Latest / Marriage Life and More and Bible Study / Isaiah 6:7-13 - Preach Boldly ... Expect Crickets - 314

Transcript

Isaiah 6:7-13 - Preach Boldly ... Expect Crickets - 314 · Marriage Life and More and Bible Study

• 0:07
  Daniel Moore: So God sends a prophet to warn Judah, perform miracles, and call them back to him, and their response was basically, nah, we're good.
• 0:16
  Daniel Moore: That's a bold strategy.
• 0:18
  Daniel Moore: How's that working out for you?
• 0:19
  Daniel Moore: And when God keeps sending prophets and they keep ignoring them, at what point do they realize the problem might not be the prophets?
• 0:27
  Daniel Moore: This week, as we continue Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah has just had one of the most jaw-dropping worship services in history.
• 0:34
  Daniel Moore: Seraphim flying around, the temple shaking, and a live colt touching his lips for purification.
• 0:40
  Daniel Moore: Now that's not exactly your average Sunday morning.
• 0:43
  Daniel Moore: After being cleansed, Isaiah famously says, Here am I, send me.
• 0:48
  Daniel Moore: And doesn't that sound incredibly heroic?
• 0:51
  Daniel Moore: Well, it might until God explains the job description.
• 0:54
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's mission is essentially to preach to people who are going to ignore him.
• 0:59
  Daniel Moore: That's not exactly the kind of ministry success story you'd put on a conference brochure.
• 1:04
  Daniel Moore: This passage this week pulls back the curtain on the sobering truth about the human heart.
• 1:09
  Daniel Moore: Sometimes people don't ignore God because they didn't hear him, they ignore him because they don't want to hear him.
• 1:15
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah is sent to a nation that will keep listening but never really understand.
• 1:20
  Daniel Moore: They keep seeing, but they never really perceive.
• 1:24
  Daniel Moore: It's a passage that's both heavy and oddly encouraging, because it reminds us that faithfulness to God isn't measured by applause, popularity, or how many people nod along.
• 1:34
  Daniel Moore: Sometimes the call of God is simply to speak the truth clearly, even when the crowd would rather change the channel.
• 1:41
  Daniel Moore: Well this week on Connecting the Gap, we're diving into Isaiah's tough assignment, what it reveals about stubborn hearts, and why God still sends messengers even when people plug their ears.
• 1:51
  Daniel Moore: And we'll try to keep the fiery cold to the mini moment.
• 1:54
  Daniel Moore: Let's get to it.
• 1:57
  Daniel Moore: Welcome to Connecting the Gap.
• 2:07
  Daniel Moore: This is a podcast about marriage, Bible, and book studies, and we interview people to have a story.
• 2:11
  Daniel Moore: I'm Daniel Moore, your host.
• 2:12
  Daniel Moore: Thank you guys for joining us this week.
• 2:14
  Daniel Moore: If you're not familiar with our show, check out our website at connectingthegap.net for our platforms.
• 2:18
  Daniel Moore: Our YouTube and Rumble links are there.
• 2:20
  Daniel Moore: We're also on the Christian podcasting app at Edifi.
• 2:22
  Daniel Moore: We're also on your Alexa and Google Smart devices.
• 2:25
  Daniel Moore: You can also visit us on social on Facebook, Instagram, and X at CTGapOnline.
• 2:30
  Daniel Moore: If you're a fan of our show, please subscribe and free leave a comment on our platforms.
• 2:35
  Daniel Moore: Give us a thumbs up for five-star review and Apple Podcasts, and we'd be thankful to you for doing that.
• 2:41
  Daniel Moore: Also, please share these episodes to people that may want to jump in on this Isaiah Bible study as we continue our verse-by-verse study through the book of Isaiah.
• 2:50
  Daniel Moore: This week we are going to finish up chapter six.
• 2:54
  Daniel Moore: There's only, I think, six verses left in this chapter, uh, roughly, to go ahead and go through.
• 3:00
  Daniel Moore: So this might be a little bit shorter episode today.
• 3:02
  Daniel Moore: We'll see how this goes.
• 3:03
  Daniel Moore: Uh, but we want to go ahead and finish up uh chapter six this week, and then next week we can go ahead and jump into chapter seven as we continue our verse-by-verse study in Isaiah.
• 3:14
  Daniel Moore: As we get started this week, let's go ahead and read our text.
• 3:34
  Daniel Moore: And our text this week obviously comes from the ESV version of the Bible.
• 3:40
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah chapter 6, verses 7 through 13.
• 3:43
  Daniel Moore: It says, And he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.
• 3:52
  Daniel Moore: And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send?
• 3:56
  Daniel Moore: And who will go for us?
• 3:58
  Daniel Moore: Then I said, Here I am, send me.
• 4:01
  Daniel Moore: And he said, Go and say to this people, Keep on hearing, but do not understand, keep on seeing, but do not perceive.
• 4:10
  Daniel Moore: Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
• 4:21
  Daniel Moore: Then I said, How long, O Lord?
• 4:24
  Daniel Moore: And he said, Until cities lie waste, without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
• 4:37
  Daniel Moore: And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.
• 4:46
  Daniel Moore: The holy seed is its stump.
• 4:48
  Daniel Moore: That's Isaiah chapter 6, verses 7 through 13, which is what we will go through this week here on this week's episode.
• 4:57
  Daniel Moore: As we get started, I'm going to go ahead and backtrack one verse.
• 5:03
  Daniel Moore: We had just reached the point here in this chapter where he's talking about the coal, where Isaiah had admitted that he was a sinful man with sinful lips, and he didn't feel like that he was worthy to be in the presence of God because of his sinful nature.
• 5:20
  Daniel Moore: So as we look back here to verse six in this chapter, we see that a seraphim flew to him, and he had in his hand a burning coal, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.
• 5:31
  Daniel Moore: In verse 7, we pick up there, it says, And he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.
• 5:44
  Daniel Moore: So as we get started this week, this verse here marks the moment of Isaiah's cleansing.
• 5:49
  Daniel Moore: His mouth, the source of his confession and being unclean, is now purified.
• 5:55
  Daniel Moore: The word your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for echo the Day of Atonement themes in Leviticus sixteen.
• 6:03
  Daniel Moore: The action here suggests not only forgiveness, but also a commissioning, preparing Isaiah to speak on God's behalf.
• 6:11
  Daniel Moore: Theologically, this purification by fire points toward the new covenant understanding of Christ, purifying our hearts and lips through his sacrifice, as you can see in Hebrews chapter ten, verse ten.
• 6:23
  Daniel Moore: And I do want to jump over there to that passage in Scripture and let's take a look at that real quick before we continue on with the text for this week here on this study.
• 6:32
  Daniel Moore: So as we look at Hebrews chapter ten, verse ten, we read, and by that we will have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
• 6:44
  Daniel Moore: So that verse that we're talking about here in Hebrews encapsulates the heart of the new covenant, contrasting the repeated, insufficient animal sacrifices of the old covenant with the singular perfect sacrifice of Christ.
• 6:58
  Daniel Moore: Now if you remember, under the old system, as described in Hebrews 10, verses 1 through 4, offerings could never fully remove sin or perfect the worshiper, serving only as shadows of the reality to come.
• 7:11
  Daniel Moore: The new covenant, however, prophesied in Jeremiah 31, verses 31 and 34, and Ezekiel 36, 26 and 27, brings definitive forgiveness, heart transformation and sanctification, setting believers apart as holy unto God, and this happened through Christ's obedience to the Father's will, culminating in his body's offering on the cross.
• 7:35
  Daniel Moore: This once for all efficacy means no further sacrifice is needed.
• 7:40
  Daniel Moore: Believers are perfected forever in positional holiness before God, as elaborated by scholars like FF Bruce and his commentary on Hebrews.
• 7:50
  Daniel Moore: This new covenant reality intersects in an awesome way with Isaiah chapter six here in verse seven.
• 7:58
  Daniel Moore: It says, And he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips, your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.
• 8:07
  Daniel Moore: Well in Isaiah's vision of God's throne, the prophet confesses his uncleanness, that happened back here in verse five, and then a seraphim applies a burning coal from the altar to his lips, that symbolized substitutionary atonement.
• 8:22
  Daniel Moore: The coal, drawn from the altar of incense or sacrifice, represents the transfer of guilt removing fire, foreshadowing the Lamb of God who takes away sin.
• 8:34
  Daniel Moore: The Hebrew terms here, chitah, which is sin, and Kephar, which is atoned for, from the root meaning to cover or propitiate, point to judicial pardon and cleansing, enabling Isaiah's commission.
• 8:47
  Daniel Moore: The intersection here lies in typology.
• 8:51
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah 6 verse 7 prefigures the new covenant fulfillment in Hebrews 10 10.
• 8:57
  Daniel Moore: The temporary external cleansing of Isaiah's lips by altar coal anticipates the eternal, internal purification by Christ's blood, as Hebrews 9 13 and 14 contrast.
• 9:08
  Daniel Moore: Just as the coal bore the altar's atoning merit to remove guilt, Christ's body offered once for all, bears the full penalty of sin, sanctifying believers completely.
• 9:20
  Daniel Moore: Evangelical theologians like John Owen note this as divine mercy bridging old and new covenants, where Christ's sacrifice achieves what the old shadows could only hint at, which is total remission or a thesis, and dedication to God.
• 9:36
  Daniel Moore: Thus the new covenant proclaims that every believer, like Isaiah, experiences guilt taken away, not by works or repetition, but by the Savior's finished work, empowering holy service.
• 9:50
  Daniel Moore: So here as we're talking here in verse 7, it's interesting how so many things are symbolic in the Bible, and how here this coal that is touching Isaiah's lips, it actually represents something similar to what the animal sacrifices were doing.
• 10:08
  Daniel Moore: Whenever those were being sacrificed, uh they would take the sins and put those upon the animal, and then sacrificing that animal would then transfer those sins.
• 10:18
  Daniel Moore: Now, those sins, as it says, were not completely gone, they were not completely eradicated, because only the blood of Jesus Christ could ever do that.
• 10:27
  Daniel Moore: But that was their way of showing their repentance to God and their way of asking forgiveness.
• 10:34
  Daniel Moore: So here Isaiah is talking about his lips being unclean and the guilt of sin that he has with this within his own self.
• 10:42
  Daniel Moore: And this seraphim brings this coal, which again is has the symbolicness of fire added to it.
• 10:49
  Daniel Moore: We see a repetitive thing that keeps happening here with this fire because fire is purifying, as we've talked about here in the last few weeks.
• 10:58
  Daniel Moore: And we see here in verse 7 that this coal touches Isaiah's lips, and that transferred that guilt to that coal, and his sin was atoned for.
• 11:08
  Daniel Moore: So now Isaiah was actually in a position where he could be commissioned to go spread the gospel for Christ and have actually some clout where people should actually listen to him.
• 11:19
  Daniel Moore: John Oswald, in his commentary on Isaiah in Isaiah, notes that God's grace prepares the prophet for service, reaffirming that divine commissioning follows divine cleansing.
• 11:31
  Daniel Moore: We should never really go out and try to minister to other people and try to get them to come to the ways of Christ and maybe call out the wrongs in their lives if we have those own things in our own lives.
• 11:45
  Daniel Moore: That's something that we really should, you know, keep in mind.
• 11:48
  Daniel Moore: If we're going to be out there speaking for the Lord and trying to win others to Christ, then we need to be a living example of what we're trying to do when we're doing that.
• 11:58
  Daniel Moore: So we need to make sure we have our lives right with Christ, and that's what Isaiah was trying to make sure was going to happen here.
• 12:04
  Daniel Moore: As we move on to verse 8, it says, And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send?
• 12:12
  Daniel Moore: And who will go for us?
• 12:14
  Daniel Moore: Then I said, Here I am, send me.
• 12:18
  Daniel Moore: Now I don't know if you caught one little word in the scripture or not, but you'll notice here that when Isaiah was speaking to the Lord, and when the Lord spoke back to Isaiah, the Lord spoke back in plural.
• 12:34
  Daniel Moore: He says, Who will go for us instead of who will go for me?
• 12:39
  Daniel Moore: Well, here's what that means.
• 12:42
  Daniel Moore: Here's what's going on in the scripture.
• 12:44
  Daniel Moore: Here God speaks to the heavenly council.
• 12:46
  Daniel Moore: And we can backtrack to Genesis chapter one, verse twenty-six, and see another place where that council was actually activated.
• 12:56
  Daniel Moore: And let's look at that real quick.
• 12:57
  Daniel Moore: In Genesis 126, it says, Then God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
• 13:16
  Daniel Moore: And then, again here in Isaiah 6, verse 8, it's referred to again.
• 13:23
  Daniel Moore: This is ref the divine heavenly counsel reflecting divine deliberation.
• 13:28
  Daniel Moore: The plural us has inspired much theological discussion.
• 13:33
  Daniel Moore: Some interpret it as a reference to the Trinity, others to the divine court of angels.
• 13:39
  Daniel Moore: The question is not directed specifically at Isaiah, but he responds eagerly, showing transformation after his cleansing.
• 13:47
  Daniel Moore: He's had this coal put upon his lips, he feels like he's a cleansed person and he's ready to go.
• 13:53
  Daniel Moore: So his response is, Here I am, send me.
• 13:56
  Daniel Moore: That reflects in Isaiah a readiness, obedience, and surrender, which is what we should always have after we go through that cleansing process with Christ.
• 14:06
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this moment parallels the calling of prophets like Moses in Exodus 3 and Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1, who initially resisted God's call, in contrast to Isaiah's enthusiastic acceptance.
• 14:20
  Daniel Moore: The context of Isaiah's mission, as seen in these verses that follow, is to a people who will largely reject the message.
• 14:28
  Daniel Moore: And that's a difficult calling.
• 14:30
  Daniel Moore: It's confirming his bold commitment to serve God's purpose, because when people aren't listening, we don't want to keep trying to track them down and make them listen.
• 14:37
  Daniel Moore: We just want to say, forget you, I'm leaving.
• 14:40
  Daniel Moore: Well, the concept of God's divine counsel appears in various places throughout the Bible and refers to a heavenly assembly or gathering of spiritual beings who surround God and carry out aspects of his divine will.
• 14:53
  Daniel Moore: This idea is rooted in ancient Near Eastern context where kings often held court with advisors.
• 15:00
  Daniel Moore: And the biblical portrayal adapts this imagery to describe God's sovereign rule and governance over creation, with the participation of lesser divine beings.
• 15:10
  Daniel Moore: One of the most prominent references is found in Psalm 82 1, which says, God has taken his place in the divine council, in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.
• 15:21
  Daniel Moore: Well, here the term gods, or in Hebrew Elohim, has been understood by many scholars to refer to spiritual beings or angelic entities, not rival deities, emphasizing Yahweh's supremacy even among the heavenly hosts.
• 15:37
  Daniel Moore: Similarly, Job 1 6 and 2 1 describe the sons of God presenting themselves before the Lord, where Satan also appears, indicating a heavenly court scenario where decisions or declarations concerning affairs of earth are made.
• 15:54
  Daniel Moore: Another key passage is 1 Kings 22 19 and 22, where the prophet Mekai details a vision of God sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing around him.
• 16:07
  Daniel Moore: In this scene, God consults the counsel regarding how to bring judgment upon King Ahab, and a spirit offers to become a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets.
• 16:18
  Daniel Moore: This portrayal emphasizes God's control and authority, while also illustrating that divine agents carry out his decrees.
• 16:27
  Daniel Moore: The divine counsel concept is not polytheistic, but it reflects a hierarchy within God's spiritual realm.
• 16:34
  Daniel Moore: While God is utterly unique and sovereign, he sovereignly chooses to involve other heavenly beings in his governance, delegating tasks while retaining full authority.
• 16:45
  Daniel Moore: Scholars like Michael Heiser argue that this view does not undermine monotheism, but instead enriches it by showing how God rules over both the seen and the unseen realms with order and purpose.
• 16:58
  Daniel Moore: Understanding the divine counsel also gives deeper insight into passages like Isaiah 6, verse 8, where God says he will go for us.
• 17:08
  Daniel Moore: So here in this scripture, the plural language reflects the presence of the divine assembly and God's engagement with it.
• 17:15
  Daniel Moore: In the New Testament, some echoes of this theme appear, although with more emphasis on Christ's authority over all powers and principalities, as seen in Colossians chapter 1, verse 16 and Ephesians 6, verse 12.
• 17:29
  Daniel Moore: Overall, the divine counsel helps us grasp the majesty and the complexity of God's rule and the unseen spiritual dynamics found throughout Scripture.
• 17:39
  Daniel Moore: So I think it's always really cool to see these little snippets in Scripture that we often just read right over and don't really think into what was just said.
• 17:49
  Daniel Moore: And I think that's really neat there.
• 17:52
  Daniel Moore: And I just wanted to bring that out.
• 18:31
  Daniel Moore: So we're going to go ahead now and move to verse 9 in chapter 6.
• 18:35
  Daniel Moore: It says, And he said, Go and say to this people, keep on hearing, but do not understand, keep on seeing, but do not perceive.
• 18:44
  Daniel Moore: This verse here marks the beginning of Isaiah's prophetic commission following his vision of God's holiness in the temple, which we saw in Isaiah verses 1 through 8 here in chapter 6.
• 18:55
  Daniel Moore: God commands Isaiah to deliver a message to the people of Judah that ironically describes their spiritual blindness and deafness.
• 19:03
  Daniel Moore: But rather than calling the people to repentance directly, God tells Isaiah to announce that they will continue to hear and see, but without comprehension or insight.
• 19:12
  Daniel Moore: This passage here is often referred to as a judgment oracle.
• 19:17
  Daniel Moore: Scholars such as Alec Mulcher in the prophecy of Isaiah observes that this is not just a prediction of the people's reaction, it's actually a divinely ordained judgment.
• 19:27
  Daniel Moore: God is giving the people over to their own stubbornness.
• 19:31
  Daniel Moore: John Oswald also notes in his commentary that this is a typical prophetic pattern in ancient Israel, where the messenger's task itself becomes a vehicle of judgment.
• 19:42
  Daniel Moore: The redundancy of their senses, hearing and seeing, underscores the gravity of their spiritual state.
• 19:49
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this reflects the moral and spiritual decline in Judah during the eighth century BC under kings like Uzziah and Ahaz.
• 19:57
  Daniel Moore: Their religiosity had become superficial, and their political alliances had replaced trust in God.
• 20:05
  Daniel Moore: Verse 10 says, Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.
• 20:17
  Daniel Moore: This verse here continues the theme of the previous verse of this judicial hardening.
• 20:23
  Daniel Moore: The language here is intentionally paradoxical and shocking.
• 20:27
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah is told to preach in a way that results in the dulling of people's hearts.
• 20:32
  Daniel Moore: The Hebrew word for dull implies fattening or making unresponsive.
• 20:37
  Daniel Moore: The command is deliberately ironic and portrays the inevitable outcome of God's judgment, which is their inability to respond.
• 20:45
  Daniel Moore: The phrase lest they turn and be healed reveals that God is withholding healing as a matter of justice.
• 20:52
  Daniel Moore: Gary V.
• 20:53
  Daniel Moore: Smith in his commentary notes that this represents God's decision to allow the people to follow their persistent rebellion to its natural conclusion.
• 21:01
  Daniel Moore: These words are quoted several times in the New Testament, such as in Matthew 13, 14 and 15, John 12 40, and Acts 28, 26 and 27, indicating the ongoing relevance of this prophecy and explaining why people rejected God's message through Jesus.
• 21:18
  Daniel Moore: In context, Isaiah is warning Judah that their disregard of God's covenant will not be without consequence, spiritual indifference will become spiritual blindness.
• 21:29
  Daniel Moore: Reverend Childs understands this as Isaiah participating both in the announcement and the execution of divine judgment.
• 21:38
  Daniel Moore: Verse 11 Then I said, How long, O Lord?
• 21:43
  Daniel Moore: And he said, Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste.
• 21:51
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah here, deeply disturbed by the commission's severity, asked how long that this hardening is going to last.
• 21:59
  Daniel Moore: This is actually a prophetic lament, as seen also in other prophetic books like Habakkuk and Jeremiah.
• 22:06
  Daniel Moore: The answer he receives is grim.
• 22:09
  Daniel Moore: The judgment will persist until the land is utterly devastated.
• 22:13
  Daniel Moore: Historically, this refers to the consequences of covenant disobedience, military invasions first by Assyria and then Babylon, exile, and then gradually leading to national ruin.
• 22:25
  Daniel Moore: The desolation of the land foreshadows the Babylonian captivity that began in 586 BC.
• 22:31
  Daniel Moore: The phrase city lie waste echoes covenant curses from Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.
• 22:38
  Daniel Moore: John Oswald notes that the extremity of this answer not only clarifies the seriousness of Judah's sin, but also assures that divine patience would end in decisive judgment.
• 22:50
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah is told that the people's hearts are going to remain hardened until national catastrophe.
• 22:56
  Daniel Moore: And this statement here actually sets the tone for much of the rest of the book.
• 23:02
  Daniel Moore: As we move on to verse twelve, it says, And the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.
• 23:12
  Daniel Moore: The judgment here culminates with exile, the removal of the people from the land.
• 23:17
  Daniel Moore: The phrase removes people far away is a clear reference to forced deportation, which was very typical in that day of Assyrian and Babylonian invasions.
• 23:27
  Daniel Moore: This verse here reinforces the covenantal backdrop, being removed from the land symbolized broken relationship with God.
• 23:34
  Daniel Moore: According to the covenant in Deuteronomy, exile was the ultimate punishment for persistent disobedience.
• 23:41
  Daniel Moore: You can see that in Deuteronomy twenty eight, verse sixty-four.
• 23:45
  Daniel Moore: The forsaken places signify utter abandonment and the eerie silence of a ruined homeland.
• 23:52
  Daniel Moore: Scholars like Barry Webb interpret this passage as a theological explanation for Israel's exile.
• 23:59
  Daniel Moore: It was not failure on God's part, but it was fulfillment of his just judgment.
• 24:05
  Daniel Moore: Yet it also prepares the way for future hope hinted at in Isaiah 6, verse 13, which we're going to read here in a minute, where it mentions a stump remains, suggesting that judgment will not be the end of the story.
• 24:19
  Daniel Moore: And as we move into the final verse here in this week's episode, we look at verse 13.
• 24:27
  Daniel Moore: It says, And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.
• 24:36
  Daniel Moore: The holy seed is its stump.
• 24:39
  Daniel Moore: So what does this verse mean?
• 24:42
  Daniel Moore: Well, this final verse in chapter six offers a glimmer of hope after a series of grim pronouncements.
• 24:48
  Daniel Moore: It completes the dialogue between God and Isaiah following his commission in the temple.
• 24:54
  Daniel Moore: The overall theme has been one of judgment and spiritual hardening, culminating in national devastation, as we saw in verses nine through twelve in this chapter.
• 25:04
  Daniel Moore: However, here in Isaiah six thirteen it introduces the idea of a faithful remnant and the future hope of restoration.
• 25:12
  Daniel Moore: It says though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again.
• 25:17
  Daniel Moore: This phrase indicates that even after God's initial judgment, more purging is to come.
• 25:24
  Daniel Moore: Historically, scholars like John Oswalt, in his Isaiah NIV application commentary and Brever Childs, in his Isaiah a commentary from two thousand one, interprets this as a reference to the multiple phases of judgment that the people of Judah would experience.
• 25:40
  Daniel Moore: After the Assyrian invasion in the eighth century BC, a remnant survived, and then came the Babylonian destruction in the sixth century BC.
• 25:50
  Daniel Moore: This verse suggests that surviving the first calamity does not exempt them from further refining judgment.
• 25:56
  Daniel Moore: The burning again metaphor conveys an image of intense purification, a process through which Israel is repeatedly reduced but not utterly destroyed.
• 26:07
  Daniel Moore: Old Testament covenant theology emphasizes this principle of the remnant.
• 26:12
  Daniel Moore: Alec Mulcher remarks in his commentary The Prophecy of Isaiah that a remnant theology is central to Isaiah's vision, severe judgment gives way to a purified people.
• 26:22
  Daniel Moore: As we get towards the end of that verse, we see this line, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.
• 26:31
  Daniel Moore: Well here Isaiah uses imagery from nature.
• 26:35
  Daniel Moore: The terebinth and the oak, both strong and long-living trees, when cut down, leave a stump that can regrow.
• 26:42
  Daniel Moore: The stump represents the enduring core of Israel.
• 26:46
  Daniel Moore: Despite destruction, something vital and living remains.
• 26:51
  Daniel Moore: In ancient Near Eastern agricultural image, the tree stump was often a symbol of hope after loss, implying potential regeneration.
• 27:00
  Daniel Moore: Brever Child sees this in this metaphor, a redundant theme in Isaiah where apparent devastation paves the way for divine renewal.
• 27:09
  Daniel Moore: He ties this symbolism forward into Isaiah 11, verse 1, which we'll get to eventually where it says there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse.
• 27:18
  Daniel Moore: This is clearly messianic in Christian interpretation.
• 27:22
  Daniel Moore: The burned lifeless stump will sprout again, signaling a new beginning through God's chosen.
• 27:28
  Daniel Moore: And in the line there, the holy seed is its stump.
• 27:32
  Daniel Moore: This is a theological climax in Isaiah 6.
• 27:35
  Daniel Moore: The term holy seed is semantically dense.
• 27:38
  Daniel Moore: It refers to the small faithful remnant that survives God's judgment, those who are set apart for divine purpose.
• 27:46
  Daniel Moore: The word seed, or in Hebrew Zera, in the Old Testament, often carries covenantal connotations referring back to God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, verses 1-3 and Genesis 22, 18, where the offspring of Abraham were designated as the channel of blessing to all nations.
• 28:07
  Daniel Moore: Some scholars also interpret this phrase messianically.
• 28:11
  Daniel Moore: For example, Oswald and Mulcher suggests that the Holy See not only refers to Israel's faithful remnant, but ultimately finds its fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who arises from the stump and brings redemptive restoration after judgment.
• 28:27
  Daniel Moore: Christian theology sees this fulfilled in the New Covenant community birthed through Christ.
• 28:33
  Daniel Moore: So in a historical critical lens, the passage closes Isaiah's commissioning by stressing both the inevitability of judgment and the enduring hope of renewal.
• 28:43
  Daniel Moore: God's purpose is not merely to destroy, but to purify, to preserve a core that, though reduced, is holy and destined to become the basis for future restoration.
• 28:55
  Daniel Moore: So as we finished up chapter 6 this week, let's do a little wrap-up here of the chapter and then let's see how we can apply these scriptures today in this chapter to us.
• 29:18
  Daniel Moore: Here in chapter 6 is one of the most powerful and theologically rich passages in the book, offering a personal account of the prophet Isaiah's divine calling and commissioning as God's messenger to a rebellious people.
• 29:31
  Daniel Moore: The chapter begins with Isaiah's transcendent vision of the Lord seated on a throne exalted and surrounded by Seraphim, who declare his holiness.
• 29:41
  Daniel Moore: This vision occurs in the year that King Uzziah died, marking a time of national instability and leadership, transition in Judah.
• 29:50
  Daniel Moore: The contrast between the earthly king's death and the eternal king's sovereignty sets the theological tone for the chapter.
• 29:58
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's immediate reaction to this heavenly vision is one of awe and overwhelming conviction of sin.
• 30:04
  Daniel Moore: Standing in the presence of a holy God, Isaiah cries out, Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.
• 30:13
  Daniel Moore: His experience reflects a universal truth.
• 30:17
  Daniel Moore: When confronted with God's holiness, human sinfulness is exposed.
• 30:21
  Daniel Moore: However, Isaiah is not left in despair.
• 30:25
  Daniel Moore: A seraph touches his lips with a coal from the altar, signifying his forgiveness and purification.
• 30:31
  Daniel Moore: This moment here is crucial.
• 30:33
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's cleansing equips him to receive his calling.
• 30:38
  Daniel Moore: Following his cleansing, Isaiah hears the Lord ask, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
• 30:44
  Daniel Moore: Without hesitation, Isaiah volunteers saying, Here I am, send me.
• 30:50
  Daniel Moore: This famous verse portrays the ideal response of a willing servant, touched by grace and eager to serve, and gives the foundation for many, many future sermons on Mission Sunday at all of our churches.
• 31:03
  Daniel Moore: However, Isaiah's commission is surprisingly sobering.
• 31:07
  Daniel Moore: God instructs him to deliver a message that the people will not understand or accept.
• 31:12
  Daniel Moore: His task is to preach truth that will result in further hardening of the audience.
• 31:17
  Daniel Moore: This reflects a reality of prophetic ministry.
• 31:20
  Daniel Moore: Sometimes God's word brings judgment rather than immediate transformation.
• 31:25
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah is told that his message will not bring repentance, but will serve as a form of divine judgment.
• 31:31
  Daniel Moore: When he asks how long, O Lord, the answer is devastating.
• 31:35
  Daniel Moore: It's until cities lie in ruins and people are exiled.
• 31:40
  Daniel Moore: Yet this chapter does not end in hopelessness.
• 31:44
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah chapter six verse thirteen that we just went over introduces the image of a stump, a remnant that remains after the tree is cut down.
• 31:53
  Daniel Moore: It is this remnant called the holy seed that will be the foundation of future restoration.
• 31:59
  Daniel Moore: This small surviving group symbolizes hope and continuity pointing ahead to God's redemptive plan.
• 32:07
  Daniel Moore: So if we look at these verses here in chapter six, how can we apply them today in our lives?
• 32:13
  Daniel Moore: Well Isaiah six speaks both to the individual faith and the broader calling of the church in a broken world.
• 32:20
  Daniel Moore: Number one, there is a vision of God's holiness.
• 32:24
  Daniel Moore: The chapter here reminds us that true worship begins with a clear vision of who God is, holy, exalted, and sovereign.
• 32:31
  Daniel Moore: In times of uncertainty like the death of Uzziah, believers are called to fix their eyes on the throne of God.
• 32:38
  Daniel Moore: Secondly, there's the acknowledgement of sin.
• 32:41
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's confession shows that encountering God's holiness leads to self examination.
• 32:46
  Daniel Moore: It is only when we recognize our unworthiness that we are ready for cleansing and service.
• 32:52
  Daniel Moore: In our personal lives we are reminded to live with humility and openness to God's refining work.
• 32:59
  Daniel Moore: And then there's the call to serve.
• 33:01
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's immediate here I am send me invites believers to a life of mission and obedience.
• 33:07
  Daniel Moore: God still seeks those who are willing to speak his truth, even when it is not popular or well received.
• 33:14
  Daniel Moore: Like Isaiah, we may be called to serve in difficult contexts where the message of the gospel is met with resistance.
• 33:22
  Daniel Moore: Then we have to remember that we need faithfulness over results.
• 33:26
  Daniel Moore: Isaiah's ministry was not measured by visible success, but by faithful proclamation.
• 33:31
  Daniel Moore: We are reminded that obedience to God's call does not always lead to immediate fruit, but can still be part of his larger plan.
• 33:39
  Daniel Moore: In an age addicted to results and recognition, Isaiah's ministry urges patience and steadfastness.
• 33:46
  Daniel Moore: And finally, we can rest assured that there's hope beyond judgment.
• 33:51
  Daniel Moore: The chapter ends with a promise, a remnant remains.
• 33:55
  Daniel Moore: God always preserves a people for himself.
• 33:59
  Daniel Moore: This points ultimately to the Messiah who would emerge from the stump of Jesse.
• 34:04
  Daniel Moore: Today, we hold on to hope that no matter how dark the cultural or spiritual climate becomes, God's redemptive plan continues.
• 34:12
  Daniel Moore: The Holy Seed reminds us that from brokenness, God brings renewal.
• 34:18
  Daniel Moore: So as we conclude Isaiah chapter 6 this week, it's not only the story of a prophet's call, but a timeless pattern of how God purifies, commissions, and uses his people for his purposes.
• 34:31
  Daniel Moore: It teaches us to see God rightly, acknowledge our brokenness, embrace our calling, and trust in his sovereign plan, even when the results are not what we expect.
• 34:43
  Daniel Moore: Well, that's going to wrap up this week's episode, and it's also going to wrap up chapter six here on our verse-by-verse study in Isaiah.
• 34:52
  Daniel Moore: Next week, when we come back, we'll go ahead and pick up with chapter seven and continue this study.
• 34:57
  Daniel Moore: Don't forget you can visit our website at connectingthegap.net to learn more about our ministry.
• 35:02
  Daniel Moore: You can also reach out to us there with the form or email us at Daniel at connectingthegap.net.
• 35:07
  Daniel Moore: We'd love to hear from you.
• 35:08
  Daniel Moore: Maybe if you have some input you can put into this as well.
• 35:11
  Daniel Moore: This is an awesome chapter.
• 35:13
  Daniel Moore: I've heard sermon after sermon preached out of this chapter, and I'm sure you have as well.
• 35:17
  Daniel Moore: And if you've got anything to add to that story, we'd love to hear it.
• 35:21
  Daniel Moore: Well, we're going to go ahead and call it good for this week.
• 35:24
  Daniel Moore: We believe that God's word never fails us.
• 35:26
  Daniel Moore: God's word has stood the test of time, and through Jesus' death on the cross, he has connected the gap.
• 35:32
  Daniel Moore: This is an extension of Connecting the Gap Ministries, and we pray that you have a blessed week.