ISAIAH
Isaiah 6:11-13

quote:

"Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered, "Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people And the land is utterly desolate, 12 The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. 13 Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump."

It is important to note that Isaiah calls God, "Adonai" (Lord). He recognized the sovereignty of God in His judgment of Judah. Instead of trying to change God's mind, Isaiah asks instead, "how long?". In his asking, Isaiah shows his concern and love for Judah. This is the type of love God looks for in His servants. God found the same servant's heart of love and concern for His People in Moses and Paul and He looks for that same love in those today who are to be messengers of His Truth. As Isaiah was faithful in his ministry to Judah, while knowing the results would be disaster for them, God expects faithfulness on our part – doing what He asks of us and leaving the result to Him.

From this passage in Chapter 6 we can see that it is possible for a prophecy to have more than one fulfillment. First it is a prophecy of the exile and secondly, the prophecy is stated to be fulfilled in John 12:37-40 –

"But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?" 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM."

The hardness of their hearts was due to their own sinful nature, but it was also something that God allowed and used for His purposes. God told Isaiah that his ministry would end in what appeared to be failure – Judah would be taken into exile and the land would become ruined. Yet there was hope, because despite the exile, there would come forth a lasting remnant. Even though a tenth is a small percentage, it too, would suffer another wasting. God is unchangeable in is His uncompromise towards sin, but is faithful to His covenant in preserving a remnant. No matter how often His people may face destruction and attempted annihilation, there will still be a surviving remnant (Romans 11). Some will be preserved and saved as His covenant purpose of salvation for the nation becomes ultimately fulfilled in their Redeemer and Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Dear Elianna, thank you for these studies in Isaiah; I've always wanted to do such a study and am grateful for your insights.

Hi Jeffree!

It's great to have you studying along. Please feel free to contribute your own thoughts. Isaiah has some truly outstanding prophecies and insights into God's purpose for His People and plan for our salvation.

God bless you!
Elianna