"Here Am I; Send Me: The Prophet Isaiah
SABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week's Study:
Lev. 16:30, 17:11, Isa. 6:1-10, 49:6, Jer. 3:22, Matt. 28:18-20, Heb. 1:2.
Memory Text:
"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me' " (Isaiah 6:8, NKJV).
Key Thought: Isaiah was a powerful eighth-century prophet who spoke out against sin and corruption, championed justice and righteousness, and prophesied the coming of the Messiah. What parallels can we find for ourselves today?
A central part of Isaiah's mission was to reform the southern kingdom of Judah. He spoke out against sin and corruption and the nation's rebellion against God.
But Isaiah's mission extended further than just reform within Judah. He envisioned a day when Judah's mission would be to represent God to the world. Judah was not to remain inward-looking; it had a mission purpose to all other nations. Isaiah quotes God as saying, " 'I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles' " (Isa. 42:6, NIV).
This large vision of mission extending to the whole world was lost sight of in following years. Not until Jesus' own ministry, and the ministry of the apostles in the book of Acts, do we see this vision of the gospel to all the world put into action, a vision that we are called to be part of in our day and age, as well.
*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 27.
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