Being A Witness In The Old Testament According To Isaiah
PART 1 of 2
The prophets are God's messengers who call the people of God, to call the people of God to their true selves. Eugene Peterson commented that " [prophets] delivered God's commands and promises and living presence to communities and nations who have been living god - fantasies and god - lies.... Prophets insist that God is the sovereign center, not off in the wings awaiting our beck and call. And the prophets that we deal with are of God, as God reveals himself, not as we imagine him to be."
Isaiah was one such prophet.
Isaiah was preaching during the eighth century, along with Amos, Hosea and Micah. However, Isaiah was considered, by some scholars, a middle - class preacher with access to the king. His wife was also a minister.
Isaiah holds a prominent place in the Prophets' Hall of Fame because, in his preaching, we find that being a holy witness of God "is an attractive quality, the most intense experience we ever get of sheer lif - authentic, first - hand living, not life looked at and enjoyed from a distance. We find ourselves in on the operations of God himself."
To be a prophet meant to live life as a witness to the people of God about God's intentions so that they become a witness to the nations. The entire salvific plan of God was based on telling the story of His goodness.
Why pick Isaiah? Isaiah helps us to see the large picture of God's salvation and how Israel fits in His future. Isaiah 6 is the mirror that reflects God's purpose of Israel and for ourselves.
One of the difficult things to deal with, as a preacher, is to notice people who seem disinterested in the sermon. I see elders who are snoozing in their pews, not caring if their wives poke them in the side; teenagers passing notes to each other during the reading of the text; two women wondering if the roast will be done by the time the sermon's done; and people who are nervous if the sermon exceeds the 20 - minute limit. I know a member who will walk out if the service gets too long. Yet, these same people can watch a two - hour movie without a peep. Most do not believe that life is at stake.
These are all people who love God, know the story of Jesus, and are aware of the Spirit's presence. They have been in church all their lives and it's hard to get excited about the preaching of the Word of God.
I think that's why God sent prophets to Israel because they knew their history, but forgot they were in His story, not the other way around.
First, Isaiah 's name means "salvation is of Yahweh." Every time his name was mentioned, the gospel was preached. Isaiah began his preaching during the reign of King Uzziah. Isaiah showed up when things were going badly.
Uzziah had been Israel king for 52 years. Overall, he was a pretty good king. He led a decisive victory over the Philistines, built a strong defense system for Israel, and listened to his pastor, Zechariah, most of the time.
He enjoyed popular support from the people. His approval ratings were high. It only takes one mistake, then we begin looking for damage control to save our reputations. Uzziah was always one misdeed away from being unemployed.
In 2 Chronicles 26, the historian provided a running account of Uzziah's downfall.
Uzziah walked into the temple, started burning incense for his own purposes, and decided to put God to work for him. He pushed the priests out of his way and proceeded to manage his own brand of religion.
Read the text: "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. " (2 Chronicles 26:16) The priests followed him into worship and warned him. He told them he was the king and he could do whatever he wanted. He told God he was in charge now. The altar was under new management.
Then, God gave Uzziah a reality check, as leprosy appeared on his forehead. At once, Uzziah had to leave the temple because he was unclean.
The disease, in the Hebrew mind, meant banishment and isolation. He not only lost contact with the temple, but with the community. He went into solitary confinement. He was still the king, but he no longer was in touch with God or the people. Uzziah became the definition of Israel's spiritual life.
"The other events of Uzziah's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded by the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz. Uzziah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in a field for burial that belonged to the kings, for the people said, 'He had leprosy'. "(2 Chronicles 26:22 - 23a)
Isaiah shows up and he was ready to preach "salvation is of Yahweh," but God will preach to him. Through a spectacular vision of Himself in the temple, Isaiah goes from burying a king to seeing the King. He will witness the King's vision and go and tell God's story.
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