Isaiah’s Story Series

Isaiah’s Story

Thesis: Isaiah had a vision in the year Uzziah the king died (731 BC). In this vision he saw four things that transformed his life and ministry. He had a vision of the Lord in His glory, He had a revelation of his sinful condition, he saw and experience the cleansing power of the Lord. He also saw the world around him in a new way and in a new light.

Isaiah 6:1-6:13: NIV

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.

2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

3And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4At 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.”

6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8Then 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!”

9He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’

10Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Other wise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

11Then I said, “For how long, O Lord?” And he answered: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged,

12until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.

13And 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.”

Isa. 6:1-13 CEV - A Vision of the Lord in the Temple

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I had a vision of the Lord. He was on his throne high above, and his robe filled the temple.

2Flaming creatures with six wings each were flying over him. They covered their faces with two of their wings and their bodies with two more. They used the other two wings for flying,

3 as they shouted, “Holy, holy, holy, LORD ALL-POWERFUL! The earth is filled with your glory.”

4 As they shouted, the doorposts of the temple shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.

5Then I cried out, “I’m doomed! Everything I say is sinful, and so are the words of everyone around me. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.”

6One of the flaming creatures flew over to me with a burning coal that it had taken from the altar with a pair of metal tongs.

7It touched my lips with the hot coal and said, “This has touched your lips. Your sins are forgiven, and you are no longer guilty.”

8After this, I heard the Lord ask, “Is there anyone I can send? Will someone go for us?” “I’ll go,” I answered. “Send me!”

9 Then the Lord told me to go and speak this message to the people: “You will listen and listen, but never understand. You will look and look, but never see.” The Lord also said,

10 “Make these people stubborn! Make them stop up their ears, cover their eyes, and fail to understand. Don’t let them turn to me and be healed.”

11Then I asked the Lord, “How long will this last?” The Lord answered: Until their towns are destroyed and their houses are deserted, until their fields are empty,

12and I have sent them far away, leaving their land in ruins.

13If only a tenth of the people are left, even they will be destroyed. But just as stumps remain after trees have been cut down, some of my chosen ones will be left.

Introduction:

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase, “The king is dead - long live the king!”

It is an historical phrase coined in France and said after the death of a monarch through the streets and the countryside of their realm.