Sermon Notes

6 1O In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty, and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew 3 And one called to another and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”
38 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.” 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord: 3 “Remember now, O Lord, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of your ancestor David: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.
(New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, NRSVue)

6 1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other, “Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.” The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, “Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted—blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!” Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!”
38 1At that time, Hezekiah got sick. He was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and said, “God says, ‘Prepare your affairs and your family. This is it: You’re going to die. You’re not going to get well.’” 2-3 Hezekiah turned away from Isaiah and, facing the wall, prayed to God: “God, please, I beg you: Remember how I’ve lived my life. I’ve lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You’ve seen how I’ve lived, the good that I have done.” And Hezekiah wept as he prayed—painful tears. 4-6 Then God told Isaiah, “Go and speak with Hezekiah. Give him this Message from me, God, the God of your ancestor David: ‘I’ve heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll add fifteen years to your life. (The Message, MSG)

The book of Isaiah, like all Israelite prophetic literature, teeters between two realms—the physical (earth) and the spiritual (heavens). As persons, prophets (navi or neviah in Hebrew), live within the contexts of their chronological time, geographic place, political spaces, and they see the world as it is. However, as intermediaries between God and the world, prophets transcend chronology, geography, and politics to see—by the aid of God’s spirit—the world as it ought to be. Isaiah lives in the world that is—a world filled with injustice, economic inequality, rampant abuses of power by political, community, business, and religious leaders. However, because of his call as a prophet, he is also called to prophetically imagine the world as it ought to be—a world where justice, liberty, religious freedom, economic prosperity, and shalom for all is the standard for all within society.
Isaiah’s call, as dramatic as it is, is not all that different from our call as Christians. Though we live in the world that is—where violence, poverty, racism, misogyny, sexism, and authoritarianism runs rampant. We are called to imagine the world that could be if humanity accepted the world that Jesus Christ preached about, taught about, and died for—a world where peace, justice, love and the kindom of God reigns. Our call and ministry is to bear witness to the love of God in Jesus.

The book of Isaiah covers events from the eighth century BCE until the sixth century BCE (733 BCE – 515 BCE) and is divided into three parts. Isaiah 1- 39, also called First Isaiah, explores the time when ancient Israel and ancient Judah lived under Assyria’s political rule from 733 – 539 BCE. Isaiah chapters 40 – 55, also called Second Isaiah, or Deutero-Isaiah, cover the time period when Israelite exiles live under the rule of the Persian Empire within Babylon from 539-515 BCE, when Cyrus of Persia comes to power (539) and becomes King. It is addressed to the Babylonian exiles. Isaiah chapters 56 – 66 are called Third Isaiah and span the time when Judean exiles return to their homeland under Medo-Persian rule.
Although the book of Isaiah is attributed to the prophet Isaiah, since ancient times biblical interpreters recognized major portions of the book were composed by other writers. That the entire book is pseudonymously ascribed to the 8th century prophet, Isaiah ben Amoz, reflects the practice of honorific titling within the wider culture of the Ancient Near East. Most biblical scholars agree that the three portions of Isaiah are written during three different time periods by a prophetic community for whom the prophetic teachings of Isaiah ben Amoz, was the theological thought center. The book of Isaiah likely began as a group of prophetic speeches that were remembered and orally transmitted by those who knew Isaiah the prophet. Recent scholarship on Isaiah focuses on interpreting the book as a literary whole that testifies to the LORD as the sovereign of the world who has the power to deliver Israel/Judah.
First Isaiah recounts the historical time period when Judah’s estranged sister nation, Israel, has already fallen to Assyria because of its refusal to obey God. Centering within the court of King Hezekiah of Judah, Isaiah warns the surviving nation of Judah that they are also in danger of falling to the Babylonians if they do not undergo spiritual renewal. This week’s lesson text (Isaiah 6:1-8 and Isaiah 38:1-5) explores Isaiah’s call and the ministry that proceeds from that call. The lesson text is comprised of two distinct sections (verses 6:1-8 and 38:1-5.)

1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other, “Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.” The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, “Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted—blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!” Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!”
The verses of the first pericope of the lesson are essentially Isaiah’s call narrative. Most biblical scholars distinguish two basic forms for call narratives in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. The first is dominated by the word of God (as in the case of Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah, or Ezekiel). The second other form of call narrative is dominated by theophany, or a heavenly vision. Isaiah’s call narrative belongs to this second type. Isaiah 6 is a prophetic call and commission set within the framework of heavenly throne scene. The components of this type of call narrative include the description of the vision, cry of distress, cleansing ritual, divine consultation, free declaration of fitness for the task, and commissioning.
Note: While many people make a great deal about Isaiah’s call occurring the year of Uzziah’s death, that date stamp simply serves to lodge Isaiah’s ministry within a particular historical context. Uzziah’s death marked an end to the relative independence of Judah within the geo-politics of the Ancient Near East. Tiglath-Pileser III came to power in Assyria in 745 BCE, and, after consolidating his power in Mesopotamia, began to expand his empire to include the small states in Syria and Palestine. His successors would continue his military and political policies. During most of Isaiah’s lifetime, Judah lived under the threat of Assyrian domination. A similar date-time clause for the 21st century might be, “in the year that Joe Biden had his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump, I saw the Lord.”
The parts of Isaiah’s call narrative have significance and deserve to be explored with greater detail.
1. Isaiah describes a vision. Isaiah mentions what he saw, heard, and felt. He sees the LORD enthroned in majesty as he is standing in the entrance to the holy of holies. This throne scene has aspects of both the heavenly and earthly realm and it breaks the boundaries between both. This sacred space is heavenly and earthly at the same time. The seraphim are flying around likely guarding his access to his throne. They cover their faces, in contrast to the prophet himself, who finds himself in unfamiliar environs. Their job is singing God’s praises and announce him, which they do in such a way as to shake the very foundations of the temple itself. In four short verses we get a very good impression of the prophet’s encounter.
2. Cry of Distress. In verse five, Isaiah cries out, “Doom…I’m as good as dead! Or in the NRSVue, ““Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” These words indicate that Isaiah understands that the place where he is standing is within the heavenly Court of God and in the presence of God. In the context of other call reports, this is not unlike expressions of resistance or inadequacy (Exodus 3:13 4:1, 10, 13 Jer 1:6). He recognizes his human sin, and his unsuitability to be in the presence of God. Therefore, he is genuinely distressed and frightened for his life. His uncleanliness is predicated on three basic facts: he is a man of unclean lips; he dwells among a people of unclean lips; and he has seen the King, Yahweh of hosts.
3. Cleansing Ritual. One of the angel-seraphs flies towards Isaiah and cleanses his mouth with a hot coal from the altar. In this cleansing ceremony that Isaiah is cleansed both from having unclean lips and seeing the LORD in close proximity and his sin is forgiven.
4. Divine Consultation. After the cleansing, Isaiah hears God’s voice, or rather overhears God speaking with his own retinue—the Divine “We.” This is not the first time that we see this Divine Consultation in scripture. There are a number of places, but the most well-known passage is the creation stories of Genesis 1 and 2. “Let us make humankind…in our own image.” and they ask the question, “Whom will I send, Who will go for us?”
5. Free Declaration of Fitness for the Task and Commission. Upon hearing the Divine Consultation, Isaiah steps forward and voluntarily offers his availability to serve. Because his sin has been forgiven, he is able to respond when God calls—something the nation is forbidden. He can hear and see; where the nation can do neither. This is the task of the prophet, to see what other people cannot see, or will not see; and to hear the word of the LORD where other people cannot hear or will not hear.
When considering the elements of Isaiah’s call, an additional point emerges. Isaiah did not receive the call to ministry until he had an experience with the LORD. He was not prepared to say, “Here I am, send me,” until he saw God, experienced God’s holiness, heard God’s voice, and felt God’s glory in a way that he had never felt before. It behooves contemporary Christians to consider that we often assume that people within the Church have been called to a particular ministry and had a personal experience with God. However, some people are not prepared to answer a call because they have not yet had the kind of encounter with God that challenges, purifies, changes, and sanctifies a person for service.
38 1At that time, Hezekiah got sick. He was about to die. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz visited him and said, “God says, ‘Prepare your affairs and your family. This is it: You’re going to die. You’re not going to get well.’”
In the second part of the lesson, chapter 38:1-5, we jump from the call of a prophet who has been changed by a single encounter with God, to the story of King Hezekiah who has been changed by a lifetime of encounters with God. (Please note that Isaiah 36-39 parallel 2 Kings 18-20 closely. In fact, these chapters form a distinct unit of the Book of Isaiah that concern the prophet Isaiah, Hezekiah and the fate of Jerusalem.) These chapters show that Hezekiah has developed a prayer life that has seen him through everything. In fact, at the point of this pericope, we have jumped about 40 years into the future to events immediately after God has delivered Hezekiah and the Judean people from the terrible might of Sennacherib and the Assyrian army who besieged Jerusalem in 701 BCE. Because of Hezekiah’s prayers, God delivered Judah from the Assyrian army and Sennacherib met an untimely death at the hands of his own sons.
After these events, Isaiah 38:1-2 says Hezekiah became sick until death. And, the prophet Isaiah is sent by God to tell the king that he will not recover. “Get your house in order!” The prophet leaves no room for debate, nor an option for deliverance. Further, the text does not indicate how Isaiah felt about Hezekiah’s illness, or whether he thought it was fair or just. He simply delivers the prophetic message. That is the assignment of the prophet; to speak the truth at all times regardless of the outcome.

Have you ever been where Isaiah is? Have you been called to speak the truth, even when it was not convenient or comforting? Have you ever been where Hezekiah is? Have you gotten a report where there seems to be no opportunity for life or survival? What did you do?
” 2-3 Hezekiah turned away from Isaiah and, facing the wall, prayed to God: “God, please, I beg you: Remember how I’ve lived my life. I’ve lived faithfully in your presence, lived out of a heart that was totally yours. You’ve seen how I’ve lived, the good that I have done.” And Hezekiah wept as he prayed—painful tears.
Hezekiah’s response is what people who have had an experience with God would do…he prays and cries! He prays that God would remember how he lived his life, how he sought to be faithful, how he always lived in God’s presence and did good. His comments call the critical reader to the fact that the biblical writers of Kings and Isaiah have noted that Hezekiah is righteous. He cries about all he has been through, how he expected more time, how he likely expected that God would not allow him to become sick like this. Thus it begs the question, why is Hezekiah sick? Why would God allow sickness to befall Hezekiah? But with all the praying and tears, the text does not say he cursed God. He prayed painful tears no doubt in depression, but also in hope.
According to the writers of Kings and Isaiah, this incident in chapter 38 causes us to consider the power of Hezekiah’s prayers in chapters 36-38. Hezekiah has always sought the Lord in prayer, during times of national and personal crisis, and he does so again now. It is important to note, however, that Hezekiah didn’t start praying when trouble came, he already had a develop prayer life that carried him through good times and hard times.

How is your prayer life? Is as well-developed as Hezekiah’s?
4-6 Then God told Isaiah, “Go and speak with Hezekiah. Give him this Message from me, God, the God of your ancestor David: ‘I’ve heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll add fifteen years to your life.
In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God reverses God’s word. God answers Hezekiah’s prayer by instructing Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that he would live for another fifteen years. The final verse of the lesson affirms that God has the power to do the impossible—deliver and extend life. But, it also affirms the efficacy of prayer as a powerful tool in the arsenal of the faithful.
Isaiah and Hezekiah’s stories underscore the mystery of God’s engagement with humanity: God actually responds to our prayers and our deeds; our worship and our work. 21st century Christians simply need to stay close enough to God so we can discern God’s activity in our lives. Isaiah discerned God’s call because he was close enough to God—literally in the temple—to hear God’s voice. Hezekiah was a beneficiary of God’s healing grace because he had such a close relationship with the Divine that God listened to his prayer and answered in the affirmative.