Holiness, Humility, and Hunger

The call of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel can be summarised by three words: Holiness, Humility, and Hunger. Let me explain.

            Isaiah received his call in the year King Uzziah died.  However, he had to sort out something first, holiness. Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up. He saw the glory of God’s holiness coupled with the abject humility of the attending angels. Its clear Isaiah was under no illusions of any righteousness of his own when he said, “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). Personal holiness would be critical to Isaiah as he was dealing with wicked King Ahaz and a wicked nation Judah.  Isaiah was purified before he was sent. God had done all he could in his vineyard and yet it brought forth wild grapes. Judah would be called on to make a judgment between a Holy God and an unholy Israel.

            Jeremiah was called of God in the days of Josiah and Jehoiakim. Like Isaiah Jeremiah experienced visions during his call. But they were not on the scale of Isaiah’s vision by a long chalk. Jeremiah would have to depend completely on the Lord for his protection, as he would suffer for the Lord. Complete dependence requires complete humility. Although a young man, God reassures Jeremiah that he was God’s man before he was even born. This must have helped Jeremiah in the dark days. God’s people were still in a rebellious state when Jeremiah was called. Under King Josiah revival broke out, but only temporarily.

            Ezekiel’s call is the most fantastic in my opinion. He saw things right out of the Book of Revelation. “Four living creatures…. they had the likeness of man” with four faces, four wings, and their feet were like that of a calf’s foot. (Ezekiel 1:5-6) It gets stranger indeed. Like Isaiah, Ezekiel also saw the glory of the Lord. In Chapter 2 a roll of a book is laid before Ezekiel and he is instructed to eat it. He is then instructed to speak to the house of Israel in chapter 3. Hunger for God’s Word was a part of His call, in a manner of speaking.

            All three prophets saw visions of various types. All three were living in dark spiritual days. Holiness is heard loudest in Isaiah’s call, Humility in Jeremiah’s, and Hunger in Ezekiel’s.