Isaiah: The First Prophet — and Why We Need Prophecy
- Ken Kalis
- 55 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Why do we need the prophets? The Bible makes it clear.
Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. --Amos 3:7
Often, they tell us about things that have not yet occurred.
Sometimes they warn us of danger and guide us to the truth.
They always affirm God's goodness and love for His people.
Isaiah does all of this and more. Read on and be blessed!
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Isaiah (700s BC, Ussher) stands at the head of the prophetic books as the first of the major prophets, not because he was the earliest chronologically, but because of the scope, depth, and spiritual reach of his vision. Through Isaiah, God shows us why prophecy is necessary, and why His people cannot live by history, ritual, or memory alone.
“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.” (Isaiah 6:1)
So begins one of the most glorious scenes in all of Scripture. Isaiah’s calling does not begin with politics or preaching, but with a vision of the living God.
The Bible does not tell us when Isaiah was born or when he died, but it does tell us that he received his visions “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isaiah 1:1). This places his ministry across a span of 65 years or more, during which he served as prophet and spiritual counselor to multiple kings and occupied a place of prominence in Judah.
A Holy God — and a Humbled Prophet
Isaiah’s vision of the LORD reveals not only God’s glory, but His holiness. Surrounded by seraphim, hearing the thunderous cry “Holy, holy, holy”, Isaiah is undone:
“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 6:5)
This is always the true beginning of prophecy. Before Isaiah speaks for God, he must be cleansed by God. A live coal from the altar touches his lips:
“Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.” (Isaiah 6:7)
Only then does Isaiah hear the call that echoes through the centuries:
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”“Here am I; send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
A Message People Do Not Want to Hear
The message Isaiah is sent to deliver is not comforting—at least not at first:
“Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.” (Isaiah 6:9)
God’s people were religious, but dull of heart. They were faithful in appearance, yet constantly flirting with idolatry. Isaiah’s task was to warn, not to entertain—to call for repentance, not applause.
This message was especially difficult during the reign of King Ahaz, one of Judah’s most wicked kings.
Isaiah warned plainly that judgment was coming: Jerusalem would fall, the Temple would be destroyed, and the people would be carried away into exile. Most did not listen. God’s word was fulfilled exactly.
The Remnant — and the Promise
Yet prophecy is never judgment alone. For those who did hear—the remnant—Isaiah spoke words of astonishing hope.
After seventy years, God would restore His people to the land. The Temple would be rebuilt. And beyond that earthly restoration lay something far greater: the coming of the Messiah.
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces.” (Isaiah 25:8)
“Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” (Isaiah 25:9)
Isaiah goes further still, naming the Messiah with titles no human king could bear:
“His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.” (Isaiah 9:7)
All of this—more than 500 years before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why We Need Prophecy
Isaiah shows us why prophecy is not optional. Without it, God’s people drift. With it, they are warned, corrected, humbled, and—ultimately—given hope.
Prophecy tells us where we are, why we are there, and where God is taking us. It exposes sin, but it also reveals grace. It warns of judgment, but it shines with redemption.
Isaiah saw it all—judgment and mercy, exile and return, suffering and glory, death swallowed up in victory. What a calling. What a vision. What a mighty God we serve.
Series tag: Prophecy #1 of 14
Next, we turn from Isaiah’s sweeping vision to Jeremiah—the weeping prophet, called to speak truth to a people on the brink of collapse.
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Isaiah, mighty seer, in days of old
The Lord of all in spirit did behold
High on a lofty throne, in splendor bright,
With flowing train that filled the temple quite.
Above the throne were stately seraphim;
Six wings had they, these messengers of Him.
With twain they veiled their faces, as was meet,
With twain in reverent awe they hid their feet,
And with the other twain aloft they soared,
One to the other called and praised the Lord:
Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Holy is God, the Lord of Sabaoth!
Behold, His glory filleth all the earth!
The beams and lintels trembled at the cry,
And clouds of smoke enwrapped the throne on high.
------Martin Luther, 1526 (composite translation)