"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider" Isaiah 1:3.
When one hears the name Isiah, they may think of difficult, boring, or even fear at reading his word. His book is filled with imagery and dualism that can make it difficult to understand. Yet this book is filled with incredible imagery that shines light on a man who testified boldly to a nation who refused to turn to their God. During the days of Isaiah, the people turned from God looking to other idols for protection. They would not turn to very God who could save them. Isaiah was given the task to bring the people back to their God. This would be a difficult task; seeking to stem the tide of idolatry in two different nations. Watching people who refused to find joy and comfort by rejecting their sins. How did Isaiah do it? I think the answer begins to be found in the verse at the start of the post. Isaiah knew His Master.
Chapter 6 of Isaiah is all about an experience that Isaiah had when he literally saw His Savior.
" 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."
Can you imagine the experience of seeing your Redeemer? As Isaiah stood before the Lord, he began to see his uncleanliness before the Lord. He saw and recognized his imperfections.
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.
In his vision, he was given a coal that signified being cleansed. Standing before His Lord, he was cleansed of his sins. He knew personally that sins could be forgiven. That we need a personal experience in knowing and feeling our Savior's power in our lives.
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isaiah was cleansed every whit of his sins. He felt the joy that comes only through forgiveness of sins. Isaiah dedicated his life to teaching the people of the Savior. As one looks for the Savior in Isaiah's writings, they see powerful testaments of the cleansing power of the Savior. That our sins can be as wool or go from crimson to white as snow. His descriptions point to a deeper understanding of the many roles the Savior can have in our life such as Prince of Peace.
I think there is a lot to be learned from this experience. Do we truly know the Savior? Do we believe that He is our Master? Or are we more like the people who refused to recognize the hand of God? Who searched for other idols to teach them? We can be as Isaiah who personally knew the Savior and felt His joy. We can know that He is our Redeemer as we begin to recognize our own uncleanliness and accept His offering of forgiveness.
When one hears the name Isiah, they may think of difficult, boring, or even fear at reading his word. His book is filled with imagery and dualism that can make it difficult to understand. Yet this book is filled with incredible imagery that shines light on a man who testified boldly to a nation who refused to turn to their God. During the days of Isaiah, the people turned from God looking to other idols for protection. They would not turn to very God who could save them. Isaiah was given the task to bring the people back to their God. This would be a difficult task; seeking to stem the tide of idolatry in two different nations. Watching people who refused to find joy and comfort by rejecting their sins. How did Isaiah do it? I think the answer begins to be found in the verse at the start of the post. Isaiah knew His Master.
Chapter 6 of Isaiah is all about an experience that Isaiah had when he literally saw His Savior.
" 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."
Can you imagine the experience of seeing your Redeemer? As Isaiah stood before the Lord, he began to see his uncleanliness before the Lord. He saw and recognized his imperfections.
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.
In his vision, he was given a coal that signified being cleansed. Standing before His Lord, he was cleansed of his sins. He knew personally that sins could be forgiven. That we need a personal experience in knowing and feeling our Savior's power in our lives.
And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isaiah was cleansed every whit of his sins. He felt the joy that comes only through forgiveness of sins. Isaiah dedicated his life to teaching the people of the Savior. As one looks for the Savior in Isaiah's writings, they see powerful testaments of the cleansing power of the Savior. That our sins can be as wool or go from crimson to white as snow. His descriptions point to a deeper understanding of the many roles the Savior can have in our life such as Prince of Peace.
I think there is a lot to be learned from this experience. Do we truly know the Savior? Do we believe that He is our Master? Or are we more like the people who refused to recognize the hand of God? Who searched for other idols to teach them? We can be as Isaiah who personally knew the Savior and felt His joy. We can know that He is our Redeemer as we begin to recognize our own uncleanliness and accept His offering of forgiveness.
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| https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/oxen-winter-quarters-887826?lang=eng |
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