The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-09-02
Lesson Text: Isaiah 6:l-13


Of all the prophets, Isaiah
stands in the front rank. He lived
in Jerusalem and occupied po-
sition of wealth and rank, some
thinking he was connected with
the royal house. At least, he was
the adviser of four kings, both in
matters spiritual and of states
manship. His place in the nation
cannot be better described in
few words than to quote Prof.
Eiselen. who said:
Isaiah was patient and pains
taking teacher of religious truth,
bold and fearless preacher of
righteousness, a sane and cours
ageous reformer, a keen and far
seeing statesman, a large-hearted
champion of the people and a di-
vinely enlightened seer, pene-
trating the veil hiding the future
and anticipating the glorious era
when the Kingdom of God, a
kingdom of peace and righteous
ness, would be established upon
the EARTH.
1t is well to realize the stage in
history in which Isaiah appeared.
The Jews could look back to a
log line of national and religious
heroes, beginning with Abraham.
The biographies of these men,
the sojourn to Egypt, the Exodus
and wanderings in the wilder
ness and the final settlement in
Canaan, forms a distant back
ground of his day. Then had
followed the reign of the judges,
of which Samuel was the last,
and the united monarchy led by
Saul, David and Solomon, dur
ing which days the prophetic Of
flee had been filled by Elijah and
Elisha. Israel and Judah had di-
vided and the era Immediately
preceding Isaiah in Judah had
been one of prosperity and de-
velopment under the rule of King
Uzziah.
In Isaiah's day, greater king
doms were battling for suprem-
acy, Egypt, Syria. Assyria, and
Babylon, and the country of Pal
estine was affected by the clash
ing rivalries. In the sixth chap
ter of Isaiah, the prophet relates
the circumstances of his divine
call. In the temple, he received
vision of the purity of God and
realized the sinfulness of his own
nature. This was followed by a
consciousness of forgiven sin and
the immediate recognition of the
need for a divine messenger to
his people. Confronted by this
task, Isaiah unhesitatingly offer
ed himself, saying, Here am I;
send me-, and the record of his
life shows how courageously and
conscientiously he met the chal-
longing problems of his day.
1t was apparent to Isaiah that
his people had gone too far to
take heed of the warning that he
was to give and he realized that
they would disregard the pre-
dicted punishment and exile, but
he held out a hope of rescue and
establishment OF 'remnana"
and this feature of his message
is characteristic of him alone.
Isaiah was a man of deep faith
in the power of God in the affairs
of the nation If the people would
only follow him and live in ac-
cordance with his teachings. He
discounted the power of material
forces and urged reliance upon
Jehovah. Syria and Israel invad-
ed Judah during the days of King
Aiiaz, and while the king leaned
to an alliance with Assyfria for
protection. Isaiah reiterated his
firm conviction that Judah should
depend upon Jehovah. More than
thirty years later, when King
Hezekiah allied himself with the
Philistines and Egypt to oppose
the Assyriaians under Sargan.
who had just captured Ashdol,
Isaiah again protested against his
nation seeking for strength and
protection in any way except by
so living as to insure interven-
ton of Jehovah in their behalf.
For three years he walked the
streets as a slave in symbolic
prophecy of the coming slavery
of Judah and in protest against a
policy of enslavement to Egypt.
1t became Isaiah's duty to car
ny to King Hezekiah the knom-