21/05/17 Isaiah 6:1-13 “Whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved”
Isaiah 6:1 – In the year that king
Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and
his train filled the temple.
Uzziah died in 740 BC which makes
this vision around 741 – 740 BC. It was probably before Uzziah died or else it
should have been noted as being during the reign of the next king, Jotham. It
probably marked the start of Isaiah’s ministry; it records his calling to be a
prophet, although some commentaries say that such “visions” usually are found
at the start of a prophet’s recorded message. However, it is clear that some of
Isaiah does not appear to be in chronological order, and thus there is no
definite reason why this vision could not have marked the commencement of his
ministry.
saw – to see; perceive; have a vision; regard; learn about;
find out; gaze at.
high – raised up; exalted (including in rank or position)
lifted up – to be lifted up;
be exalted. Both these words appear to be very similar in meaning, that is, to
be set high so it was above that of all others.
train – generally refers to such as the priest’s robe. (Our
English word “train” originally came from the train attached behind a person’s
robe or gown.)
Isaiah saw (as in a vison) God
sitting (or dwelling) upon a throne (a position of authority), His throne
raised up high so that it was higher than any other throne or position, and His
train (the spreading out of the glory of God all around Him, that which
pertains to His majesty). The picture suggests not just a central figure
sitting on a central throne, but more of an overall picture covering all
Isaiah’s viewpoint, high and lifted up, and spread out, signifying infinity,
limitless. Nothing exists here without being part of God’s authority.
The setting is clearly the temple,
probably the ark of the covenant where God’s shekinah glory was to exist
whenever He was present with His people.
Exodus 40:34-35 – 34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and
the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was
not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode
thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Isaiah 6:2 – Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
The seraphim appear to be above or
over the throne. Note Lucifer as the covering cherub – Ezekiel 28:14a – Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth
seraphims – saraph
(serpent; fiery serpent; poisonous serpents which were fiery from burning
effect of poison); seraph, seraphim (majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands
or voices in attendance upon God). According to this verse, they covered their
faces with two of their wings, two more covered their feet, and they used two
more with which to fly. The word signifies the “burning ones”.
Numbers 21:6 – And the Lord sent fiery (saraph)
serpents among the people, and they bit the
people; and much people of Israel died.
Numbers 21:8 – And the Lord said
unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent (saraph), and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that
every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it,
shall live.
The same term is used to describe
an Assyrian king.
Isaiah 14:29 – Rejoice not thou,
whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote
thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice,
and his fruit [shall be] a fiery flying serpent (saraph).
The “fiery flying serpent” appears
to be Sennacherib, king of Assyria from 705 – 681 BC; he more or less destroyed
Babylon in 689 BC because of its refusal to accept Assyrian rule.
(Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon from 605 – 562 BC.)
This is
the only Bible passage to mention “seraphim”; it appears twice, here in Vs 2,
and again in Vs 6. They may be something
like cherubim (as found on the cover of the ark); they may be a type of angel.
However, they may simply be a completely different creature altogether:
“burning” or “fiery” ones.
Isaiah 6:3 – And one cried unto
another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the Lord of hosts: the whole
earth [is] full of his glory.
While there appears to be two (but
perhaps more) seraphim here, in Revelation we read of four similar creatures.
Revelation 4:6-8 – 6 And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass
like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were]
four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the
first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the
third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a
flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six
wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they
rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was,
and is, and is to come.
The cherubim in Ezekiel 10:14 have
the same faces except for one being the face of a cherub, not a calf as in
Revelation 4:7.
Ezekiel 10:14 – And every one had
four faces: the first face [was] the face of a cherub, and the second
face [was] the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the
fourth the face of an eagle.
However, Ezekiel 1:10 appears to
describe the same creatures; one has the face of an ox here.
Ezekiel 1:10 – As for the likeness
of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the
right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four
also had the face of an eagle.
These creatures are also fiery
creatures.
Ezekiel 1:13 – As for the likeness
of the living creatures, their appearance [was] like burning coals of
fire, [and] like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the
living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth
lightning.
Yet they have only four wings
according to Ezekiel 1:6.
Note that in Ezekiel 28:14 satan
is pictured as the one who dwelt in the midst of fire.
Ezekiel 28:14 – Thou [art] the
anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]:
thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou
hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
So probably with seraphim and
cherubim we are talking about similar yet different creatures, plus perhaps
more similar creatures who may or may not be actually angels.
the whole earth is full of His
glory – the whole earth is the fulness of
His glory.
let the whole earth be filled [with]
his glory – see Psalm 72:19.
Isaiah 6:4 – And the posts of the
door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
the posts of the door moved – the bases or foundations of the threshold shook.
The seraphim’s voices caused the
very foundations to shake; a picture of power and might in action. The house
(temple; throne-room) was filled with smoke (could signify God’s burning anger
– see following verse, or His shekinah glory – see previous verse). It is
likely that the setting here is the Holy of Holies where God said he would
dwell, in the tabernacle with His people.
Isaiah 6:5 – Then said I, Woe [is]
me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips, and I
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the
King, the Lord of hosts.
woe – a passionate cry of grief or despair.
I am undone – a term signifying being cut off (from living) at the
sight of God.
unclean – or impure. lips
– or language.
Our speech can be a good indicator
of our innermost thoughts, whether good or evil.
James 3:5-11 – 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little
fire kindleth! 6 And the tongue [is]
a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth
on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For
every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea,
is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue
can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men,
which are made after the similitude of God. 10 Out of the
same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not so to be. 11 Doth a fountain
send forth at the same place sweet [water] and bitter?
Like the tax collector, Isaiah had
come face to face with the pure holiness of God. This is that which causes a
sinner to experience Godly sorrow which brings repentance, leading to salvation
– this is the work of the true gospel!
2 Corinthians 7:10 – For godly sorrow
worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the
world worketh death.
Luke 18:13 – And the publican,
standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven,
but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Isaiah’s eyes hadn’t truly seen
God in the flesh; but even a vision of God’s holiness should be more than
sufficient to stir the soul into repentance.
Note Isaiah 3:8 – For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because
their tongue and their doings [are] against the Lord, to provoke the
eyes of his glory.
Isaiah 6:6 – Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, [which]
he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Then one of the seraphim flew to
Isaiah with a live or burning coal or stone in his hand which he had taken from
the altar before the throne of God.
Revelation 8:3-4 – 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a
golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it]
with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the
throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with
the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
The fire is that which purifies
from sin.
Malachi 3:2-3 – 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall
stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a
refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit [as]
a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and
purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in
righteousness.
Zechariah 13:9 – And I will bring the
third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and
will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear
them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The Lord [is]
my God.
Isaiah 6:7 – And he laid [it] upon
my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken
away, and thy sin purged.
purged – kaphar (to cover,
purge, make an atonement; make reconciliation; cover over with pitch; to make
atonement for). 71 out of 102 occurrences in the Old Testament have been
translated “atonement”.
The fire upon the lips symbolises
the cleansing of Isaiah, just as what we say symbolises what our lives are like
inside. His iniquity (including its guilt and consequences) were taken away (or
come to an end) and his sin covered over as pitch covered over the wood of
Noah’s ark. So, was Isaiah purged forever? Under the old covenant law he would still
have needed to participate in the Day of Atonement sacrifices as prescribed by
the law, so it can be assumed that he was as acceptable to God’s presence by
this burning coal purging but not necessarily such that he no longer needed to
participate in the Day of Atonement rituals.
We covered this topic of atonement
quite thoroughly when we did Hebrews last year and into this year, so I won’t
go into any more detail here, other than to say that while the old covenant law
atoned for their sin yearly, the new covenant has now established a
once-for-all-time sacrifice that purges (not just covers) sin completely
through that one sacrifice on the cross.
Isaiah 6:8 – Also I heard the
voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said
I, Here [am] I; send me.
This is commonly taken to be a
call to ministry, although I have seen some (not very convincing) views that
declare it to be nothing to do with a call as such! Isaiah receives a call from
God, asking whom would He send on a mission, and who would go in God’s name. In
other words, this is similar to an ambassadorial task, to be sent to a people
in order to represent the one who sends you.
Isaiah hears the voice of the Lord
(Adonay);
there is no confusion in Isaiah’s mind as to who is speaking here. It is God,
and not a stranger!
John 10:4-5 – 4 And when he putteth forth his
own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow
him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
God requires a work to be carried
out for Him, somewhat like delegating authority to a servant who will do that
work. The question appears to suggest that no-one has yet offered to go to do
God’s work. In fact, it is actually an acknowledgement that God has set up this
“interview” in order to offer the task to His chosen servant, Isaiah. There is
no evidence that this task was advertised or offered to anyone else. Isaiah is
the chosen vessel for God’s work, and God has gone straight to Isaiah in order
to call him for ministry.
There is one quite interesting
fact here: Isaiah agrees to take on the ministry seemingly without even knowing
what the job prescription was! It actually demonstrates the high level of faith
Isaiah had in the God who called him to ministry. And so, Isaiah immediately
says, “Here I am; send me!” There is no question of salary, nor work
conditions, nor provision of needs etc. Isaiah apparently completely trusts
that God will provide all his needs, as per Philippians 4:19 & Matthew
6:33.
Isaiah 6:9-10 – 9 And he
said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye
indeed, but perceive not. 10
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their
eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand
with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Here we get the outline of the
details of Isaiah’s call to ministry: Go and tell (or command) this people
(nation; fellow-country-men; kindred), “Continue to hear (listen) but without
understanding (without knowing with the mind; without insight; without
discernment); continue to see (have vision; observe; gaze at) but do not
perceive (without wisdom; without discernment; without understanding).
perceive – yada (to
know), that word which MacArthur claims means God having a special love
relationship with His people!
They would get all the information
their senses of sight and hearing would give them, yet without any
understanding of inward meaning.
Matthew
13:13-15 – 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand;
and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this
people’s heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes,
and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart,
and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Clearly a major application of
Isaiah 6:9-10 was to the pharisees of Jesus’ day. Their hearts (inner man;
mind; will; understanding; conscience) had grown fat with luxury like those
rich and idle ones of Isaiah’s day. Their ears (including the reception of
divine revelation) were indeed heavy (unresponsive – indifferent to the needs
of those hurting around them). Their eyes (including mental and spiritual
faculties) were shut (besmeared); they just couldn’t see what was plainly
around them. “make the heart fat”, “make their ears heavy” and “shut their eyes”
are imperatives; they are not options but instead are commands of God.
Why were they commanded to be
unresponsive and indifferent to the truth? Note the four pairs of words in
these two verses: hear, understand, see, heart.
They were to hear indeed, yet
commanded not to hear with understanding.
They were to see indeed, yet
commanded not to see with understanding.
They were commanded to have
unresponsive hearts that lacked understanding.
They were commanded to have
unresponsive ears and besmeared eyes, lest they see and hear with
understanding, lest they convert (turn back to God; repent) and be healed
(spiritually).
Isaiah 6:11 – Then said I, Lord,
how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and
the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
Revelation 6:10 – And they cried with a
loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge
and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Numbers 14:11 – And the Lord said
unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long
will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
1 Kings 18:21 – And Elijah came unto
all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the
Lord [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And
the people answered him not a word.
Psalm 80:4 – O Lord God of hosts, how
long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?
Habakkuk 1:2 – O Lord, how long
shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence,
and thou wilt not save!
From the hymn “The Church’s One
Foundation” –
Though
with a scornful wonder Men see her sore oppressed,
By
schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed:
Yet
saints their watch are keeping, Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And
soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song!
But here in Isaiah 6:11 the
message is clear: this holding back of understanding and discernment from God’s
people will continue “Until the cities be
wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly
desolate,”
This is unlikely to mean just the
captivity for 70 years, for there were still some remaining in Judah, and the
land was inhabited by other nations such as those who became the Samaritans;
thus the land was not utterly desolate. So, while the captivity may have been a
part-fulfillment, it would only be fully realised after Jerusalem was
destroyed, firstly in 70 AD, then ploughed into the ground under the Roman
emperor Hadrian in 136 AD. Renamed then as Syria Palaestina
after the traditional enemies of the Jewish people, the Philistines, it has
been largely desolate (in particular of Jews) until the middle of the 20th
century.
The fact that the religious scene
in Judea was even more apostate in Jesus’ days demonstrates that God not only
knew what was ahead for His people, but had put full measures in place in order
to one day restore His people.
Isaiah 6:12 – And the Lord have
removed men far away, and [there be] a great forsaking in the midst of
the land.
Firstly the Jews were removed to
Babylon, a far country where they learned of the religion of mystery Babylon,
today enshrined in the Talmud, a far cry from the pure law of the old covenant
(the Torah). There would be a greater forsaking (of God) in the midst of the
land in Jesus’ day, such apostasy that Israel would be rejected for a season
(Romans 11:8) as God’s people, after they rejected His salvation and
restoration through their Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 6:13 – But yet in it [shall
be] a tenth, and [it] shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance [is] in
them, when they cast [their leaves: so] the holy seed [shall be] the
substance thereof.
This is what defines it as the
remnant of Israel. The tithe was the holy part, that which was to be given to
God, and the remnant is the holy part of Israel that God will redeem one day
for His own.
Leviticus 27:30 – And all the tithe of
the land, [whether] of the seed of the land, [or] of the fruit of
the tree, [is] the Lord’s: [it is] holy unto the Lord. (where “tithe” here can also mean the tenth part)
Zechariah 13:8-9 – 8 And it shall come to pass, [that] in all the land,
saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off [and]
die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will
bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is
refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I
will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The
Lord [is] my God.
But yet in it shall be a tenth – But should there still be in it a tenth. Whether this
means after the Babylonian captivity or after the Dispersion (after 70 AD
onward until now) is not clear; however, it could apply to either one or both.
teil – terebinth tree
substance – pillar; stump. Probably means “trunk” here, that which
remains when the tree loses its leaves and smaller branches.
shall return – turn back to God; repent. Used for “convert” in Vs 10.
The context does suggest that even though many will, like the pharisees, be
prevented from turning back to God in repentance and be healed, yet a small
remnant (signified by “tenth” will finally repent and be healed (restored to
favour with God).
Joel 2:32 – And it shall come to
pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be
delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord
hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
Isaiah 1:9 – Except the Lord of
hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, [and]
we should have been like unto Gomorrah.
shall be eaten – kindled; burned; consumed; remove (of guilt) (fig.) Most
commentaries assume this to be “consumed” or similar. They then teach that the
tenth (small part) or Israel returned after the captivity, yet was consumed
again, yet still a stump remains of the tree (see Romans 11) onto which they
will be grafted once again, or shall regrow as shoots holy to the Lord. But, it
could also mean that a small remnant will return to God and be figuratively
purged of their guilt. If the word for “shall be eaten” can indeed be
translated as “remove of guilt (figuratively)”, then I would tend toward this
meaning.
seed – sowing; offspring; descendants
Thus “But should a tenth yet remain
in the land, that small portion shall return to God (repent of their sin) and
shall be purged of their guilt. Like a terebinth and like an oak (whose trunks
have substance even when they have lost their leaves), so the holy descendants
will be of that same substance, the trunk.”
That is, a small portion of Israel
will yet remain, who will return to God in repentance and be forgiven of their
evil. Even though the leaves (representing Israel) should all fall, yet the
trunk remains from which the holy seed (descendants) will arise. Even though
Israel may look dead and buried, the trunk which has remained will burst forth with
new shoots and leaves one day.
Romans 11:24-27 – 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild
by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a
good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches],
be graffed into their own olive tree? 25 For
I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And
so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion
the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For
this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
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