Isaiah 20: 1 In the year that the chief commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it — 2 during that time the LORD had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth and remove the sandals from your feet,” and he did so, going naked and barefoot — 3 the LORD said, “As My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush, 4 so the king of Assyria will lead the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Cush, young and old alike, naked and barefoot, with bared buttocks — to Egypt’s shame. 5 Those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. 6 And the inhabitants of this coastland will say on that day, ‘Look, this is what has happened to those we relied on and fled to for help to rescue us from the king of Assyria! Now, how will we escape? ’ ”

It was quite confronting to read these verses early in the morning. I was going through some intense hours figuring out some thoughts about the way a friend was set aside  by ‘checking him out’ and ‘doing some research’! I really felt that it was through the Holy Spirit that the word came to give some basis insight.
To be honest, the verses confronted myself by asking what would I do when I would see this guy walking around for three years, naked and barefoot. Most of the time, our cultural visual observation gives us the excuse not to listen to his message. We have build values that keep us most of the time from hearing and this is where the Lord has build a strategy to confront us with the limitations of our religious habits.

…during that time the LORD had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, take off your sackcloth and remove the sandals from your feet,…”

So much in these simple verses, hidden in the overflow of words of the bible. As most of the things we miss, these verses expressing a secret that we would never notice if the Holy Spirit would not emphasise them for us.
I have tried to picture the scene. A nation which ears are totally closet and a God who is determined to release a message. Needed: The blind obedience of a man who died for the sake of his calling. No hesitation, not resistance, just the simple and he did so, knowing that people would check him out in order to find the excuse not to listen to this lunatic! The dramatic experience and impact of his calling was far beyond the shame and rejection that would follow his function. Confronted with the Living God, knowing that you are alive only because of His Grace, caused him to ‘going naked and barefoot‘ without the common “Yes, but…”!

I write this post for all of you who went through the rejection and shame, through the ‘checking out’ and ‘doing research’! This post is for the naked prophets who don’t even feel pity for themselves because there is only One that is worthy to be obeyed! It is for those who have been called but find the fear of a culture more obvious than the obedience to the message and the calling.

There are messages to be delivered and there is a strong need of dying to that message. There is a Love to be expressed, even if the blinded eyes and deaf ears will not be able to receive and recognise!

There is a need of Naked Prophets, stripped and barefoot with a Message from the Most High that those who made Cush their hope and Egypt their boast will be dismayed and ashamed. 

It is a message that confronts our ‘trust’ and exposes our ‘resources’!