For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Isaiah 6:1-7

1 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. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.’

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 ‘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.’

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’

A. Find Out:

1. When did what happen? v.1
2. What also were there and what were they doing? v.2,3
3. What happened when they did that? v.4
4. What did Isaiah feel and why? v.5
5. Who came with what? v.6
6. What did he do and say? v.7

B. Think:

1. How much is said describing God?
2. What was it that seemed to have effect on Isaiah?
3. Yet what was done for him?

C. Comment:

Isaiah is granted a vision of the Lord. Remarkably he gives virtually no description of what he saw. Perhaps it was too incredible, perhaps he just had the sense that he shouldn’t write down the detail. All we are told is that the Lord was a) on a throne, b) high up and c) He is obviously seated in a Temple. In major ceremonial events the train of a king’s garments stretch out behind him showing his splendour. The splendour of the Lord is so great that it fills the place. The temple was the meeting place of man with God and that is what this encounter clearly is, God meeting with His man, Isaiah.

Above the Lord are two angelic beings who proclaim the truth about the Lord, that He is unique, unlike any other, and His splendour extends throughout the earth. The effect of all this on Isaiah is immediate: he is suddenly aware of his own sinfulness, aware that he is not holy, that the words of his mouth are so often unclean by comparison to the purity before him. He realises that he is doomed!

Then, wonder of wonder, instead of being struck down, he is cleansed of his sin, not by his effort but by God-provided means. Fire on the altar burned up sacrifices so the sacrifice of his confession is burnt up and he is forgiven, his guilt taken.

D. Application:

1. The presence of God is awe-full, His holiness is frightening.
2. Yet He seeks to cleanse and forgive us, making us acceptable to Him.

Passage: Isaiah 6:8-13

8 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!’

9 He said, ‘Go and tell this people:

‘“Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.”
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.’

11 Then I said, ‘For how long, Lord?’

And he answered:

‘Until the cities lie ruined
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,
12 until the Lord has sent everyone far away
    and the land is utterly forsaken.
13 And though a tenth remains in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps when they are cut down,
    so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.’

A. Find Out:    

1. Who did he hear saying what? v.8a
2. What was his response? v.8b
3. What was he told to tell the people? v.9
4. What was he told to do and why? v.10
5. What did he ask? v.11a
6. What answer was he given? v.11b-12
7. Yet what ray of hope was given? v.13

B. Think:

1. What is the initial order of Isaiah’s call? (v.7-9)
2. What was he called to do? Why do you think that was?
3. How long was he to do it?

C. Comment:

The initial call is simple and straight forward: God cleanses him, and makes a need obvious and then accepts Isaiah’s offer to go. Although there seems invitation by God, offer by Isaiah, and acceptance by God, it is more likely that under the circumstances Isaiah felt impelled by the greatness of God to respond in the way he did. It is more like a call of Jesus – follow me!

His task is confusing, both as to what it is and what he is to achieve. It almost seems that he is to confuse the people. Is that what it really is? Very often we feel that speakers are to speak so clearly that anyone can understand, but when we watch Jesus teaching he spoke in such a way that only those who sought after God understood.

When Moses went to Pharaoh he spoke with such directness that he simply hardened Pharaoh’s heart, which of course was God’s intention. In the same way Isaiah’s preaching and prophesying was so direct that it so often just hardened the hearts of the people. It is possible for people to avail themselves of God’s blessing but only be half hearted, but that is not God’s desire. God knows the hearts of these people and knows that only purging the land of them will suffice. How terrible.

D. Application:

1. God speaks to reveal the state of people’s hearts.
2. People will then either gladly hear or simply harden themselves.