IN the present installment of our studies in Isaiah we shall investigate chapters 5 and 6. The former is the prophet's third recorded sermon. The latter chapter narrates his call and commission.

In chapter 5 the prophet discussed Israel under the symbolism of a vineyard. He was not the first to make this comparison. Asaph, who wrote Psalm 80, portrayed her in this same manner. The Lord Jesus Christ also compared the nation to a vineyard in Matthew 21:33-46. Isaiah the prophet likened her to a vineyard which will, in the Millennial Age, fill the earth with fruit.

Isaiah in this chapter declared that he intended to sing a song of his Beloved concerning His vineyard. The Beloved here is none other than the Lord and the vineyard, as we see in 5:7, is the people of Israel. In preparation for the planting of the vineyard, the Lord declared that He digged the land, gathered out the stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine press. Thus He spared no effort in His preparation and caring for His vineyard.

Let us note the fact that the Lord procured the choicest vine. This statement is equivalent to His declaring that the Jewish people constituted the choicest race. This fact we see when we remember that the Lord performed a biological miracle upon the bodies of Abraham and Sarah. This miracle is called an "act of creation" (Isaiah 43:1). In performing this miracle, the Lord injected new powers, capabilities, and potentialities--both intellectual and spiritual--into the blood stream of the Jewish race. This miracle accounts for Israel's being the choicest vine and for the unprecedented contribution which she has made to the world in every sphere of activity.

In Isaiah 5:3-7 the Lord spoke of His caring for His vineyard and of His expecting it to bear the finest type of grapes. Instead of its yielding luscious fruit, it bore the wild, bitter grapes of "oppression" and a "cry." After God had bestowed so very much labor upon His vineyard, He had a logical right to expect it to bear the very best fruit. Where there is much given much is required.

INASMUCH as the vineyard bore the bitter fruits of oppression and of crying and complaining, there was but one thing which the Lord could do; namely, to bring chastisement and punishment upon His people for their ungodliness. Speaking therefore in terms of a vineyard, He declared: "I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it" (Isa. 5:5-6). The judgment threatened in this language found its fulfillment in God's removing His restraining, protecting hand and His allowing foreign, aggressive powers to invade the country of the Hebrews and to lay it waste. This prediction found a partial fulfillment in the Babylonian invasion of the land and the overthrow of the government; but the complete fulfillment came in the form of the Roman occupation of Palestine in the year 70 A.D.  Asaph, in Psalm 80:8-16, foretold at length the same stroke of judgment and of punishment. God, being righteous, just and holy, must punish every transgression and disobedience of His people.

IN Isaiah 5:8-30, the prophet spoke more specifically of these sour, bitter, wild grapes borne by the Lord's vineyard. He pronounced a woe upon the various groups constituting the nation. He began by pronouncing a woe upon the rich land owners who were indifferent to the wants and needs of the poorer classes. In verses 8-10 we see that these great landlords were buying up all the property and were reducing the masses of the people to the status of tenants, who could eke out only a bare subsistence from their laborious cultivation of the soil. As a judgment upon these rich land owners, the Lord foretold that they would harvest no more than seed for another crop--in other words, He would send a famine in the land.

In the next place the prophet condemned the pleasure-loving, God-forsaking masses, who lived for the gratification of their fleshly desires only. According to him they arose in the morning only to drink liquor and inflame themselves with intoxicating beverages late at night. They would assemble in what today would be called night clubs where only music that appeals to the baser part of man's nature would be played. Isaiah's description of this class of people reminds one of the present situation in our country today.

In the next paragraph, verses 13-17, the prophet declared that the Jewish people would go into captivity because of a lack of knowledge and that many of them would die, descending into Sheol. An examination of these verses shows that the prophet was looking out into the far distant future--the Tribulation Period--when the wicked of the people of Israel will descend into Sheol. After the judgments of that time Jehovah of hosts, the Holy One of Israel, alone will be exalted. Then the lambs of His people shall feed in a rich pasture (Isa. 40:11).

In verses 18 and 19 Isaiah pronounced a woe upon those who were of a lawless, wicked disposition. He therefore declared: "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of falsehood, and sin as it were with a cart rope; that say, Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!" This group of people consisted of blasphemers and atheists. They were out and out criminals, who would resort to any type of deed and to lying in order to carry out their purposes. If any of them did believe in the existence of God, they did not accept the doctrine of His working in history and of His punishing the wicked during life. In a blasphemous way they challenged God to hasten the day of retribution for sin, which the prophet had threatened, as we have just seen in verses 13-17. One can also see reflected in their language the threats of the prophet, who had forewarned them that the counsel of the Holy One would be fulfilled in the form of judgments against their wickedness. They therefore challenged God to let His counsel draw near and come to them in order that they might see that He was something more than a figurehead.

The fourth woe was pronounced upon the class of people who had lost all spiritual perception and were unable to differentiate between good and evil. The preacher therefore declared: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (vs. 20). Sin has a deadening and hardening effect upon the heart of man. As the sense of touch in the hand is deadened and benumbed by hard, tough work, so are the spiritual powers of perception benumbed by one's engaging in sin. The further one goes into sin the less ability one has to discriminate between good and evil. This principle was true in Isaiah's day; it is also true today. Sin, immorality, and wickedness are stalking out in the broad daylight throughout the country. Modesty is almost a thing of the past. The people are becoming blind to the distinction between good and evil, light and darkness. It is a sad day for any nation when it reaches this point. Nothing but the judgment of God can be expected.

In the next place our prophet addressed the conceited people of his day, saying: "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (vs. 21). A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth--buildeth up. The people of Isaiah's day had acquired some knowledge along certain lines--they probably had advanced educationally beyond the preceding generation. Because of this fact the spirit of conceit seemed to have gripped at least a portion of the nation. They therefore felt that they were wise above all others. Woe unto the person who reaches the point where he thinks he knows everything! He who has such an exalted opinion of his acquisition of knowledge is incapable of being taught. The truly educated person realizes that what he knows is very little in comparison with the vast amount of knowledge with which he is unacquainted. The more he learns, the less he sees he knows and the more he sees there is to be learned. May the Lord keep us humble and enable us to realize that we know very little and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The prophet pronounced his last woe upon the public officials of his day who were given to drunkenness. "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; that justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!" (vss. 22 and 23). When the law-enforcing officials turn to drunkenness, there is no such thing as one's obtaining justice in any case. In Israel, as we see in this quotation, at least some of the judges had acquired this habit and did in a drunken stupor attempt to perform their duties in the courts of law. Being unprincipled, unscrupulous persons and at the same time under the influence of liquor, they did not hesitate to take bribes. There can be no such thing as justice in the courts of the land under such conditions.

IN verses 24 and 25 our bold messenger pronounced a judgment upon the country by comparing it to stubble and dry grass to which fire is put. In other words, he thought of the nation in terms of dry stubble and grass and of a forest fire which would sweep from one end of the country to the other. In this connection he showed the very root of all the evils of which the various groups were guilty; namely, that they rejected the Lord Jehovah and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). God has given man His word to instruct him in the way in which he should go. Whenever men, therefore, discredit the word of the Living God and despise His revelation, there are no restraints left to deter them from pursuing wickedness and sin. God gave His Word to Israel and confirmed it by many infallible proofs. Whenever He raised up a prophet to deliver a message, He gave His servant the ability to perform a miracle which would attest his divine call and commission. Thus the Word of God was confirmed unto the Chosen People. There was therefore no excuse for Israel's having rejected the law or despised the Word which God sent to her. There is no excuse for anyone's rejecting the Bible as the Word of God today. There is absolute and positive proof that it was infallibly inspired. (I have dealt with this thought in my new book, What Men Must Believe). The threats contained in these verses found their immediate, fulfillment in the judgment of the overthrow of the nation by the Babylonians; but the complete fulfillment will be accomplished in the Tribulation Period.

THIS sermon concerning the vineyard of Jehovah ends with a paragraph, verses 26-30, which foretells the final siege and distress of the Jewish people in the Tribulation. "And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will hiss for them from the end of the earth; and, behold, they shall come with speed swiftly" (vs. 26). This gathering of the nations against the Jews is a subject of constant discussion by the prophets. Isaiah represented this future judgment as being an irresistible force which none could withstand. In concluding his remarks, he declared that "they shall roar against them in that day like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold, darkness and distress; and the light is darkened in the clouds thereof" (vs. 30). The time here foreseen will be one of unprecedented distress and sorrow to the people of Israel. The information contained in this prophecy is supplemented by other predictions which show us that, although Israel in and of herself cannot stand against these mighty aggressors, God will supernaturally strengthen the remnant who will retard, and to a certain extent repel, the invader until the Lord Jesus himself appears upon the scene and defeats the enemy (cf. Zech., chap. 14).

IN chapter 6 we have a record of Isaiah's official call to the ministry. Before this time he had already delivered his three powerful sermons, which constitute chapters 1-5. We might think of the call recorded in this chapter as one to full-time service. It came in the year that King Uzziah of Judah died. "Where there is no vision the people perish." This statement sets forth a well recognized psychological principle. To most of the prophets God granted visions of Himself, of His own glory, and of the glories which will obtain in the great Millennial Era. Where the men of God had such experiences, they were spurred on to enthusiastic service in the Master's cause.

In the vision granted him, Isaiah the prophet saw the Lord sitting upon a throne which was high and lifted up. His train filled the temple. Above Him stood seraphim; each had six wings; "With twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" (6:2,3).

What temple was this? There is a temple in heaven (Rev. 11:19). There were the Temples of Solomon, of Zerubbabel, of Herod, and there will be the Jewish temple which will stand in Jerusalem during the Tribulation, and the millennial temple which will be built by the Lord Jesus (Zech. 6:12). Of these various sanctuaries, which was the one appearing in our passage? The answer is to be found in John 12:39-41. In this passage John quoted from Isaiah, chapter 6, and declared that the prophet made these predictions because he (Isaiah) saw His glory; and he spake to Him. John therefore interpreted the vision of Isaiah, chapter 6, as one of the Lord Jesus in His glory--the millennial kingdom. This conclusion is confirmed by the clause "The whole earth is full of his glory." The earth will, for the first time, be filled with the glory of the Lord when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom. Further confirmation of this interpretation is found in the prophet's words: "For mine eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of hosts." There can therefore be no doubt regarding this prophecy's being a prediction of Christ's millennial reign.

WHO are the seraphim? There can be no doubt but that they are intelligent beings who worship the triune God. We have another view of these same creatures in Revelation, chapters 4 and 5, where they are called living creatures. Each of these has six wings. They sing night and day the same triple holiness--Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts. In the Common Version, however, these living creatures of Revelation are called beasts. This translation of the Greek term is unfortunate. The Revised Version's rendering of living creatures is correct. Since the seraphim of Isaiah and the living creatures of Revelation have six wings each, and since they are singing the same words in worship to the triune God, we must conclude that both of these prophets were speaking of the same creatures.

In Isaiah's vision he saw Christ in the millennial Temple which will be in the city of Jerusalem in Palestine, for there our Lord will reign (Zeph. 3:14-17). The vision which John saw, however, was one of the throne of God in heaven. Even though the scenes are entirely different, the living creatures in both instances are the same.

The fact that the triple holiness is sung by these living creatures suggests the idea of the Holy Trinity. The Trinity is taught by Moses and the prophets in various places. They consistently assume the correctness of this teaching--as is here done.

When they sang the foundations of the temple shook. The prophet, seeing the Lord in His majesty and holiness, realized his own sinful condition and cried out: "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." This confession is similar to that of Job: "I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eyes seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5-6). The nearer one lives to the Lord, the more sinful does wrong-doing appear to one. The holiest men of God throughout the Old Testament Era were very sensitive to their wrongs and their sins. This fact is seen in the Book of Psalms especially. During the centuries the holiest and most godly men have felt toward their sins just as did Job and Isaiah.

WHEN Isaiah confessed his sins, one of the seraphim that he had seen in the vision flew to the altar, took a live coal in his hand and touched the prophet's mouth saying, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin forgiven" (vs. 7). Whenever the saint of God repents of his sins and confesses them, God instantly forgives. This truth is seen in Proverbs 28:13: "He that covereth his transgressions shall not prosper; But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtain mercy." The use of the coal from the altar was a symbolic representation of the cleansing of the prophet's heart. This act, however, is only a symbol, but it signified reality. The real basis for the forgiveness of sins is the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which was typified by the various sacrifices offered at the temple services. Each of those sacrifices laid emphasis upon the shedding of blood and set forth in a particular manner some special phase of our Lord's atonement. Without the shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins (Heb. 9:22). The blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin (I John 1:7).

Having been cleansed of his sins, the prophet was right toward God. His heart was attuned to the Lord. As he stood in readiness for service he heard a voice, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (6:8). One should notice the plural pronoun us. To whom does this word refer? When this passage is studied in the light of others of a similar nature, one cannot avoid the conclusion that us in this passage refers to the Holy Trinity. This inference is confirmed by the triple holiness to which we have already given attention. This verse is a record of a conversation held among the persons of the Holy Trinity regarding some special phase of work in the kingdom of God.

Hearing the call, the prophet volunteered immediately. He realized that spiritual values, after all, are the only things that amount to anything in this life. Moreover he realized very keenly his responsibility toward his God and toward men. He therefore responded: "Here am I; send me." He never hesitated for one moment. He did not have to adjust any of his affairs, but was prepared then and there to enter the service of the King. Today God wants volunteers as He did in Isaiah's day. He calls one person to one field of labor and another to an entirely different one. Some are called to labor in the homeland, where-as others are desired for foreign fields. One is qualified for a certain type of service, whereas another is capable of doing an entirely different type of work. "For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him" (II Chron. 16:9).

As soon as Isaiah volunteered, the Lord gave him his commission saying, "Go, and tell this people. Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn again, and be healed" (vss. 9 and 10). Isaiah used that idiom of the Hebrew language which indicated that he was continually to repeat his message until those who were not seeking the will of God would become hardened. The truth, if accepted, will mellow the heart; if it is rejected, it will harden the heart. By thus continually giving the message, the prophet would close the eyes, harden the heart, and stop the ears of those who were disinclined and uninterested. It is the minister's business to preach the message with all the fervency and love of a regenerated heart, pleading with men to accept the truth. But God does not hold one responsible for results. All He asks of us is faithfulness.

To the Lord the prophet responded: "Lord, how long?" Isaiah understood that his ministry, as far as good results were concerned, would not be a great success. He therefore asked how long he would have to continue such seemingly profitless labors. To this query the Lord responded: "Until cities be wasted without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste, and Jehovah have removed men far away, and the forsaken places be many in the midst of the land." It is usually supposed that the prophet began his ministry in the middle of the eighth century B.C., according to the common chronology. This reduction of the country to a condition of desolation occurred about the close of the century. Thus there was something like half a century during which God declared the prophet was to engage in his unappreciated ministry. The true servant of God is to deliver the message in firmness and love--without compromise--regardless of visible outward results.

The prophecy concludes by foretelling that only a remnant would survive. From this minority the stock would be perpetuated. Isaiah, through his ministry--especially the latter part of it--made his teaching center around this doctrine of the remnant. This teaching is also seen in the writings of the other prophets and psalmists.

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