Isaiah 20 Reflection: A True Prophet
What if you were called by God to serve him in a dreadful capacity?
When someone says that they have been called by God it is often to a place better than where they were previously. Or at least to a vocation that is respected. Many people would be willing to trade places with them. But nobody is jumping to switch places with Isaiah.
He was told to be naked for three years…
To serve as a sign for Egypt that if they do not turn back to God, they will be just like him. That God would remove his protective hand leaving them to be overthrown.
Isaiah 20 is one of those strange stories in the Bible - a real head scratcher at first. You wonder, Lord, what is going on here? What am I supposed to learn from this? Could that message not have been communicated in another fashion?
God did not call Isaiah to be put on a stage. He did not call him to be the head of any programs or religious organizations. His calling was to be vulnerable, embarrassed, and humiliated in hopes of reconciling people to God. Does that remind you of anyone?
The archetypal bad faith modern day prophets are “called” to be the center of positive attention. A far-cry from the biblical prophets. Sharing good news was a rarity for prophets in scripture, and even then it was looking through a glass, darkly. Prophets in the Bible were most often used to tell of God’s impending judgment. They stood alone, said what nobody wanted to hear, and were killed by vicious religious mobs.
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee…”
Matthew 23:37
If a self proclaimed prophet is only telling good news and loved by many, I would hold my peace. Scripture speaks to phony prophets as far back as 1450 BC (Deuteronomy 18:22). There is nothing new under the sun. All of their prophecies must come to pass, or they have spoken presumptuously. Also, the type of person God uses is no slouch.
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2 Peter 1:21 KJV
Sit with this question today:
What if God calls you to serve him in an uncomfortable capacity the way he did with Isaiah? One where you have to stick your neck out, while knowing you will likely be ostracized. There would be no stage, titles, or notoriety waiting on you. Maybe just some stones with your name on them. What would you do?
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10 KJV
God bless,
The Collins Family