Rsbc 6/27/99
Sunday Night
The Book of Isaiah
Subject- “ The Call of A Prophet”
Text- Isaiah 6-1-13
Intro- The question that one may ask in light of the subject why wasn’t Isaiah’s call like Jeremiah and Ezekiel call allowed to occupy the first of the book.... I’m am not sure but some have suggested that it was placed here instead of the first part of the book to allow the reader of the book to see the severity and the necessity of the call of Isaiah.
But for whatever reason God placed it here instead in the front proves a number of things at least to my mind...
1. It proves that God does as he pleases..
2. It sets forth the truth that the Bible is a complex book that can not be understood without divine assistance.
3. That we can be assured that God did this to Isaiah that is called him before chapters 1-5 occurred as seen in these verses...
I..... “HE SEES IN A VISION THE POSITION OF THE LORD.. NOTE THE PHRASE “SITTING UPON A THRONE”...VS 1
Often when we think of God we think to lowly of him...he indeed is the ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN... Let me talk about his throne..
1st. His throne is a place of rule...Psalm 9:4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.
2nd. His throne is a place of worship...Revelation 7-9-10
3rd. His throne is place of grace...Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
4th..His throne is limitless..Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest?
II... “HE SEES IN A VISION THE CHARACTER OF THE LORD UPON HIS THRONE...VS 2-3
Page # 2
1st. The angelic praise..vs 2
2nd. The Character declared... The Lord is Holy...
Psalm 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God [is] holy.
a. God is gloriously holy...Exodus 15:11 Who [is] like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who [is] like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful [in] praises, doing wonders?
b. God is to be worshiped in the beauty of holiness..1 Chronicles 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
c. God is to be thanked at the remembrance of his holiness..Psalm 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
d. God throne is holy..Psalm 47:8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
God is holy before he is anything, all things spring from this one true absolute character of the Lord that he is holy....
III... THEN ISAIAH SEES HIMSELF AND THOSE WHOM GOD HAS CALLED HIM TO PREACH TO...VS 5
This is the true results of one who really sees God, he sees himself as unclean, unqualified, not fit to be in the presence of this true holy God.
1. In the ministry of Christ.
The centurion...
Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
John the Baptist...
Mark 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
Peter the Apostle...
Page # 3
Luke 5:8 When Simon Peter saw [it], he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
2. The remedy for his uncleanness he also sees...vs 6
Just remember this before we can be used of God we must be willing to own up to the fact that we are indeed sinners who needs the mercy of the Lord in order that we me serve him. All men who have ever been used by God are in the same shape, sinners saved by the grace of God...
Psalm 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
IV. THE GREAT TASK SET BEFORE HIM...VS 8-13
Once we have seen the Lord, once we have recognize our sinfulness, then we are in the position to hear the Lord as Isaiah did.
1. The Call...vs 8 “Whom shall I send”
2. The response..vs 8 “Here am I send me”
Isaiah was called to preach to a rebellious nation, a compromising nations, a pagan nations, a dishonoring God nations, and yet his heart was in the right place send me. Jesus in the beginning of the church age he sent his disciples into a field that was ripe unto harvest...not so in this text.
3. The mission of his call...vs 9-10
This went own for years, no one to listen, no one to respond, just as it was in the day of Christ, in the day when the Lord would come the first time..he encounter these same descendants that Isaiah was preaching too.
John 12:38‑41 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
4. The durations of his call..vs 11-12
It is hard sometimes to keep on but yet I have been called to do so, that is keep preaching if no one believes, no one comes, no one is blessed, and that is hard sometimes for we all like to see results.