The Christian Science Bible Lesson to be read in church on March 25 is on the subject of “Reality”. Included in the Lesson citations is Isaiah 6:1–13 – an autobiography detailing how Isaiah became a prophet.
This is just a summary of what I understand from the commentary in the Interpreter’s Bible
When Kind Ahaz rejected Isaiah’s advice to trust in God, and instead turned to the Assyrian’s for protection, Isaiah withdrew from the political scene. He quietly looked back over his life and recorded how he was commissioned by God to become a prophet. The following was his story as I understand it.
After the death of King Uzziah, Isaiah was with the priests and watched the ancient ceremony filled with rituals and drama. Isaiah, who was used to listening for spiritual and eternal values, had a sudden awareness of the divine reality behind the symbolism of the rituals and drama that he was witnessing.
His vision is described in terms of the pagan rituals (so others at that time could understand it) but he was trying to explain his spiritual awareness. He was alone with God. He was describing an overwhelming sense of glory and holiness. “God sitting upon a throne” and “His train filled the temple”. He didn’t try to describe God. As he was feeling this over-powering sense of holiness all around him, he realized his own sins, and cried out “Woe is me” ….”a man of unclean lips”.
As described in the Interpreter’s Bible – “It was this realization of sin and the overwhelming sense of unworthiness which was the first step in the making of the prophet.”
His cry for help did not go unanswered. As soon as he confessed his sins, he was touched with the “fire of God’s cleansing”. (As in the KJV of the Bible, – one of the seraphim’s placed a live coal on his lips.)- He was forgiven – or cleansed – purified.
This experience of forgiveness was the second step in the making of the prophet. In order for Isaiah to be able to talk to others about their sins, he had to have experienced forgiveness in his own life. Only the assurance of divine mercy can bring hope to sinful men – judging or denouncing them does not make them change, – loving and forgiving them does give hope.
The third and final step in making the prophet was the dedication of a life redeemed. This redemption opened his eyes to other’s needs. Later he asks “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” and he answers his own question – “Here I am, send me”.
- C.C.