Responding to God’s Call

KEY VERSE: “I heard the voice of the LORD, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” —Isaiah 6:8

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 6:1-8

THE KEY VERSE in this week’s lesson is Isaiah’s response to the vision he had concerning the glory of God. His people, the nation of Israel, were falling further into idolatry and false worship, and his prophecy was a warning to them to repent of their ways. God would not tolerate this kind of behavior. “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.” (Isa. 1:3) The prophet was given the task to take this message to his people, and God gave him this special vision as an inspiration. His response was a positive one: “Send me.”

In this vision, which took place in the Temple at Jerusalem, Isaiah was given a glimpse of the majesty of God as he sat upon his throne. Within this scene were seraphim who supported the throne, thus representing the attributes of the Most High God—justice, wisdom, love, and power. (Isa. 6:1,2) And, it was one of the seraphim who proclaimed to another, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” (vs. 3) Then the doorposts of the Temple were shaken, and the house of God filled with smoke. (vs. 4) This symbolized the shaking of the nation of Israel, and the removal of them as a favored people. It also pictured the dimming of their eyes to the greatness of God, and his special providences over them.

Later, Isaiah examined the weaknesses of his flesh and pondered the great responsibility that was before him to present the message and glory of God to the Israelites. He said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.—Isa. 6:5

But God knew the condition of Isaiah’s heart. He wanted him to know he had been chosen as a special servant to the children of Israel. The Spirit of God would touch the lips of the prophet and enable him to go forth in full confidence with special powers of speech. “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”—vss. 6,7

This was a special blessing from God to his prophet. But, this was not all, for he further said: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” (vs. 8) The prophet responded with eagerness to carry the message to his people.

Within this vision is a grander view of the future Kingdom of God that will be established over all nations. During the present Gospel Age, the Lord’s people have responded with anticipation to the call which has gone forth. They have had a glimpse of the glory of God while living in a society which is going further into degradation and turmoil. Their message is one that brings hope for the future time when God will sit on his throne, and when the whole human family will appreciate his love and care over them.

Jesus came unto his own people as their king and Messiah. He was rejected by the vast majority, and the prospect of inheritance in the future kingdom was therefore extended to the Gentiles. As we read in Acts 13:47, “I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”

These, in turn, along with a faithful remnant of Israel, respond by saying: ‘Here am I, send me’.

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