Isaiah 6:8–13
“Here I am! Send me.” – Isaiah 6:8
Click to read passage
Standing before the holy God, the prophet Isaiah saw his own sin and impurity. After being cleansed by God, when he heard God’s voice asking, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” he resolutely replied, “Here am I; send me!” (verse 8)— —He did not first ask God what the task was, nor did he first consider whether he liked it, whether he was suited for it, or whether he was qualified. He simply set his heart on fulfilling God’s will; he wanted to be used by the Lord.
God gave Isaiah a strange mission: “ Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (verses 9–10) The prophet was to rebuke the people for not understanding (verse 9), yet he was also to ensure they did not understand (verse 10). The prophet alternately refers to the external acts of “hearing” and “seeing” and the internal states of “not understanding” and “not perceiving”; God’s people’s hearts, ears, and eyes seem to have lost their proper functions.
The Hebrew word translated here as “lest” originally means “so that” or “in order not to”; it does not imply that God fears the people will truly repent or is unwilling to grant grace and forgiveness, but rather refers to the inevitable consequence of the people’s long-standing hardness of heart and resistance to the truth, which ultimately leads them into God’s “judgmental abandonment,” leaving them unable to turn back. Indeed, when people persistently reject the light and grace to a certain extent, God righteously “leaves them to their own devices,” allowing them to sink into this state of being unable to hear or understand.
This was precisely the case with the prophet Isaiah throughout his ministry: his message was clear and complete, yet it was rejected and mocked. The difficulty Isaiah faced was, in fact, the very nature of humanity: only the truth can turn back those who reject it, yet the truth also hardens the hearts of those who reject it, turning the opportunity for salvation into evidence of judgment.
I wonder what’s your thoughts on some of the data from the recently released 2025 General Household Survey?
* The percentage of Christians in the total population declined from 18.9% in 2020 to 17.1% in 2025.
* The percentage of people with no religious affiliation rose from 20% of the total population in 2020 to 23.9% in 2025.
The Straits Times also specifically noted that the percentage of Christians with a university degree fell from 28.3% in 2020 to 24.9% in 2025. Did we once rejoice over the significant number of Christians in our small island nation? Yet, times have changed, and it seems that more and more people believe they can still live their lives just fine without God. “Is there more to life than this?” Few people are paying attention to this question. Is our situation today, to some extent, similar to what the prophet Isaiah faced in his day?
In fact, when it comes to God’s Word, not understanding is because one refuses to understand, and not believing is because one is unwilling to believe; the nature of sinners is stubborn and hard-hearted. People cannot fully know themselves, nor can they see the end of the downward path; they even take pleasure in it as they begin to slide.
In such circumstances, the prophet lamented, “How long, O Lord?” (v. 11). The prophet was interceding, for though he was delivering a message of severe judgment, his heart was filled with compassion and concern for his fellow countrymen; he did not cold-heartedly hope for the people’s destruction. At the same time, he was inquiring about God’s plan. Therefore, God clearly declared: ““Until cities lie waste without inhabitant……” (verse 11); only when Assyria and Babylon carried out God’s punishment would the people understand all that Isaiah had proclaimed.
However, even though “the terebinth or the oaks felled,” the stumps—that is, the holy seed—still remain. This remnant is the product of judgment and suffering. God did not completely destroy everything; in the midst of destruction, He preserved—a sign of grace! Amid the ruins and despair, God made this remnant the core of a new community and a new era, ensuring that faith and vitality would continue to be passed down. Such a message is undoubtedly a great encouragement to us as we face the results of the 2025 General Household Survey!
Reflection:
God observes and fully aware of humanity’s stubborn and rebellious sinful nature. Let us constantly examine ourselves: Have we consistently been in a state of refusing to hear or understand God’s Word? Have we failed to treat God as God, refusing to listen with reverence or humbly accept His instruction, thereby provoking His anger?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Your holiness reveals our own filth and sinfulness. By Your grace, we can be used by You, just as the prophet Isaiah was. Forgive our carelessness and our failure to truly hear and understand Your Word. Forgive us for not listening with reverence and for failing to be humble and teachable. We thank You for preserving a remnant throughout Israel’s history of salvation; even amid ruins and despair, we believe that those who trust in You always have hope. We pray in the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
Click to read passage
Standing before the holy God, the prophet Isaiah saw his own sin and impurity. After being cleansed by God, when he heard God’s voice asking, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” he resolutely replied, “Here am I; send me!” (verse 8)— —He did not first ask God what the task was, nor did he first consider whether he liked it, whether he was suited for it, or whether he was qualified. He simply set his heart on fulfilling God’s will; he wanted to be used by the Lord.
God gave Isaiah a strange mission: “ Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (verses 9–10) The prophet was to rebuke the people for not understanding (verse 9), yet he was also to ensure they did not understand (verse 10). The prophet alternately refers to the external acts of “hearing” and “seeing” and the internal states of “not understanding” and “not perceiving”; God’s people’s hearts, ears, and eyes seem to have lost their proper functions.
The Hebrew word translated here as “lest” originally means “so that” or “in order not to”; it does not imply that God fears the people will truly repent or is unwilling to grant grace and forgiveness, but rather refers to the inevitable consequence of the people’s long-standing hardness of heart and resistance to the truth, which ultimately leads them into God’s “judgmental abandonment,” leaving them unable to turn back. Indeed, when people persistently reject the light and grace to a certain extent, God righteously “leaves them to their own devices,” allowing them to sink into this state of being unable to hear or understand.
This was precisely the case with the prophet Isaiah throughout his ministry: his message was clear and complete, yet it was rejected and mocked. The difficulty Isaiah faced was, in fact, the very nature of humanity: only the truth can turn back those who reject it, yet the truth also hardens the hearts of those who reject it, turning the opportunity for salvation into evidence of judgment.
I wonder what’s your thoughts on some of the data from the recently released 2025 General Household Survey?
* The percentage of Christians in the total population declined from 18.9% in 2020 to 17.1% in 2025.
* The percentage of people with no religious affiliation rose from 20% of the total population in 2020 to 23.9% in 2025.
The Straits Times also specifically noted that the percentage of Christians with a university degree fell from 28.3% in 2020 to 24.9% in 2025. Did we once rejoice over the significant number of Christians in our small island nation? Yet, times have changed, and it seems that more and more people believe they can still live their lives just fine without God. “Is there more to life than this?” Few people are paying attention to this question. Is our situation today, to some extent, similar to what the prophet Isaiah faced in his day?
In fact, when it comes to God’s Word, not understanding is because one refuses to understand, and not believing is because one is unwilling to believe; the nature of sinners is stubborn and hard-hearted. People cannot fully know themselves, nor can they see the end of the downward path; they even take pleasure in it as they begin to slide.
In such circumstances, the prophet lamented, “How long, O Lord?” (v. 11). The prophet was interceding, for though he was delivering a message of severe judgment, his heart was filled with compassion and concern for his fellow countrymen; he did not cold-heartedly hope for the people’s destruction. At the same time, he was inquiring about God’s plan. Therefore, God clearly declared: ““Until cities lie waste without inhabitant……” (verse 11); only when Assyria and Babylon carried out God’s punishment would the people understand all that Isaiah had proclaimed.
However, even though “the terebinth or the oaks felled,” the stumps—that is, the holy seed—still remain. This remnant is the product of judgment and suffering. God did not completely destroy everything; in the midst of destruction, He preserved—a sign of grace! Amid the ruins and despair, God made this remnant the core of a new community and a new era, ensuring that faith and vitality would continue to be passed down. Such a message is undoubtedly a great encouragement to us as we face the results of the 2025 General Household Survey!
Reflection:
God observes and fully aware of humanity’s stubborn and rebellious sinful nature. Let us constantly examine ourselves: Have we consistently been in a state of refusing to hear or understand God’s Word? Have we failed to treat God as God, refusing to listen with reverence or humbly accept His instruction, thereby provoking His anger?
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Your holiness reveals our own filth and sinfulness. By Your grace, we can be used by You, just as the prophet Isaiah was. Forgive our carelessness and our failure to truly hear and understand Your Word. Forgive us for not listening with reverence and for failing to be humble and teachable. We thank You for preserving a remnant throughout Israel’s history of salvation; even amid ruins and despair, we believe that those who trust in You always have hope. We pray in the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!