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In the wake of his personal cleansing, Isaiah overhears a dialogue between God and his heavenly court (see 40:1-8 and 1Ki 22:19-22 for a similar situation). God needs someone to fulfill a task: Who will it be? Seemingly without hesitation, Isaiah volunteers: “Here am I. Send me!”
Then God gives Isaiah the message that he is to deliver to this people. It is an enigmatic message that has proved to be problematic for interpreters for centuries. Even today there is no consensus as to its meaning. On a first reading, it appears to suggest that God has acted capriciously toward his people. Through Isaiah, God’s word will have the effect of blinding the people and making them unable to understand lest they perceive the error of their ways and repent. But this runs contrary to what we otherwise know of the character of God.
Some commentators have reasoned that this text was written down at the end of Isaiah’s life and is thus a reflection on his call and subsequent ministry. As such, it appears to the prophet that his words had the effect of dulling his people’s sensitivities. As appealing as this idea is, there is nothing in the text to suggest that it is a later reflection. Rather, it all is of one piece, as it were, immediately following upon the call.
The key is found in the context. Unfortunately, many commentators fragment the text of Isaiah, thus lifting the call of Isaiah out of its context. We have seen from the previous five chapters, and we shall see in ch. 7, that the people of Judah and Jerusalem have indeed heard Isaiah’s words of woe and warning, but they have been unwilling to understand or come to reason. It appears that the more Isaiah preaches, the more resistant the people become, even to the point of mockery (cf. 5:19). They simply would not believe! It has become all too obvious from the context that this people was not going to turn and be healed. Thus, in this context, v.10 carries a biting note of irony, for God surely wanted them to turn and be healed (1:5-6, 18-20), but by now it has become clear that that will not happen.
The commission is followed by a question of lament: “How long?” The answer: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged . . .” Once again it is consistent with the context. See especially the woes of ch. 5. Yet characteristic of Isaiah’s message and of the God who gave it, there is a note of hope. A holy seed, a remnant, will be left.