Week 2: Isaiah
The prophet Isaiah lived at the end of the 8th century BC in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, just before Assyria exiled Israel’s people.
At this time, Israel was divided into Northern and Southern kingdoms. Coming from a priestly family, Isaiah had access to the king’s court and, therefore, a close perspective on the challenges facing his people. His mission was to deliver a message of judgment and hope—a call to turn back to God in a time of great spiritual decay.
In the opening chapters of Isaiah, we see a fierce criticism of Israel’s corruption and spiritual drift. Despite this, God also gives Isaiah glimpses of hope for Israel’s future. He foresees a remnant of people who will survive judgment and a future Messiah who will restore the nation.
It’s in You
Today’s Readings:
Isaiah 1:10-17 Isaiah 6:1-13
When we read Isaiah’s famous calling in Chapter 6, he is granted a powerful vision of God in the Temple, surrounded by heavenly beings. This is no ordinary scene; the ground shakes, and angelic beings cover themselves before God’s overwhelming holiness. Isaiah realizes he’s in the presence of pure goodness and majesty—a stark contrast to the sin and corruption he has been speaking out against.
In these chapters, Isaiah wrestles with the concept of a God who judges wrongdoing but is also rich in compassion and mercy. Let's look at what Exodus 34:6-7 says about God's character.
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
In this verse, God emphasizes his love by forgiving them. But one thing God won't do is allow the guilty and corrupt (perhaps even the prideful) to continue patterns of harm and evil. This is important because Isaiah’s prophecies of judgment are grounded not in fear, but in God’s desire for justice and healing. The word "compassionate" in Hebrew translates to "rechum" and he root of this Hebrew word is "rechem" or the masculine noun "womb ." A womb is an environment geared towards development. In Isaiah’s time, people were performing rituals while their hearts were far from God, ignoring the poor and pursuing selfish interests. God calls this behavior offensive, comparing it to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
What does God want from His people? In Isaiah 1:17, He says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Isaiah calls the people back to a faith that is lived out in compassion and justice.
It’s in You!
Isaiah’s calling is dramatic and humbling. Isaiah shrinks back! Faced with God’s holiness, he feels completely unworthy, saying, “I am a man of unclean lips.” But that is not the point of this story. Isaiah is aware of his shortcomings in the presence of a holy God. But God appears to Isaiah anyway. God called him to this specific purpose because God made him for a particular purpose. In essence, God doesn't make trash!
In this entire passage, God doesn't bring up Isaiah's sin. But what does holiness do in response to Isaiah's acknowledgment? Bridge the gap! When Isaiah makes this statement to disqualify himself from his calling, the Divine immediately squashes this excuse.
“See, this touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin is atoned for?”
The goal of this vision was for Isaiah to realize that what he was seeing in the Temple was inside of him. God had designed and equipped him with everything he needed to fulfill his purpose. The rest of the passage is strange because, on the surface. It sounds like a backward mission to purposely make the heart calloused and ears dull. Isaiah’s story encourages us when our own efforts feel small or ineffective. God doesn’t expect us to control outcomes but to show up and trust Him. This calling to live out faith with courage and compassion is just as relevant today as it was for Isaiah. Even in moments of doubt, we are called to trust that God can work through our faithfulness.
Parsons, John J. “Hebrew Word of the Week - Rachem.” Hebrew4Christians.Com, hebrew4christians.com/Glossary/Word_of_the_Week/Archived/Rechem/rechem.html#:~:text=The%20masculine%20noun%20rechem%20(the,to%20show%20compassion%20(racham). Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.
Mackie, Tim, and Jon Collins. “Visual Commentary of Exodus 34:6-7: The Character of God.” BibleProject.Com, bibleproject.com/explore/video/character-of-god-exodus/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.
Nearny, Sis. Catherine. CAC.Org, 19 Sept. 2023, https://cac.org/daily-meditations/gods-compassion-and-the-prophets-2023-09-19/. Accessed 22 Feb. 2024.
