Devotions

My Eyes Have Seen the King

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The first five chapters of Isaiah lay out God’s plan, and “they have rejected the instruction of the Lord”. Now, in chapter six King Uzziah dies. The nation had prospered but in the end, prophecy had been cut off because of Uzziah’s sin. At his death, there is uncertainty in the kingdom and Isaiah has a vision of the Lord, he still reigns, and gives Isaiah a message, judgement but not annihilation. As the new king Ahaz takes the throne, enemies array themselves around Jerusalem. But the Lord sends Isaiah and speaks to Ahaz, saying in Isaiah 7:14 “Look! the virgin is with child and she is about to give birth to a son, and she shall call his name ‘God with us.’” and the Lord gives his word that what seemed like certain destruction will not happen.

They Have Rejected the Instruction of Yahweh of Hosts

Isaiah 5:20–25

He Will Raise a Signal for a Nation from Afar

Isaiah 5:26–30 

My Eyes Have Seen the King, Yahweh of hosts!

Isaiah 6:1–13
The first five chapters of Isaiah are a preface giving an view of God’s plan for the children of Israel, their failure to fulfill their part, God’s judgement and future redemption. Now in chapter six we see the end of the reign of King Uzziah. So here is some short history:

“Uzziah reigned for fifty-two prosperous and secure years (2 Kgs 15:1–7; 2 Chr. 26)”.1

2 Chronicles 26:4 And he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that Amaziah his father had done.

Isaiah was likely related to Uzziah and may have lived in close proximity if not in close relationship because “Jewish tradition mentions Amoz as the brother of King Amaziah of Judah. If this assumption is correct, Isaiah and Uzziah were cousins, thus making Isaiah a member of the nobility. This family connection would explain the impact of Uzziah’s death (chap. 6) on the prophet as well as the apparent ready access Isaiah had to the kings to whom he ministered”.2

However, in later years of his reign, “Uzziah had committed a dreadful sin of trespass (2 Kgs 15:5; 2 Chr. 26:16–21), intruding into the house of the Lord where, as a layman, he had no right to go. For this he fell under divine judgment and for the rest of his reign was alienated from the worshipping community, under divine displeasure”.3

So, at the end of Uzziah’s reign, prophecy had been cut-off. But now, in what may have been a moment of personal loss for Isaiah and a time of uncertainty for the nation, in Isaiah 6:1 “the year of the death of Uzziah the king”, he is comforted by a vision and says “I saw the Lord”. Please understand that the words “comforted by a vision” are my words as I read what was recorded and place myself in that moment of history.

Isaiah is awe struck by a vision of the Holy Lord and his glory in Isaiah 6:3 and says in Isaiah 6:5 “Woe to me! For I am destroyed! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I am living among a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the king”.

Isaiah recognizes how far he and his people are from the holiness of God but he is prepared in Isaiah 6:7 “your sin is annulled”. Then in Isaiah 6:8 the Lord calls out “Whom shall I send” and Isaiah responds “Send me!”. Then in Isaiah 6:9-13 the Lord gives Isaiah a message of judgement, a time when the people will not hear, and will not see, and the cities will lie waste. But it will not be complete destruction because the root will remain in Isaiah 6:13 the Lord says, “although felled, a tree stump remains in them. The seed of holiness will be her tree stump”. 

It Shall Not Come to Pass

Isaiah 7:1–9
Isaiah has had a vision and God has sent him with a message of judgement. Now, in Isaiah 7:1 we find the new king Ahaz and enemies array themselves against Jerusalem. And in Isaiah 7:2 we find “his heart (the new king Ahaz) and the heart of his people shook like the shaking of the trees of the forest because of the wind”.

But in Isaiah 7:2-9 “Then Yahweh said to Isaiah, go out to meet Ahaz” at a specific place, “And you must say to him, ‘Take heed and be quiet! You must not fear … It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass”.

These enemies had the strength to overtake them, God had spoken his displeasure and judgement, they had no defense, but their trouble would not come from this enemy. 

Call His Name ‘God With Us’


Isaiah 7:10–16
The Lord has sent Isaiah to speak to Ahaz and give him a message but it isn’t Isaiah speaking it is the Lord speaking through him in Isaiah 7:10 “Yahweh continued to speak to Ahaz”. The Lord asked Ahaz to “ask for a sign” in Isaiah 7:11 and when Ahaz refuses in Isaiah 7:12 saying “I will not put Yahweh (the Lord) to the test”, the Lord tells Ahaz the sign he has chosen, in Isaiah 7:14 “Look! the virgin is with child and she is about to give birth to a son, and she shall call his name ‘God with us.’” and the sign is in

Isaiah 7:16 For before the boy knows to reject the evil and to choose the good, the land whose two kings you dread will be abandoned.

So in less than four years, all threat will vanish, nine months before delivery and “At about three years of age moral consciousness begins (compare Is 8:4; De 1:39; Jon 4:11)”.4

Study Verses

Today’s Reading

  • Isaiah 5:20-30
  • Isaiah 6:1-13
  • Isaiah 7:1-16

References

  • 1. Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 79). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 2. Mosley, H. (2003). Isaiah. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 837). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
  • 3. Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 79). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
  • 4. Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 1, p. 437). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.