Three Perspectives From Isaiah's Vision Of Christ

Greetings to you all in Jesus’ name! I’m glad to be here today and sharing from the word of God. It’s so wonderful to be with God’s people, praising, worshipping and fellowshipping with the people of God. Bible says that God’s word does not return empty. It’s the word of power that accomplishes His will. Let us remain with an attentive attitude to receive His word into our hearts.

Warming Up

Have you ever faced or face the uncertainties that come along with the changes in surrounding situations personally? How to construct a biblical perspective in the midst of changing times?

The school where my daughter goes to recently had their graduation. I was looking at the graduates and listening to their speeches. They remembered their memories. They expressed their anxiousness of the things ahead. Its natural. Students at the university, you moved into the university, you must have felt that sensation. Those who are about to graduate, might again feel that the anxiety. How future would be? How the next semester would be? Would they be able to make it through? Questions questions questions. See, Changing Times bring extraordinary challenges before us. They cause anxiety, a sense of uncertainty, sometimes despair, worry and fear about how things are going to be down the line. Particularly, when the stability of our lives, our own communities and the nations are shaken and threatened by the changes by these upheavals that happens in local and global arena, we feel these even more strongly.

In fact, in this time of technological advancement in which we live in, fear and worry travels in light speed and spreads to people and communities that are even far off. It is important to prepare ourselves to brace these challenges and counter them with a biblical and a spiritual perspective that will help us to go through these challenges with a positive attitude. I pray, and believe as we open up the scripture today, we can construct three perspectives to have while facing uncertain situations.

The Context: Isaiah’s Vision of God

The passage we are going to look at in depth is Isaiah chapter 6 which details Isaiah’s awesome vision of God. A few words about Isaiah: he lived in 8th century BC and was probably a court prophet in the southern Kingdom of Judea, an royal advisor to the kings. According to early Jewish traditions, he was from the royal line - a son of Amoz, the brother of King Amaziah. He had a lengthy prophetic career and ministered during the years of king Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (cf 1:1). He might have prophesied for about 64 years and died a martyr in the time of Manaseeh, the successor of King Hezekiah. He had spoken several prophecies of the coming of Jesus; and the book of Isaiah is quoted in the NT about 55 times, only next to the book of Psalms (68 times). We call Isaiah the messianic prophet.

Isaiah’s ministry began towards the final years of King Uzziah. Chapter 6 begins with the historical note: on the period before the death of King Uzziah: “in the year that king Uzziah died”, that is, 740 B.C. Why does Isaiah begin his call with this historical reference. What was important about this particular time period in Israel’s history? To know about that, we have to turn to 2 Chronicles 26 where we see the details of King Uzziah’s life. Uzziah was 16 years old when he became king and ruled for 52 years. He sought God in his early years and listened and obeyed to the word of God spoken through the prophet Zachariah in (v. 5). God blessed him with military victories over his enemies and gave peace in the land. In verse 15, we read that “his fame spread far and wide.” The very next verse says that “his pride led to his downfall” Remember what Prov 16:18 says “pride comes before the destruction; the haughty spirit before a fall.” We have to be careful when our fame spreads far and wide. Sure, God wants to bless us. We need to be careful, always judging ourselves before God when we are blessed.

Rest of 2 chronicles 26 expands on how King Uzziah was punished for his pride. He went in the temple and wanted to offer the incense, to do the duty of the Priest. In Israel, God separated the task of the king and a priest. Because they are successful in one area, they cannot cross over to the other. Only Jesus will be the King-Priest, in the order of melchizedek. And it was not given to any kings before that. So, when Uzziah went in to the holy place to offer incense, some of the godly priests some 80 of them under Prophet Azariah confronted the king. Thank God for godly people who are able to stand up and speak in times of need, even confronting the leaders who need to be admonished. As the King was speaking to the priests, God stuck him with leprosy and rushed out of temple because God punished him. He lived in seclusion for the rest of his life as a leper until the day of his death. Isaiah’s vision came in the year of the king’s death, probably as he pondered on the tumultuous times that might be ahead after his demise and on the end of a king who was so blessed yet fell into pride, ended up being punished. God revealed himself to Isaiah in a vision. I believe this vision has something special for us, to construct our perspective for Christian life.