In the face of such conditions it is not surprising that when, during the last year of Uzziah's reign, Isaiah was called to bear to Judah God's messages of warning and 307 reproof, he shrank from the responsibility. He well knew that he would encounter obstinate resistance. As he realized his own inability to meet the situation and thought of the stubbornness and unbelief of the people for whom he was to labor, his task seemed hopeless. Should he in despair relinquish his mission and leave Judah undisturbed to their idolatry? Were the gods of Nineveh to rule the earth in defiance of the God of heaven?

Det er ikke så mærkeligt, at disse forhold fik Esajas til at vige tilbage for ansvaret, da han i de sidste år af Uzzijas regeringstid blev kaldet til at overbringe Juda en række advarsler og irettesættelser fra Gud. Han vidste, at han ville møde hårdnakket modstand. Han var også klar over, at det ikke stod i hans magt at få situationen under kontrol, og tanken om folkets hårdnakkethed og vantro fik opgaven til at se håbløs ud. Skulle han i fortvivlelse opgive sin gerning og lade Juda dyrke deres afguder i fred? Skulle Nineves guder have magten på jorden og trodse Himmelens Gud?