Isaiah 6:8 - And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said: "Here am I; send me."
A trinitarian argues from the above the scripture that Isaiah heard the voice of Yahweh [in eternity past], and is referring to himself as more than one person.
Obviously, there is nothing here about these words being said in "eternity past". Such an idea has to be added to and read into what Isaiah said. Following such reasoning, one would conclude that Isaiah had been hearing these words in "eternity past", and thus that Isaiah himself had existed in "eternity past" so as to be hearing these words in "eternity past".
Isaiah himself is playing a part in the prophetic role, depicting the church of Jesus who was yet to be. Each believer is depicting as hearing the voice of the Lord, asking, "Whom shall I send", and thus is depicted as responding: "Here am I."
The Masoretic text has "Adonai" where "the Lord" appears. The claim is made that this is one of the places copyists replaced Yahweh with Adonai, and thus some translations have the holy name in the scripture. The Great Isaiah Scroll does not have the holy name in Isaiah 6:8, but rather the Hebrew characters representing Adoni [my Lord] or Adonai [Literally, my Lords, used singularly, superlative or superior "Lord"]. At any rate, it is probable, as some have suggested, that Isaiah originally meant this to be "my Lord", referring to the coming Lord of Isaiah [representing the believer], that is, Jesus, the promised Messiah. In such a case, the words in question, who will go for us, could be those of Jesus directed toward Yahweh. The "us" would be both Yahweh and Jesus. The one to "go" for them would be Isaiah (the church individually). The fulfillment of the prophecy supports that ADNY in Isaiah 6:8 is not Yahweh, but Jesus.
This is in harmony with what Jesus said, for he recognized that no one could come to him except that his God and Father should draw such an one to Jesus.
John 6:44 - No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.
John 6:45 - Everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.
John 6:65 - No one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father.
The "us" would be both Yahweh and Jesus. The one to "go" for them would be represented by Isaiah, those who learn of Yahweh and come to Jesus.
However, the Great Isaiah Scroll does have Yahweh in Isaiah 6:11 -- not Adoni or Adonai. Thus it is possible that "the Lord" in Isaiah 6:8 is also referring to Yahweh. Assuming that "the Lord" here is Yahweh, then Yahweh is simply speaking to Jesus, saying who will go for us?
Regardless, "us" would still be Yahweh and Jesus, and in no wise would mean that Jesus is Yahweh.
In service of Jesus and his God,
Ronald
http://godandson.reslight.net
