The Making of a Prophet

Marc Chagall, the Prophet Isaiah, 1968

Last week, as we follow the Narrative Lectionary,  the saints of Seneca Presbyterian Church explored one of my favorite biblical stories - that of the highly reluctant yet highly effective prophet Jonah. Unfortunately for me, it was in my absence! This week, we turn to Jonah's exact opposite: the prophet Isaiah. Jonah's pride and narrow-mindedness caused him to run from God, and the mercy he knew would be extended to his bitter enemy. Isaiah's faith and devotion to God caused him to recognize his own sin and the sin of his people. He sought forgiveness, and readily accepted the call to serve God.

When we turn to the "major" prophets like Isaiah and away from the earlier ones like Elijah, we find ourselves with far more words and far fewer stories. Yet how magnificent are the words of Isaiah. The Jewish Study Bible calls Isaiah the "best loved of all the prophetic books." It is sighted more often than any of the other prophetic books in rabbinic literature and it is recited more often in synagogue worship as well - which might explain why Jesus seems to have been shaped by these words and why he so deeply embodied their vision.

No wonder many Christians consider Isaiah "the fifth Gospel." It is inevitable that our faith sees Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic vision found in the words of this amazing prophet. It is like a door that once opened simply cannot be closed. Yet we must guard against the temptation to see only that, for these words were spoken centuries before Jesus in the world of our Hebrew ancestors. They spoke the truth of God's unceasing concern for and involvement in the world of His creation. In that light, they are the "gospel" - the good news - that God will not leave us to our own devices that serve our own interests while destroying His. Nor will God leave us in the failures and crises that come from them. God is both judge and savior, challenger and comforter - challenging us in our comfort and comforting us in our despair.

This Sunday, as we gather for worship at Seneca Pres, we will consider the vision that called Isaiah to his prophetic ministry. You can read it in chapter 6, verses 1-8. It is a magnificent encounter with an amazing God. As you read it, consider:

• How does this image of God compare with your experiences? Does anything come close? 
• Is the image comforting or disturbing to you? 
• Where can we receive the same sense of power and majesty that ignites our confession and compels our devotion?