Old Testament · Divided Kingdom
Isaiah
“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!'”Isaiah 6:8
Biography
Isaiah son of Amoz prophesied during the reigns of four kings of Judah. He had a vision of God enthroned in glory that shattered his self-reliance, then experienced divine cleansing by a live coal. Called the 'Messianic prophet,' his book contains the most extensive prophecies of Christ — the virgin birth (7:14), the Suffering Servant (52-53 describing the crucifixion 700 years before it happened), and the glorious new creation (65). He also wrote Scripture's most tender passages of comfort: 'Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength' (40:31).
Spiritual Lesson
Isaiah's commissioning — undone by the holiness of God, cleansed by divine fire, then sent — is the pattern of all true calling. He speaks more about both the holiness and the tenderness of God than almost any other prophet. His prophecies of the Suffering Servant teach us that redemption comes not through earthly power but through the willing, substitutionary sacrifice of the Innocent for the guilty.