In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet himself receives a vision from the Lord in which angels cleanse his mouth with coal and tell him his sins are forgiven. And when he hears the voice of the Lord asking, "Whom shall I send?" he readily volunteers. What follows is Isaiah's commission, along with some terrifying prophecies from the Lord.
God describes the majority of people as having "insensitive hearts, dull ears, and dim eyes" that prevent them from understanding His words and returning to be healed (verse 10). Because of their lack of knowledge and their refusal to change the status quo of their hearts, great destruction and desolation will take place until the "forsaken places are many in the midst of the land" (verse 12). However, God then describes a "tenth portion" left behind that actually resonates with the remnant described earlier in Isaiah 4. Here is the verse in its entirety:
"Yet there will be a tenth portion in it [the land], and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump" (6:13, NASB).
Notice that this remnant, though surviving the first burning, will suffer a second burning until only the stumps remain. The NIV says "it will again be laid waste," leaving no doubt that this tenth portion will also suffer devastation. Seems kind of hopeless, doesn't it? If it weren't for that last sentence in verse 13, this would indeed be a very somber prophecy. That little sentence, "The holy seed is its stump," offers hope and restoration for God's people.
Consider the idea of "holy seed." My bible references Deuteronomy 7:6 to expand upon this idea. In this verse, God is speaking through Moses in order to tell His people who they are in Him. He says that they are "a holy people to the Lord" and that God has "chosen [them] to be a people for His own possession [or special treasure]." To be "holy" means to be set apart. So in Isaiah's prophecy, those "stumps" with the "holy seed" are not doomed to face complete destruction. Sure, they will undergo painful trials of fire ("subject to second burning"), but they will not be wiped out completely. If the stumps remain, the roots remain. And as long as those roots dig deep into God's love and provision, these stumps will grow and rise up again as God's special treasures. But if the root dig into the dry land of unbelief, bitterness, and hopelessness, the stump will rot.
Maybe you're facing a painful trial right now. Or you're dreading the next painful trial to come. Or you're fearing the most painful trials of all that are sure to come as our prayers hasten the day of the Lord and the tribulations that precede it. This may sound weird, but remember the stumps of Isaiah's vision. They experienced multiple burnings but still contained holy seed, allowing them to grow again as long as their roots were in the right place. Ask Him for renewed eyes and ears to increase your knowledge of Him, as well as a sensitive heart in order to understand and accept that knowledge. Dig deep into His love, allow yourself to be healed, and know that He is never surprised by what happens to us. And though He may allow pain and trials into our lives, He will always leave a remnant for us to grow on. And we will be stronger because of it.
"For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail." Job 14:7
God describes the majority of people as having "insensitive hearts, dull ears, and dim eyes" that prevent them from understanding His words and returning to be healed (verse 10). Because of their lack of knowledge and their refusal to change the status quo of their hearts, great destruction and desolation will take place until the "forsaken places are many in the midst of the land" (verse 12). However, God then describes a "tenth portion" left behind that actually resonates with the remnant described earlier in Isaiah 4. Here is the verse in its entirety:
"Yet there will be a tenth portion in it [the land], and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump" (6:13, NASB).
Notice that this remnant, though surviving the first burning, will suffer a second burning until only the stumps remain. The NIV says "it will again be laid waste," leaving no doubt that this tenth portion will also suffer devastation. Seems kind of hopeless, doesn't it? If it weren't for that last sentence in verse 13, this would indeed be a very somber prophecy. That little sentence, "The holy seed is its stump," offers hope and restoration for God's people.
Consider the idea of "holy seed." My bible references Deuteronomy 7:6 to expand upon this idea. In this verse, God is speaking through Moses in order to tell His people who they are in Him. He says that they are "a holy people to the Lord" and that God has "chosen [them] to be a people for His own possession [or special treasure]." To be "holy" means to be set apart. So in Isaiah's prophecy, those "stumps" with the "holy seed" are not doomed to face complete destruction. Sure, they will undergo painful trials of fire ("subject to second burning"), but they will not be wiped out completely. If the stumps remain, the roots remain. And as long as those roots dig deep into God's love and provision, these stumps will grow and rise up again as God's special treasures. But if the root dig into the dry land of unbelief, bitterness, and hopelessness, the stump will rot.
Maybe you're facing a painful trial right now. Or you're dreading the next painful trial to come. Or you're fearing the most painful trials of all that are sure to come as our prayers hasten the day of the Lord and the tribulations that precede it. This may sound weird, but remember the stumps of Isaiah's vision. They experienced multiple burnings but still contained holy seed, allowing them to grow again as long as their roots were in the right place. Ask Him for renewed eyes and ears to increase your knowledge of Him, as well as a sensitive heart in order to understand and accept that knowledge. Dig deep into His love, allow yourself to be healed, and know that He is never surprised by what happens to us. And though He may allow pain and trials into our lives, He will always leave a remnant for us to grow on. And we will be stronger because of it.
"For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail." Job 14:7
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