在我們來研讀以賽亞在聖殿裡領受從神而來的一個悲劇性的異象以前，我們必須先對他的個人歷史有一個認識。

我們不能確實知道以賽亞在甚麼時候出生，但我們知道他是在烏西雅、約坦、亞哈斯和希西家的時代說預言，所以他的事奉是大約在主前740到至少主前687年期間展開的。「以賽亞」這個名字的意思是「耶和華拯救」。我們今天的經文顯示他和一位「女先知」結了婚（3節），並有兩個兒子：施亞雅述（七3）和瑪黑珥沙拉勒哈施罷斯。正如你記得的，這位先知向我們介紹他所看見的神的異象時說：「當烏西雅王崩的那年，我見主……」烏西雅是誰？他是主前791至740年期間猶大的王。最初他是敬虔的君王，但後來他在聖殿燒香（代下二十六16-21：），因而患上大痲瘋，一直到死時都沒有痊癒。

烏西雅王死的時候，猶大進入了一段黑暗時期。在這靈性低潮的時候，以賽亞得到耶和華的異象，振奮起來。以賽亞的異象在烏西雅死後不久出現，這是出於巧合嗎？我認為不是。在某種程度上，烏西雅的死觸發了以賽亞的靈性危機，令他更準備好將目光從地上轉到天上。這對生命來說是多麼真實啊。只有當某些事情發生，令我們一敗塗地時，我們才會向上看。有時地上的保障需要被除去，然後我們才能看到坐在寶座上神的榮耀。這是多麼可惜的事！

Before concentrating on the dramatic vision given to Isaiah in the Temple, we must take a few moments to acquaint ourselves with his personal history.

We do not know exactly when Isaiah was born but we do know that he prophesied during the time of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. This puts his ministry from around 740 to at least 687 BC. The name "Isaiah" means "the Lord saves", and the passage before us today shows that he was married to a "prophetess" (v.3) and had two sons - Shear Jashub (7:3) and Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz. The prophet, you remember, introduced his vision of God to us by informing us that "in the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord." Just who was Uzziah? Uzziah was king of Judah from 791 to 740 BC. At first he was a godly king, but when he burned incense in the Temple (2 Chron. 26:16-21) he was struck with leprosy and remained leprous until his death.

When Uzziah died, a period of darkness descended on Judah. In the midst of this spiritual despondency Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord high and lifted up. Was the fact that Isaiah's vision occurred soon after Uzziah's death a mere coincidence? I don't think so. In some way Uzziah's death triggered in Isaiah a spiritual crisis that made him more ready to lift his gaze from earth to heaven. How true to life this is. We look up only when something happens that knocks us flat on our backs. How sad that sometimes earthly securities have to be removed before we can see the glory of Him who sits upon the throne.