Lessons from the life of Prophet Isaiah

 

Every book in the Bible tells different stories that we can all pick one or two lessons from and the book of Isaiah is not excluded. The book of Isaiah explores the life of the prophet of the living God. Just like any character in the Bible, there are various lessons to be learned and that is what we will be discussing today. 

Firstly, let's delve into the life of the prophet. Prophet Isaiah was the son of Amoz; his wife was called the prophetess and there were two accounts where two men were referred to as his son. From this, we know he had at least two children. Isaiah 8:3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son. Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz. Isaiah 7:3  Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub, thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

Moving on from his personal life, the book he wrote is one of the scriptures that is filled with prophecies. The scriptures were also referenced in the New Testament. There are different lessons that can be learned from this man of God and they are:

Trust in God: The first is that he trusted the Lord. The book of Isaiah talks about different prophecies, like the birth of Jesus Christ and the coming of the Messiah. Even though he didn't live to see the manifestation of this prophecy, he still trusted God and still prophesied. This goes to show us that we should trust God blindly, even if you don’t know what’s happening or are unsure. Once God has said it, just believe him. Imagine him retracting his prophecies because they weren’t fulfilled quickly. Imagine how that would have turned out.

Obedience: As a servant of God, he obeyed God. God sent the prophet several times to talk to the Judean kings. Talking to the kings is not even the issue; the issue would have been how he would submit the unpleasant news to them because it wasn't always positive. The prophet listened, regardless of the messages and relayed them.

Constant communication with God: One of the things about Prophet Isaiah is that he made sure he turned to God in every situation. Whether it is in thanksgiving, just acknowledging God, or asking God for forgiveness, he spoke to God. This must be our lifestyle as Christians; in everything we are passing through, we must always communicate with God. Don’t think that because he knows, he doesn’t need to hear from you. Regardless, he still wants you to talk to him. 

When you find yourself going astray, talk to God.

If you are happy, give thanks to him

If you are sad, express your emotions to God

After all, he will not forsake us.

The Calling: The calling of the prophet includes his life as an evangelist and a prophet. In different circumstances, he preached the gospel and spoke out about shortcomings in people. Like the other prophets in the Bible, he was spreading the gospel of Christ. He was also actively seeing and relaying prophecies. No matter what you do for Christ, always do it diligently. As Christians, we must take on the work of the master with so much enthusiasm. Our acts of service matter a lot and treating them with diligence is the best. Even though God told him the people he would be preaching to would not answer, he didn't stop preaching. What a man of God! Some would have gotten frustrated and turned their backs on the people. 

Leadership: It is one thing to hear from God, it is another to lead people to him. The prophet was a leader as he spoke to God on behalf of the people. He even went as far as asking God to forgive them when they sinned. Leadership is a key factor; a leader's behavior matters because it affects the followers largely. The behavior or attitude of the leader is enough to discourage people from following Christ. Be an empathetic leader who will lead more people to Christ.

The life of the prophet showed us how to be diligent in our calling, it also showed that we should trust and obey God, whether it is convenient or not. As I round up this study, these are some of the lessons we can learn from Isaiah the prophet and it would also be nice if we could incorporate them into our daily dealings. 

• Stay faithful to your calling as a Christian, even when faced with challenges and opposition. In the face of these challenges and oppositions, hold onto hope because God will never leave you or forsake you.  
• Have the courage to speak the truth and stand up against wrongdoing, even when it is difficult or unpopular. We are not of this world; it would be wrong to do things to please the people of this world when we have a home in heaven.
• Acknowledge the greatness and holiness of God, and approach Him with humility and reverence. Constantly seek God’s face as a leader; lead with strength and wisdom during times of crisis, offering guidance and reassurance to those you lead.
• Practice compassion and work towards justice in your community, ensuring that the vulnerable and oppressed are supported and treated fairly.