Introduction
In this installment of the study of Isaiah let us seek to answer several questions. Can you identify a believer by his or her fruits? Does Isaiah 6 describe Isaiah becoming a believer? In Isaiah 6:10, what does it mean that the people will be hardened (“dull,” “heavy”) when they hear God’s message?
The Song of the Worthless Vineyard
In Isaiah 5:1-7, God is described as a vinedresser who has tended a vineyard with great love and care. Everything has been done to promote growth. It was planted on a fruitful hill–stones were cleared, the choicest vines were set in the fertile soil–a watchtower was built to protect it, and the winepress was made ready for the good fruit He expects the vineyard to produce.
Israel and Judah are described as the vineyard which, instead of bringing forth the good grapes which God expected of His chosen people, only brought forth wild grapes.
According to Strong’s Concordance, the Hebrew word translated “wild” means “poison,” “sour,” or a “stench.” God expected good fruit but they did not respond righteously. Through their actions of rebellion and disobedience to God they had become a stench instead of a sweet aroma and discipline would come.
While Isaiah is a book written to the nation of Israel, there are still many lessons Christians can learn and apply from it. Through Christ, we are a sweet aroma to God.
“For we are to God the fragrance of Christ…” II Corinthians 2:15.
Christians are to produce good fruits (works); we are to do this by walking with the Lord. Many Christians fail to do this; they instead walk in the flesh rather than in the Spirit, just as Israel did. Since we read in Ephesians 2:8-9,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”, we can be confident that our salvation is not dependent on our fruits but solely on the gift of God. So we cannot identify believers by looking at their fruit. Fruit or lack of fruit does not prove whether a person is a believer.
Once we have believed in Jesus for eternal life, our options are to either be a believer in fellowship with Him or a believer out of fellowship.
When we are out of fellowship, we need to be restored to fellowship, just as Israel was out of fellowship with God and should have returned to Him instead of continuing in evil practices.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9.
The Six Woes
The remainder of chapter 5 pronounces the six woes, or judgments, that Israel will face due to the bad fruit they have been producing. Just as God disciplined Israel to restore them, we can also expect discipline when we produce bad fruit. Again, these woes are directed specifically to Israel, but there is much we can learn from them. One of the woes that I am often reminded of by our society is found in verse 20,
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Isaiah’s Heavenly Vision
“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:1
In this verse, God is beautifully pictured as the true King of the nation Israel, the King above all Kings. His long robe signifies His royalty and majesty. Verse 2 continues to describe the scene. Seraphim, angelic beings, are standing above the throne. The word “seraphim” means “to burn,” which could denote their zeal for the Lord. They have six wings each: “with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.” Covering their faces shows humility, feet are used for service, and flying shows they were active in proclaiming God’s holiness. It is interesting to note that this is the only mention of seraphim in the Bible. As they cried out to one another about God’s holiness, Isaiah saw the doorpost shake and smoke fill the temple: God’s awesome power and presence fill the temple.
Isaiah Cleansed for Service
In contrast to God’s holiness, Isaiah is unclean. He realizes that he is not worthy to stand in the presence of God. The Hebrew word for “unclean” according to Strong’s Concordance can also be translated as “polluted” or “defiled.” Some commentaries will cite this passage as a salvation experience for Isaiah. However, salvation is not dependent on admitting you are a sinner, repenting, or being forgiven. It is based on faith in Jesus Who gives eternal life. Isaiah is being prepared to serve the one true God, like the apostles in John 13:4-10 who needed their feet washed because they became unclean as they walked the dusty roads. This illustrates being out of fellowship. As we walk daily in this sinful world, we step out of fellowship outwardly and inwardly. We must be cleansed from our unrighteousness to stand before the King, the Lord of hosts. Isaiah does not have a salvation problem but a fellowship problem. His lips are unclean and he lives among a people of unclean lips.
Isaiah sees one of the seraphim flying to him with a live coal that he had taken from the altar.
“And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.’” Isaiah 6:7
His iniquity (meaning “sin”) has been taken away. He is now purified from his sin.
Verse 8 continues,
“Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’”
I want to point out that it wasn’t that God didn’t know who He was going to send, instead, this question was meant for Isaiah to answer the Lord. He was chosen by God to be the prophet to Israel and to tell God’s people the words of the Lord. In this illustration, we are not seeing the salvation of Isaiah but his restoration to fellowship, and Isaiah receiving and accepting his call to be God’s messenger.
Hardening of the Nation
In verse 10, we read that the people’s hearts will become dull and their ears heavy. They will not heed the message of the Lord. Their hearts will harden as they continue in rebellion, like a callous hardens on your hand. Many times in the Old Testament, the nation of Israel is called a “stiff-necked people” by God and His prophets. When my son was in trouble, I often told him to not dig his hole any deeper by continuing to be disobedient. The farther down we dig the more we become calloused to the truth. Israel would continue to be rebellious and disobedient to the Lord. Isaiah asks in verse 11, “Lord, how long?” and receives a grim answer. It is sad to read of Israel’s captivity, the destruction of the land, and the suffering they will endure because they refuse to listen and obey. Believers are told in Hebrews 3:13, “but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Isaiah 6:13 begins with “But yet”–Israel will not be completely destroyed. A remnant will remain and return to the promised land. God is not finished with His chosen people.
Conclusion
Although Israel chose rebellion and discipline, their mistakes have been recorded for our benefit (II Timothy 3:16).
Do not miss the opportunity to obey God today, to turn from our own rebellion so we do not face discipline from the Lord.
Let us walk in daily fellowship so that we will be a light to those around us. We will have daily trials but there is hope. I like this quote from Wiersbe’s “Be” series:
“When I was the radio speaker on ‘Songs in the Night’ from the Moody Church in Chicago, I often received clippings from listeners, items they thought might be useful on the weekly broadcast. Most of them I have forgotten, but a few of them still stick in my mind. One of the best was, ‘When the outlook is bleak, try the uplook!’”[1]
For young Isaiah, the outlook was bleak. His beloved king had died, his nation was in peril, and he could do very little about it. The outlook may have been bleak, but the uplook was glorious! God was still on the throne and reigning as the Sovereign of the universe! From heaven’s point of view, “the whole earth” was “full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3; see also Numbers 14:21–22; Psalm 72:18–19). When your world tumbles in, it is good to look at things from heaven’s point of view.
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Comforted, “Be” Commentary Series (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 28–29.
Note: unless otherwise noted all scripture is from the New King James Version.
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