Isaiah: A Prophet for All Seasons

Introduction – Part 1   by Samuel E. Ward   Our study of the prophetic ministry in the Old Testament has heightened my interest in not only in the topic per se, but in its relevance to the church, the world, and Israel today.  To study every prophet along with each one's historical context and message would take longer than its practicable.  That is why I have chosen to study one prophet, one who is known by many scholars in the area prophetic study as "the prince of prophets", to be our subject. Because Isaiah represents well every aspect of the way God used prophets in the Old Testament, he will help us answer the question of relevancy to our period.   I. General Information Concerning Prophets   A. Prophets Received a Special Call   1. The call came from God.  It was not inherited or the ministry of a particular tribe like Levitical priests in Israel. 2. False prophets are designated so simply because they are not called, Jer 14:14; 28:15.   Jeremiah 14:14 (NIV) 14Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries£ and the delusions of their own minds.    Jeremiah 28:15 (NIV) 15Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.    3. Examples of calls:   a. Jeremiah, Jer 1:5. Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) 5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew£ you,  before you were born I set you apart;  I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."   b. Amos, Amos 7:14-15. Amos 7:14-15 (NIV) 14Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.  15But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'    c. Moses, Ex 3:4. Exodus 3:9-10 (NIV) 9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.  10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."   d. Isaiah, Isa 6:1-9 Isaiah 6:1-9 (NIV) 1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  3And they were calling to one another:     "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;     the whole earth is full of his glory." 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.  7With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." 8Then 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!" 9He said, "Go and tell this people: . . .   e. Ezekiel, Ezek 1:1; 2:2, 3   Ezekiel 2:1-8 (NIV) 1He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you."  2As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3He said: "Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day.  4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.'  5And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.  6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions.  Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.  7You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.  8But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you."   B. Courageous Individuals   Unlike priests who had routine duties, prophets ministered usually within the context of a specific challenge or need for action.  Consider these brave souls:   1. Samuel had to tell Eli the high priest that his house had been rejected, 1 Sam 3:11-14.   1 Samuel 3:11-14 (NIV) 11And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle.  12At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end.  13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible,£ and he failed to restrain them.  14Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'"   2. Samuel anointed Saul the first king of Israel and later had to tell him that he, too, had been rejected, 1 Sam 9:15-16; 10:1-8. 1 Samuel 9:15-16 (NIV) 15Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel:  16"About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him leader over my people Israel; he will deliver my people from the hand of the Philistines. I have looked upon my people, for their cry has reached me."         1 Samuel 15:26 (NIV) 26But Samuel said to him, " . . .You have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel!"   3. Later, Samuel anointed Israel's second king, David, but Nathan, years later was sent to rebuke him for his sin with Bathsheba, 1 Sam 16:1-13.   4. Elijah warned of a famine and held a remarkable contest on Mount Carmel, 1 Kings 17:1; 28:25-38.   5. Jonah was sent to a foreign nation unfriendly with Israel to preach against their sin and to call for their repentance, Jon 1:1-3a. Jonah 1:1-3 (NIV) 1The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:  2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." 3But Jonah ran away from the LORD . . .   Jonah 3:1-3a (NIV) 1Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:  2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." 3Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days.    II. The Mission of the Prophet   A. To call for repentance and reformation, not to bring new teaching B. To urge conformity to the Law   Isaiah 10:1-2 (NIV) 1    Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.   C. To deliver God's messages of testing, serve as watchmen, and intercede for the people.   1. Jeremiah is an example of one who was called to deliver God's message of testing His people, Jer 6:27.   Jeremiah 6:27 (NIV) 27"I have made you a tester of metals and my people the ore, that you may observe and test their ways.   2. Ezekiel was called to serve as a watchman among the people to point out their wrong conduct and to warn of judgment, Ezek 3:17. Ezekiel 3:17 (NIV) 17"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.    3. Jeremiah represents well the role of intercessor as indicated in this passage:  Jer 14:17-21. Jeremiah 14:19-21 (NIV) 19Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion?  Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed?  We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.  20O LORD, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned gainst you.  21For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne.  Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.   But note an instance of God's instruction not to intercede any longer for the people, Jer 7:16.   Jeremiah 7:16-17 (NIV) 16"So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you.  17Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?    Relevancy   1.  Today there is a need for courageous individuals to speak to the church and say where it has gone wrong.  Two things come to mind immediately:   a. Accommodation to the world's view of morality or amorality. b. Neglect in nurturing a healthy respect for the holiness of God Who cannot regard iniquity.   Hebrews 12:14 (NIV) 14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. . . . 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.    Esau illustrates godlessness for the Christian because he was willing to regard his greatest possession as nothing just to satisfy a personal desire.   2. Today there is a need for courageous individuals to speak to the church and help it prepare for testing in an ever-increasing hostile attitude toward Christians.   2 Timothy 3:12-13 (NIV) 12In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,  13while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.    3. Today there is a need for righteous and compassionate individuals to intercede on behalf of God's people for the Lord's help and protection. 2 Thessalonians 1:6, 11 (NIV) 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you . . . 11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.     4. Today there is a need to proclaim the Lord instead of pandering to man. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NIV) 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.    ==========================================================