Three great sections lead up to this point, and three follow, each section

being sevenfold in composition.  Each one of these forty -two subsections is

complete in itself, as also is the central section, Isaiah 36 to 39.

While we do not suggest that one chapter of this mighty prophecy may be

of greater importance than another, we can assert that Isaiah 6 contains

material demanding profound attention.  The chapter marks a spiritual crisis

in the prophet's own life; it throws light upon the purpose of the ages; it

contains a passage that is quoted by the Lord at the time of His rejection by

Israel in the Land (Matt. 13), and by Paul at Rome of Israel at their

rejection (Acts 28).  Moreover it concludes with a pledge of Israel's

restoration couched in terms that demand careful analysis.

First we will examine the chapter to discover its place in the ministry

of the prophet.  Are we to understand that after he had uttered the

prophecies of chapters 1 to 5, he saw the vision of Isaiah 6 and confessed

his uncleanness?  That is the considered opinion of some.  We learn from the

opening verse of chapter 1 that Isaiah's prophetic ministry was exercised in

the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.  The total period of the

last three of these reigns is sixty -one years, so that it is extremely

improbable that Isaiah prophesied during many years of the first of the

Kings.  There are Scriptural reasons for believing that this sixth chapter of

Isaiah discloses the call and commission of the prophet, and that the call

was received in the last years of Uzziah's reign.

If we compare the account of this call with the features that are

recorded in connection with the call and commission of Jeremiah and of

Ezekiel, we shall find confirmation of the opinion that Isaiah 6 is the

initiatory vision of the prophet's commission.  Let us see this:

Jeremiah's Commission.-- The touched lips.  'Then the Lord put forth

His hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I

have put My words in thy mouth' (Jer. 1:9).

Commission.-- The Cherubim.  'The word of the Lord came

unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the

by the river Chebar ... the likeness of four living creatures

... every

one had ... four wings' (Ezek. 1:3 -6).

Isaiah's Commission.-- The touched lips and the Seraphim (Isa. 6:1 -7).

It is probable that the vision of Isaiah 6 was not made public during

the lifetime of Isaiah; it was initially for his personal satisfaction and

was not made known until the whole of Isaiah's prophecies were written.  In

the same way we do not read in Acts 9 what the Lord said to Paul himself on

that occasion, but only what the Lord said to Ananias about Paul, the actual

words uttered by the Lord to Paul himself not being made known until Paul was

imprisoned (Acts 26:16).

Before we proceed to the examination of this most important section of

Isaiah's prophecy it will be well for us to get a measure of its structure,

so that we may be guided in our study in the direction of inspired intention.

No existing structure appears to give the true place to the two references to

the eretz (earth, land), nor the threefold response of Isaiah, 'Then said I'.

Accordingly, we approach the chapter afresh, and present to the reader what