Israel and Judah are in severe spiritual decline. While 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles note which kings did good or evil, we have read little of what God thinks about it all—until now. Our readings will take us deeper into the prophets, ultimately revealing what He thinks about Israel and Judah’s sins and what He will do about it.
What stood out to me in today’s reading was Isaiah’s vision of his sinfulness. While he easily saw all the wickedness around him—the people’s idolatry, pride, and rejection of God—he needed to see his own as well. In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. … Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (Isaiah 6:1, 5, KJV)
Human nature is very handicapped in that we easily see the sins of others but not our own. We become experts on where others need to repent, but we seldom include ourselves on that list. It is only as we get our eyes off of the sinners around us and onto God that we see ourselves as we are. We are reminded that we are not the standard by which all others are judged; God is. We all struggle with this, Isaiah included.
What was God’s response to Isaiah’s honesty? Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal…He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” (Isaiah 6:6–7, NLT) How merciful of God to respond with forgiveness—God yearns to forgive the repentant! Yes, there may be wickedness around us, but how are we before God?
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Isaiah 5-8.