wicked. Here Isaiah is actually declaring a lamentation on himself lost: (damah) To cease or cause to cease Destroyed, cut off, undone

22 21 Vision Conviction and Confession 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! Lips could be taken to mean language or speech. Unclean (tä mā') impure, defiled Ethically, religiously or morally Levitically or ritually Word is used of animal carcasses & human uncleanness Declaration of his complete unworthiness to be in the presence of God.

23 22 Vision Conviction and Confession Isa 29:13: this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me Mat 12:34: You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks

24 23 Vision Conviction and Confession I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips The nation was corrupt and Isaiah confessed it Compare with Daniel 9:5 we have sinned Nehemiah 1:7 we have acted corruptly Also a confirmation of his qualification for office He is sensitive to and honest about both personal and national sin He first confesses his own sin but doesn t end there

25 Vision Cleansing 24 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. Altar Speaks of the burnt sacrifice. Picture of the sacrifice of Christ, which is the basis of our standing before God. Live (i.e. burning) coal Speaks of God s wrath being poured out upon sin.

26 Vision Cleansing 25 this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for. Two things happen as a result of the coal touching the lips Removal of guilt Atonement for sin God s servants must be cleansed before serving Him (Believers Bible Commentary MacDonald) May also be symbolic of the empowering of the Holy Spirit for service Matt 3:11 he who is coming after me is mightier than I He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire Acts 2:3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them

27 Commission - Invitation 26 Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Not compelled but invited Different than Jeremiah and Ezekiel Call to be an ambassador, a representative

28 Commission - Consecration 27 I said, Here I am! Send me. Isaiah volunteers without hesitation Doesn t even know the mission Quickly consecrates himself to the Lord (BBC)

29 Commission - Message 28 Go, and say to this people: Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. God continued to give them His word but removed their ability to understand and apply it God allowed them to see his working but removed their ability to grasp any lessons from it.

30 Commission - Message 29 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes Dull literally to become or grow fat; or to cover with fat They prospered and gained abundance and as a result forgot about the Lord (See Deut 32:15, Neh 9:15) and were unmoved by His warnings. Heavy Insensible, unresponsive; honored; enduring adversity (unmoveable); to be indignant Same word used when Pharaoh hardened his heart (See Exodus 8) People were judicially blinded (BBC) The message that should have induced repentance instead resulted in hardening of hearts and blindness.

31 Commission - Message 30 lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed. The nation was denied the ability to repent (turn) and receive healing. God had determined to judge the nation because it had continually rejected his Word. Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me Isa 29:13 they are a rebellious people children unwilling to hear the instruction of the LORD; who say to the seers, Do not see, and to the prophets, Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions.

32 Commission - Message 31 say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. 18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you. Jeremiah 1:17-19 Jeremiah was given a similar commission. He was told that the nation would not only reject the message, they would actively oppose him for preaching it.

33 Commission - Message 32 I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Rom 11:25). Israel is hardened for a season but this time for the benefit of the gentile nations.

34 Commission How Long? 33 Then I said, How long, O Lord? This question reveals that Isaiah understands the character of God God is Gracious Judgment is for a season and with a specific purpose. God s intent isn t to cut off or eliminate Judah and Jerusalem There is severe judgment but it is with a view to purification and restoration There will be an end

35 Commission - How Long? 34 Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. The response is not a specific time period but a picture of what the land will look like once judgment is complete It is a picture of utter devastation Cities lie waste; land becomes desolate and forsaken People are exiled

36 Commission - How Long? 35 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. Remnant is compared to the stump that remains when a tree is felled The remnant that remains will be very small (a tenth). Remnant will undergo further purifying

37 Commission Encouragement 36 As we see throughout Isaiah, there is always a silver lining in the ominous clouds of impending doom for the nation There will be hardening and severe judgment But there will be a remnant that remains that is purged and becomes the genesis for a restored Israel that will one day be a blessing on the earth.

38 Commission Holy Seed 37 The holy seed is its stump. Holy = sacred, separated, set apart The remnant is like seed that will repopulate the nation The tree will be regenerated from the stump (remnant) that remains.

39 Next Week 38 Chapter 7-8 God s Charge against His People