KEY WORDS AND TERMS
Uzziah = “my strength is Jehovah”. A son of King Amaziah of Judah and king of Judah himself for 52 years. Uzziah was 16 when he became an intelligent and innovative king of
Ministering during Uzziah’s reign were the prophets Hosea, Isaiah, Amos, and Jonah. Zechariah is most likely a godly prophet to whom Uzziah listened. Unfortunately, King Uzziah’s fame and strength led him to become proud, and this led to his downfall (2 Chron 26:16). Uzziah became angry with the priests who dared confront him, he died a leper.
lips = שׂפה saphah or (in dual and plural) שׂפת sepheth
meaning: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
seraphims = שׂרף saraph
1) serpent, fiery serpent
1a) poisonous serpent (fiery from burning effect of poison)
2) seraph, seraphim
2a) majestic beings with 6 wings, human hands or voices in attendance upon God
pistachio/teil/oak tree = אלה ‘elah. A valley where David killed Goliath.
Ahaz = “he has grasped”
1) King of Judah, son Yotam (Jotham), father of Uziyahu (Hezekiah)
2) a Benjamite, son of Micah, and great-grandson of Jonathan
Retzin = “firm”
King of Aram (Damascus), during the reigns of kings Yotam and Ahaz of Judah.
Pekah = “opened”
Son of Remaliah, originally a captain of King Pekahiah of Israel, murdered Pekahiah, usurped the throne and became the 18th king of the northern kingdom of Israel.
Before Isaiah, a prophet announced any “woes” on others, he first confessed his own sin. Note the four states in Isaiah’s experience with God.
Sight: He saw the Lord (Isa 6:1-4). Only here are the seraphim mentioned. The hebrew word here means “to burn” and relates these creatures to the holiness of God. From heavens point of view, “the whole earth” was “full of His glory” (Isa 6:3). See Num 14:21-22; Ps 72:18-19. When circumstances look down, do one’s best to look from a heavenly perspective.
Insight: Great conviction was bought to Isaiah’s heart. Unclean lips are caused by an unclean heart (Mt 12:34-35). Isaiah cried out to be cleansed inwardly (Ps 51:10; 1 Jn 1:9), and God met his need and was verified by the word of the Lord (Isa 6:7). Like many heros of faith one must be humbled before God.
Vision: He saw the need (Isa 6:8). The nation needed the Lord. He accepted the appointment and made himself available. He didn’t discuss his call as Moshe (Ex 3:11-4:15) and Jeremiah (Jer 1:4) did. Each person has an opportunity to share God’s character and nature.
Blindness: The nation couldn’t see. vv 9-10 are quoted six times in; (Mt 13:13-14; Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:40; Acts 28:25-28 and Rom 11:8). The more people resist God’s truth the less able they are to receive. The test was of faithfulness. God informed Isaiah that it would seem as failure, the land ruined and the people taken captive (Isa 6:11-12). A remnant would survive. Isaiah needed a long range perspective.
The B’rit Hadashah suggested readings correlate this these notes.