Sat.’s Devo - Isaiah’s Vision

Read: Isaiah 6:1-7:25; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 54:1-7; Proverbs 23:1-3 King Uzziah was a good king for most of his life. He honored God and during his 52 years of reigning over Judah, Judah enjoyed prosperity much like in the days of Solomon. At the end of his life he allowed pride to corrupt his heart and he arrogantly entered into the Temple to offer incense. The priests had to drive him out, but not before his body became racked with leprosy. When he died, he was buried in a lone grave located apart from the tombs of the kings. The day he died, Isaiah had a vision of the Lord on his throne surrounded by angels that cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” Their cries shook the foundation of the Temple and the entire building was filled with the glory of the Lord like smoke. Isaiah was overwhelmed with the guilt of his sin. An angel took a coal from God’s altar and touched it to Isaiah’s lips and told him his guilt was removed and his sins forgiven. God asked for a messenger and Isaiah volunteered. God told Isaiah to go and tell the people that God was going to close their eyes and ears and harden their hearts so that they could not perceive his words. This would continue till they had all gone into exile except for a few who would be God’s holy seed he would use to repopulate the land. God didn’t speak again until Uzziah’s grandson became king. Rezin was king of Syria and Pekah was king of Israel. They conspired together to attack Judah. Ahaz was the king of Judah at the time and God told Isaiah to take his son, Sher-jashub and meet with Ahaz. His son’s name means “a remnant shall return”. Isiah was to tell Ahaz that he didn’t need to fear the kings of Syria and Israel because their invasion would never happen. God told Ahaz to ask for a sign that God had said this. He refused, saying he didn’t want to test the Lord. God was mad and told him if he wouldn’t come up with a confirmation he would give his own sign. A young woman would have a child whose name would be Immanuel. By the time the child was old enough to choose between good and bad, the land of these two kings would be deserted. We know that he was speaking in the distance of Jesus but he was also speaking of his time. Isaiah’s young wife had a child and this was fulfilled through him in Isaiah’s life-time. The king of Assyria and the king of Egypt would be the ones who would take Judah into exile. The land would be turned into thorns and briers with only enough substance to keep the remnant alive. In Corinthians Paul described what the false apostles were doing. They were taking advantage of them and controlling them with guilt to get their money. The people were allowing these men to use and control them and rejecting the love and truth that Paul was offering. Paul gave them his testimony of the suffering he had faced in his life to show them the way of the cross was quite different than what these false prophets were teaching. Lord, may we not lose sight of the prize. It is not on this earth but waiting for us in eternity. May our lives reflect that promise.