In the Year that King Uzziah Died

"In the year that King Uzziah Died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple" (Isaiah 6.1, NRSV). So begins the account of the call of the prophet Isaiah. King Uzziah had been a popular, successful king, and his death provoked anxiety about Judah's (the southern kingdom if Israel) future. So it was probably not a coincidence that it was at this time of anxiety that Isaiah had his vision of the real King of Israel, the Lord of Hosts. Of course, the Lord of Hosts ruled not only Judah but the whole world and that still holds true today. I don't want to pour cold water on inaugural celebrations, but it's important for us, as Christians, to remember that presidents come and go, the Lord, the true king, abides.

*Please note that I was telling my congregations the same thing eight years ago when George W. Bush was inaugurated.