The Call of Isaiah
Text: Isaiah 6:1–13
Theme: A Vision That Leads to a Mission
Before Isaiah could proclaim God’s Word to the nations, he had to be convicted, cleansed, and commissioned. His call is a timeless pattern for every believer who wants to be used by God. Missions is not a profession—it’s a response to a Person. This chapter shows us five stages of surrender by a man called by God.
1. Confronted by the Character of God
Isaiah 6:1–4
“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up…”
Isaiah sees the Lord—exalted, enthroned, eternal. While Judah’s earthly king is gone, the heavenly King still reigns. The train of His robe fills the temple. The seraphim cry, “Holy, holy, holy.” Isaiah is overwhelmed by God’s absolute holiness.
- God is not just loving—He is holy.
- God is not just present—He is majestic.
- Missions begins not with a broken world, but with a blazing view of God’s glory.
2. Convicted of the Corruption Within
Isaiah 6:5
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…”
Isaiah doesn’t blame the world—he repents for himself. The closer we get to the light, the more we see our stains. Isaiah realizes that his lips—his strength—are unclean. His ministry must begin with brokenness.
- He doesn’t say “Woe is them,” but “Woe is me.”
- His personal confession precedes any public commission.
- Revival and missions are birthed in the ashes of personal repentance.
3. Cleansed by a Coal from the Altar
Isaiah 6:6–7
“He touched my mouth… your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
God doesn’t leave Isaiah in his sin. A seraph touches his lips with a burning coal from the altar—the place of sacrifice and substitution.
- Isaiah is not only forgiven; he is cleansed.
- God deals with the very part Isaiah confessed—his mouth.
- Your weakness doesn’t disqualify you—it’s where God begins His work.
4. Called by the Commission of God
Isaiah 6:8
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”
The voice of the Lord finally breaks the silence—not with a demand, but a divine invitation. God is looking for a volunteer. Isaiah doesn’t ask, “Where?” or “To whom?”—he simply says “Yes.”
- “Here am I” is not a location—it’s a complete offering of self.
- He’s not bargaining—he’s surrendered.
- He doesn’t delay—he declares.
5. Commissioned to a Challenging Assignment
Isaiah 6:9–13
“Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand…’”
The message Isaiah must deliver will be rejected, resisted, and ridiculed. He is sent to hard-hearted people, not receptive ones. Yet his obedience will not be wasted—his words will be remembered by future generations, and a holy remnant will remain.
- Missions is not about results—it’s about obedience.
- The missionary is not called to make fruit—only to plant seeds.
- Even when no one listens, God sees, records, and uses the faithful.
The Pattern of a Call
Isaiah’s encounter with God in Isaiah 6 follows the standard for how God calls His servants—through a consistent pattern of revelation, conviction, cleansing, surrender, and commissioning. These same principles appear repeatedly in the lives of other great messengers in Scripture:
🟦 Moses – The Reluctant Deliverer (Exodus 3–4)
- Revelation: God appears to Moses in the burning bush – holy ground.
- Conviction: “Who am I that I should go?” – Moses feels inadequate.
- Cleansing/Reassurance: “I will be with you.” – God’s presence is Moses’ confidence.
- Surrender: After protest, Moses finally obeys God’s call.
- Commission: “Now go; I will help you speak.” – Sent to Pharaoh and Israel.
🟨 Jeremiah – The Young Prophet (Jeremiah 1:4–10)
- Revelation: “The word of the Lord came to me…”
- Conviction: “I am only a youth.” – He feels too young and unqualified.
- Cleansing: The Lord touches his mouth – symbolizing divine enablement.
- Surrender: Jeremiah submits to God’s plan despite fear.
- Commission: “I appoint you a prophet to the nations.”
🟩 Peter – The Broken Fisherman (Luke 5:1–11)
- Revelation: Jesus reveals His power through the miraculous catch of fish.
- Conviction: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.”
- Cleansing: “Do not be afraid.” – Jesus speaks grace over Peter’s fear.
- Surrender: Peter leaves everything to follow Christ.
- Commission: “From now on you will catch men.”
🟥 Paul – The Transformed Persecutor (Acts 9:1–20)
- Revelation: Light from heaven and the voice of Christ on the Damascus Road.
- Conviction: Blinded and humbled – “Who are You, Lord?”
- Cleansing: Ananias lays hands on him – his sight and strength are restored.
- Surrender: “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
- Commission: “He is a chosen instrument… to carry My name to the Gentiles.”
🔁 Summary:
The missionary call follows this divine pattern:
- God Reveals Himself
- The Servant is Convicted
- God Applies Grace and Cleansing
- The Servant Surrenders
- God Sends with Purpose
🙌 God still calls today. Will you respond like Isaiah, like Peter, like Paul?
“Here I am. Send me.”
📜 Stories of Three Famous Missionaries of Yesteryear
The call of Isaiah – “Here am I. Send me.” – has echoed through the lives of countless missionaries. Here are three whose surrender to God changed the world.
1. William Carey – “Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God”
Years: 1761–1834
Mission Field: India
Legacy: Known as the Father of Modern Missions
William Carey, a humble English shoemaker turned pastor, was stirred for the nations while reading accounts of world exploration. In 1793, he sailed to India, facing personal loss and years without a convert. Yet he persevered, translating the Bible into over 30 languages, advancing education, and confronting cultural injustices.
“If one should think it worth his while to write my life, I will give you a criterion by which you may judge of its correctness: if he gives me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly.”
2. Adoniram Judson – “How few there are who die so hard!”
Years: 1788–1850
Mission Field: Burma (Myanmar)
Legacy: First American missionary sent overseas
Adoniram Judson and his wife Ann arrived in Burma in 1813. The work was painfully slow—six years passed before their first convert. He was later imprisoned and tortured for nearly two years. Despite these trials, Judson translated the entire Bible into Burmese and planted over 100 churches.
“In joy or sorrow, health or pain, our course be onward still; we sow on Burma’s barren plain, we reap on Zion’s hill.”
3. Amy Carmichael – “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”
Years: 1867–1951
Mission Field: India
Legacy: Rescued hundreds of girls from temple slavery
Born in Ireland, Amy Carmichael served in India for 55 years without furlough. She founded the Dohnavur Fellowship, providing a safe home for over 1,000 children rescued from temple exploitation. Amy lived among the people, adopting Indian dress and customs, and poured out her life in service and love.
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”
💡 Reflection: Carey’s faithfulness, Judson’s endurance, and Amy’s compassion all flow from the same source—surrender to the Lord’s call. May their lives inspire us to echo Isaiah’s words: “Here am I. Send me.”
🙌 Final Invitation: Will You Answer the Call?
Isaiah wasn’t super-qualified. He wasn’t pursuing the platform. He was simply a man who had seen the Lord, been changed by grace, and was willing to go.
God is still calling. The throne room is still open. The altar still cleanses. And the world still waits.
“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
“Here am I. Send me.”
