Who Will Go For Us? — Ken Winter

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After blogging for several years, i am mindful that some titles draw people to read the post … and others can scare readers away. This is one of those titles that tends to scare people away. That’s because it is a question that makes us uncomfortable. So … thank you for reading this far!

You probably remember the setting. It comes from Isaiah chapter 6. Isaiah finds himself unexpectedly in the throne room of heaven when he hears the Lord ask, “Whom should I send as a messenger to My people? Who will go for Us?”(1)

In the vision, God was not speaking to any one person individually. There is no indication that He was directing the question to Isaiah specifically. He was asking the question of all who heard it – at that moment, and as we read those words … even today. That’s the uncomfortable part. We’re okay with it when it is directed toward someone else. But it’s quite a different story when we believe it has been directed to us.

This week, i am releasing my newest book in The Called series. It’s entitled A Prophet Called Isaiah. Here is an excerpt from the book that pertains to that specific Isaiah 6 moment:

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A few nights after King Uzziah’s death, I was experiencing a fitful night’s sleep. All at once, I seemed to be in a crowd of people gathered in a magnificent temple. The building was far grander than anything I had ever seen, including the temple here in Jerusalem.

It was also much larger. I could not see the walls opposite where I was standing. They were too far away for me to make them out. I turned to ask the people standing beside me where I was. But they were bowed on bent knees with arms uplifted.

At first I thought I was at a memorial gathering for King Uzziah. But then I began to hear what the crowd was saying. With one voice they were calling out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!”(2)

I followed their gaze and could make out the shape of a throne in the distance. It was elevated high off the ground in what I presumed was the middle of the temple. Then I realized someone was seated on the throne.

As I watched, a host of what I now believe were angels encircled the throne. They were mighty men – larger than any I have ever seen. I’ve heard stories about the Philistine Goliath, but these men were even bigger than how he was described. And each of these men had six wings!

I was mesmerized as I watched them. With two of their wings, the angels were covering their faces. With two, they covered their feet, and with the remaining two they were flying around the throne.

They, too, were calling out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with His glory!”(3)

However, the sound of their voices shook the temple to its very foundation. And soon the entire building began to fill with what looked like smoke.

It was then I realized who was seated on the throne. Somehow, I had entered the presence of Jehovah God, and it was the train of His robe filling the temple. I fell to my knees and cried out in fear.

“It’s all over!” I cried out. “I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet, I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”(4)

I could no longer look at the One on the throne. My body was weighed down by my sin. But soon I felt something hovering over me. With all my strength, I forced myself to look up. Flying above me was one of the angelic beings. He was holding a burning coal with a pair of tongs.

I suspected the coal had been taken from the burning altar that stood before the throne. He reached toward me with the coal. I tried to back away, but I could not move. He touched my lips with the coal, and as he did, he said: “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”(5)

The weight I had felt was instantly gone. I looked at the One seated on the throne and heard Him ask, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for Us?”(6)

Immediately I rose to my feet and cried out, “Here I am. Send me!”(7)

My words echoed in my ears. Had I said them out loud? I must have … because every eye in the room had now turned toward me – even the eyes of the Lord! “Yes, go!” the Lord said. “But tell My people this: ‘You will hear My words, but You will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.’”(8)

“Lord, how long must I do this?” I asked.(9)

“Until their cities are destroyed, with no one left in them,” He answered. “Until their houses are deserted and the whole country is an utter wasteland. Until I have sent everyone away to distant lands, and the entire land of Israel lies deserted. Even if only a remnant survives, like a tree that is cut down, the stump will be a holy seed that will grow again.”(10)

I knew I could not speak the words I was thinking. My heart was broken by God’s promise of destruction. I wanted to shout, “No, Lord! Do not destroy our cities, our houses, and our nation!” I did not want to be the bearer of that news!

I looked at Him, and His eyes penetrated my soul. I began to panic. I wanted to flee from what He was telling me to do. But I knew I could not.

As much as I hated to hear those words, I knew God’s punishment was just because of our sinful actions. And now, that same God was commanding me to deliver His message.

At that moment, I felt as if I were being swallowed by a giant whirlwind. I fell backward into a bottomless funnel. I grabbed wildly, trying to find something to hold on to, but to no avail. The whirlwind unexpectedly stopped, just as a familiar voice called out to me.

“Isaiah, what has come over you?” my wife asked. “Wake up, Isaiah!”

Gradually, I opened my eyes but was completely disoriented. I was covered in perspiration, and my heart was racing. I realized I was waking up from a dream. But was it a dream? It seemed so real!

I raised my fingers to feel the spot where the hot coal had touched my lips. I could still feel the sensation. It may have occurred in a dream, but I knew it was very real!

Nebiah’s eyes were full of worry. “What is it, Isaiah?” she asked. “What’s wrong? Were you having a dream?”

I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts. I sensed the Spirit of God helping me understand what had just taken place.

“Jehovah God has come to me in a dream!” I said. “Though I was asleep, the dream was real. He has chosen me to be His prophet. He has chosen me to tell His people what He is going to do!

“He has placed me in the palace – not to be a king – but to be a prophet to the kings. He has placed me among His people to be a prophet to His people.”

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He may not have chosen you and i to be His prophet … but He has chosen us to be His witness. And He has placed us among His creation to be that witness. We don’t need His invitation to go. He’s already given it. The question is – how will we respond?

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Portions of this post are taken from chapters 4 and 5 of A Prophet Called Isaiah, which releases Friday, January 14th on Amazon. The book is an account of Isaiah’s life story from his birth to his death. You’ll experience the events that unfolded in Judah beginning with their 8th king – whose name was Joash (Isaiah’s grandfather) – through their 14th king – King Manasseh (Isaiah’s grandson). You’ll see them unfold through the eyes of a royal that responded to God’s call to be His prophet. For more information about the book, go to my website or Amazon.

Also, i invite you to join me for a Facebook Live conversation about the book on Thursday, January 13that 7PM EST.

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(1) Isaiah 6:8

(2) Isaiah 6:3

(3) Isaiah 6:3

(4) Isaiah 6:5

(5) Isaiah 6:7

(6) Isaiah 6:8

(7) Isaiah 6:8

(8) Isaiah 6:9

(9) Isaiah 6:11

(10) Isaiah 6:11-13

Photo by LUMO-The Gospels for the visual age on Lightstock

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