“Salvation of Yahweh.”

Amos and Hosea were prophets who preached in the North, this was when Israel was under the reign of king Jeroboam II. Amos and Hosea served the Lord during a time of increasing wealth and increasing wickedness.
Isaiah and Micah preached in the South; this was when Judah was under the reign of king Uzziah.  Isaiah and Micah served the Lord during a time of great prosperity as well.
But sadly enough, the sin and the shame were also greatly increasing. Both countries Israel and Judah had the same sin problems—immorality, injustice to the poor, abuse of alcohol, insincerity in worship and idolatry.
Amos predicted Assyria would destroy Israel and Isaiah would live to see it. We read of Israel being conquered by Assyria in 2 Ki. 15:29. Those living in Judah during the reign of king Ahaz were not destroyed but became servants of Assyria.
In 742 b.c. King Uzziah who was a great king had died. Everything Judah and a young man named Isaiah probably leaving the kings funeral service found himself seeking the Lord for comfort in the Temple of God. Right there in that place of brokenness a prophet was born and Isaiah was given his mission from the Lord. Isaiah came face to face with the Lord and his life was changed forever!
Isaiah in chapter 6 of his book we read he is in the presence of God and Isaiah is reduced to nothing with an understanding of his own sin, so he cries out, “Woe is me; for I am undone; for I am a man of unclean lips”
In that moment Isaiah was washed clean before the Holy God as he confessed his sinful state. The one of the seraphim took a coal flaming with fire from the altar of God and touched Isaia’s lips. This was a symbol that his sin had been forgiven and purged. Not only had Isaiah been called that day, but he had been cleansed and made ready for service.
Now in Isaiah 6:8 when God said, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” Isaiah was able to answer without hesitation, “Here am I send me!”
God sent Isaiah as a prophet to a people who witnessed the movement of Isaiahs lips, but they would not understand. They would look but not see (6:10). God had sent Isaiah to a nation that did not care what Gods prophet had to say. Isaiah wanted to know how long God would have wanted him preaching to a people that didn’t want to hear the message.
God answered, “Until cities lie waste without inhabitants, and houses without men and the land is utterly desolate”.
It wasn’t Isaiah’s job to make the people listen, that was up to them, and it wasn’t up to Isaiah how long he would preach, that was the Lord’s decision. Isaiah was to keep preaching until given further orders from the one who enlisted him.
If no one listened, Isaiah was to preach! If no one repented, Isaiah was to preach! Isaiah would never look back or consider quitting.
We are living in a time where prosperity has increased, but along with I has evil. God used the prophets to speak the truth. They spoke Gods words to the people in hopes that they would hear, and listen, and begin to see. The light was shining amidst the darkness as the prophets spoke Gods word. Today if you are in Christ, you are that light and are commanded to preach the gospel to the world living among you. Who is in your sphere of influence? Who needs to hear the word of God spoken through your lips? When is the last time you shared the gospel? Maybe you have been sharing the word of God and are in a place like Jeremiah not wanting to say another word because nobody seems to be listening. Maybe you are like Jonah and have bitterness because of the darkness that has consumed the land. Come into the Lord’s temple. Meet with God. You will find yourself undone in His presence, but He will touch your lips and cleanse you, and prepare you for service. If you haven’t been sharing the gospel, spend time with Jesus and you will soon be saying, “Lord, here I am, send me!”
For sixty years the Prophet Isaiah ministered, beginning at end of king Uzziah’s reign. The Northern Kingdom horribly fell, and king Hezekiah began his reign. Isaiah was faithfully prophesying during the reign of Manasseh, who was Judah’s most wicked king.
In chapter 12 Isaiah says, “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. This is the message I believe God has for us today living in the world as it is getting darker and darker as the Day of the Lord approaches. We like Isaiah can trust in God and not be afraid. When reading the book of Isaiah, you will notice the first thirty-nine chapters of Judgement and it appears to be complete darkness, but did you know Isaiah’s name, means the “salvation of Yahweh.” The book of Isaiah is about salvation. God is just and His judgment is coming, which is why He sent Jesus to be our salvation. People during Isaiahs day, who had turned their backs on the Lord, are examples for us. Those who persist in their rebellion will receive judgment. On the other hand, we also see God’s faithfulness to His promise. He preserved a small remnant of faithful believers, of those who would continue serving no matter how dark things got.
Isaiah's prophecy accurately foretold:
  • The destruction of Judah
  • The captivity of the people in a foreign land
  • The eventual restoration of the people from their captivity and return to Jerusalem
Isaiah also predicted the rise of Cyrus, who would unite the Medes and the Persians, and these under Cyrus would conquer the Babylonians in 539 BC (Isaiah 41).
The decree of Cyrus in 528 B.C. would eventually allow the Jews to return home to rebuild their city, wall and temple. In Isaiahs prophecy, he foretold of deliverance that would come. This prophesy is 2-fold as there was another deliverance, only this deliverance would be from sin. There is still time for the believer to share this deliverance, and there is still time for the lost to receive the “salvation of Yahweh.”
Pastor Kolby Kreidel

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