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Understanding the Jesse Tree
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Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
The Prophet Isaiah 6:1-13 (NRSV)

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.  Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.  And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.  And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.”  Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” And he said, “Go and say to this people:

Keep listening, but do not comprehend;
keep looking, but do not understand.’

Make the mind of this people dull,
    and stop their ears,
    and shut their eyes,
so that they may not look with their eyes,
    and listen with their ears,
and comprehend with their minds,
    and turn and be healed.”

The call of Isaiah includes a vision of God in heavens with all the angels.  As soon as Isaiah sees this vision, he recognizes that he is unworthy of it.  He and his people have unclean lips.  From the heavenly altar, an angel takes a burning coal and touches the mouth of Isaiah.  With that, his sin and guilty have been burned away and now he has the grace to respond to the call of God.  Isaiah accepts the calling to be prophet of God to the people as he says what should be on all our lips, “Here am I; send me!”  Then comes a strange section where it seems that God desires that people not understand.  There have been different interpretations of this section.  The basic meaning focuses on the prophet’s attempt in every way to bring the people to conversion.  There have been admonitions, threats, and promises but the hearts of the people are so hard, that he will most likely not be heard by the people.  The refusal of God and his message is to be expected by people who speak of him.  The people who claim to see, hear and understand actually will not do so when it comes to God.  How true for today.  When it is impossible to speak of God in public schools, public events and among family members, the one who tries should expect backlash.  However, at Christmas, we say that the Word become Flesh.  Christ is the word, which must be spoken, heard, and understood since that is the purpose of the word.  Moreover, he entered a dialogue with humanity even as people try to mute him and his presence.  Whether humanity likes it or not, it is in conversation with the creator in a way that is unique from all other creation.  Let us see, hear and understand God.  

The Old Testament is full of writings by God's prophets. The prophets sent messages from God to his people. The prophets warned the people about turning from God, but they also shared hope and the promise of Jesus.  Isaiah was one of the prophets. The words God gave him told of the sins of the people, but also the hope of a savior. The coming of Jesus is talked about many times in Isaiah and the other books of the prophets. The prophets are just another way God showed his people that he was still working on his plan to send a Savior.

Discuss how easy it is to shut out God in our lives, and in what ways we have done that.  Talk about how difficult it is to speak of God in public and sometimes among those closest to us.  Why do we say that we need a thick skin when we want to live our faith?  Explore how to persevere when we are sent by God to do his work in the world.