Isaiah in verse 6 responds to the call of the Lord, "Here am I; send me." He has felt lost, unclean; yet, the vision of the Lord, the actions of the seraphs, have empowered (?) him to do what the Lord wants him to do.
Since the lectionary has paired this with the lesson from Luke in which the fisherman go out into the deep water even though they think it's pointless. They go not because they think the effort will be productive but because Jesus has told them, too. And it was successful. They caught so many fish that it almost swamped their boats.
Following Jesus' command even with doubt was the right thing to do.
How are we supposed to read this passage from Isaiah. He had doubts but accepted the call. Was he successful?
The Lord told Isaiah what to say, "Keep listening, but don't understand what you hear" and what to do, "Confuse them so that they won't comprehend what is needed for them to do."
Historically, the nation was invaded by the enemy after this. Was that what God intended for them? Or, was this part considered necessary as an explanation for Israel's defeat? Or, was Israel's defeat necessary in order for them to turn away from their own sinful ways and once again look to God's teaching?
Whichever explanation we choose, we can still find comfort in the next words that the Lord gives Isaiah: "Even after destruction and devastation, a seed remains." That is, hope blooms even in the worst times. Even a small remnant can have great results.
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