We have not heard from Isaiah since the death of the good king Uzziah, nor through the reign of Uzziah’s son Jotham, because they both sought the Lord. But now, wicked Ahaz is king and there are many people in Judah who share his wicked anti-Yahweh religious views. God sends Isaiah to inform Ahaz that the alliance against him will fail, and offers the sign of a virgin who will marry and give birth. This prophecy had a near fulfillment in the days of Ahaz and Isaiah, and a far fulfillment in Mary, wife of Joseph. But Ahaz was determined to resist and reject Yahweh and His signs. Isaiah also prophesied the complete downfall of the northern kingdom, and the invasions of Egypt and Assyria into Judah, and a surviving remnant.

There is nothing causal about direct contact with God – there is nothing causal about God. Here, the prophet Isaiah shares his extraordinary vision that he received from God; a vision that enlarged his existing ministry as prophet. In this vision he beheld the glory of the Lord in the temple in heaven. Convicted of his own sin, he confessed it aloud, and immediately, cleansing to minister God’s word took place. A celestial being touched his lips with a hot coal, using a tong. For what was too hot for an angelic being, was not for God’s prophet who brought a serious message full of satire, in hopes of reaching the people for God.

The prophet attempts to reach the apostate Jews in Judah with a parabolic song. Metaphorically the Promised Land of Israel is the vineyard and the people are the vine to produce fruit. The Lord did all that could be done for the people to be a fruitful people to Him but because of their apostasy and idolatry they produced only foul fruit. Join to this were the consequences of their disobedience pronounce in seven woes. The prophet told them that Hell (Sheol) could consume them, the wicked would be meals for Hell.

With satire and caricature, the prophet tried to reach the people in Judah who have either turned their backs on Yahweh completely or have mingled idols into their understanding of Yahweh, both in violation of their ten commandments. Yahweh sent the prophets to stop these egregious sins, the remedies were simple, obey. But they ruined this and behaved in arrogance and evil, ruining remedies given by God.

This section begins with the prophet sharing a vision of Israel’s future kingdom under the rule of the Messiah, who we know is Jesus Christ. Then the prophet once again addressed the sin in the land, the idolatry, the immorality and arrogance. This brought the call for accountability and judgment, along with an order to separate from those separated from God by their apostasy, idolatry and arrogance.