In my last post, we began to look at Yesha’yahu taken to the Throne of God in Yesha’yahu 6:1-7. In this post, we will look at Yesha’yahu’s Commissioning in Yesha’yahu 6:8-13.

⁸ Then I [Yesha’yahu] heard the voice of Adonai saying, “Whom should I send? Who will go for us?” I answered, “I’m here, send me!”

Who is us in this verse? In my humble opinion, this is the same us in B’resheet (Genesis 1:26) God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Yesha’yahu’s readiness to serve contrasts with the reluctance of Moshe and Yirmeyahu (Exodus 4:1-17; Jeremiah 1:6). He didn’t passively say, “Lord, if You want, You can use me.” Rather, the original text indicates he said, “Behold me. Look at me, Lord.” Thus, with the enthusiasm of an eager first-grader who knows the answer, Yesha’yahu raised his hand to get the Teacher’s attention and said, “I’m here, send me!”

It has been said that Yesha’yahu’s calling can be summarized as Woe, Lo, and Go.

• “Woe is me, “Yesha’yahu said in verse 5.
• “Lo, this iniquity is taken away,” the s’rafim said in verse 7.
• “Go,” the Lord said in verse 9. ^[1]

⁹ He said, “Go and tell this people: ‘Yes, you hear, but you don’t understand. You certainly see, but you don’t get the point!’ ¹⁰ “Make the heart of this people [sluggish with] fat, stop up their ears, and shut their eyes. Otherwise, seeing with their eyes, and hearing with their ears, then understanding with their hearts, they might repent and be healed!”

Yesha’yahu was a prophet with a message of judgment. God’s commission recognized that, because of its sin, Isra’el’s healing could only come about through their punishment. Yeshayahu’s message from God would serve only to distance them even more from God.

What does the Lord say to you about your calling? What has He commissioned you to do for Him? Will you go? Whether that means across the seas or the street, around the block or the office, will you tell people about the One who saved your soul? Will you make talmidim (disciples)?

God wanted Yesha’yahu to speak His Word and to be His witness so that people might see how they were either rejecting or responding to Him. Our calling is not to be successful in ministry. Our calling is simply to be obedient to the Master. Those who are elected will respond. Others won’t.

This passage is quoted or referred to by Yeshua in Matthew 13:14-15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; and John12:40. Sha’ul quotes it in Acts 28:-26-27. Yesha‘yahu said these things because he saw the Sh’khinah of Yeshua and spoke about him. ~ John 12:41 (CJB) It seems to me that such repetition makes it important to grab ahold of and respond to our calling as talmidim makers.

¹¹ I asked, “Adonai, how long?” and he answered, “Until cities become uninhabited ruins, houses without human presence, the land utterly wasted; ¹² until Adonai drives the people far away, and the land is one vast desolation. ¹³ If even a tenth [of the people] remain, it will again be devoured. “But like a pistachio tree or an oak, whose trunk remains alive after its leaves fall off, the holy seed will be its trunk.” ~ Yesha’yahu 6:8-13 (CJB)

From the start, Yesha’yahu knew that his message would not lead God’s people to repentance. They would experience destruction. Even so, a remnant would survive. This remnant is pictured as the trunk remains alive after its leaves fall off. How long would the heart of the nation be hard, the eyes of the nation be blind? Until they were carried captive into Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar carried the Jews captive into Babylon, one-tenth were left to care for the land (2 Kings 25:12, 22). Thus, this prophecy was fulfilled perfectly.

In my next blog, we will move on to The Sign of Immanuel in Yesha’yahu 7.

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[1] Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Old Testament Volume 2.