The book of Isaiah was written amidst great despair and disillusion. On the one hand, the people of Israel are under the iron fist rule of the Assyrians who took them into captivity by force. On the other hand, what got Israel here to begin with was pride: Israel’s leaders refused to trust in God and sold out instead to their captors.
Amidst such disappointment, Isaiah first announces the Advent of One who would come to liberate his people from oppression and establish a very different kingdom, marked not by pride and arrogance, but centered on peace, justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7). Our opening words earlier tonight spoke of this hopeful event, of this messianic hope: “For to us a child is born...a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder...Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end...” (9:6-7).
Isaiah 11:10-12:1-end makes the point that destruction is not God’s final word: Assyria will come under judgment, just as Israel already has - God always deals with sin - but more than that, God will restore his faithful, those who trust Him amidst the most difficult of circumstances. And God’s plan of salvation - although not explicitly given this early in Isaiah - is the Messiah, his Anointed One, the very “well [sic] of salvation” (12:3). This plan is announced - a most appropriate word - and then followed up with a response of praise (12:5): through thanksgiving (12:1), trust (12:2, 4), and joy (12:3, 6). This is a conclusion - a song of praise (12:5-6) - we’re all invited to participate in.
The nations - all nations - will seek God’s Messiah (11:10). I’m reminded here of the most recent presidential elections of our neighbours to the south: the initial expectations were so great, the hopes so high, but now, euphoria is replaced by reality: the president is human after all.
Isaiah’s Messiah is not like that: his Name will not wane, he will not falter, he will not diminish. He will have a clear picture of all things, he wont have to rule by rumour - what his eyes see, or what his ears hear (11:4) - he will rule with righteousness, equity, and faithfulness (11:4-5). The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: wisdom, counsel, might, and understanding, (11:2); “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord” (11:3).
This is great news for the poor (11:4a) and the oppressed (11:13), this is great news for the gentle-hearted (11:4b), this is great news for children (11:6, 8), this is great news for the outcasts and the dispersed (11:12). In short, this is great news for all, because in one way or another, this describes us, if not materially, certainly spiritually. The Messiah will be sought out by all nations, (11:10), his kingdom will be an ensign, an emblem for all the nations (11:10, 12).
But in a very real way, this news ought to trouble us also, because we are not always victims of sin, we are often authors of it: pride, self-sufficiency, greed... (11:11-16). I like the words of G. K. Chesterton: “Original sin is the one Christian doctrine for which there is overwhelming empirical evidence.” I’m always amazed that we deny this: given all the evil around us, somehow we still consider ourselves exempt, outside of it, innocent.
Isaiah shows us a very different picture, he puts a mirror in front of us that gives a very different view of reality. He says “I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, for though thou wast angry with me, thy anger turned away, and thou didst comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation” (12:1-2a).
God has “just cause” in his anger towards us who so often choose the way of destruction. Yet he turns away from his anger, and becomes the very source of our comfort: not by an arbitrary decision or by turning a blind eye, but by re-directing his anger onto Someone Else, by throwing it onto the shoulders of the only One who could make amends for our sin: Jesus Christ.1
All of Isaiah points in the direction of this Saviour Messiah, who will one day come down from his rightful place in heaven, and all nations will seek him out (11:10). The child born in the manger in Bethlehem (9:6) - the Christ-child - is the same One we thank for salvation (12:1); he’s the One we trust with our lives (12:2), he’s the reason for joy (12:3), his arrival we announce (12:4) in songs of praise along with Isaiah: “...for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy...for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (12:5-6).
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen ✠
-----
1- John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-39. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. R. K. Harrison, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 292-293.
Amidst such disappointment, Isaiah first announces the Advent of One who would come to liberate his people from oppression and establish a very different kingdom, marked not by pride and arrogance, but centered on peace, justice and righteousness (Isaiah 9:7). Our opening words earlier tonight spoke of this hopeful event, of this messianic hope: “For to us a child is born...a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder...Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end...” (9:6-7).
Isaiah 11:10-12:1-end makes the point that destruction is not God’s final word: Assyria will come under judgment, just as Israel already has - God always deals with sin - but more than that, God will restore his faithful, those who trust Him amidst the most difficult of circumstances. And God’s plan of salvation - although not explicitly given this early in Isaiah - is the Messiah, his Anointed One, the very “well [sic] of salvation” (12:3). This plan is announced - a most appropriate word - and then followed up with a response of praise (12:5): through thanksgiving (12:1), trust (12:2, 4), and joy (12:3, 6). This is a conclusion - a song of praise (12:5-6) - we’re all invited to participate in.
The nations - all nations - will seek God’s Messiah (11:10). I’m reminded here of the most recent presidential elections of our neighbours to the south: the initial expectations were so great, the hopes so high, but now, euphoria is replaced by reality: the president is human after all.
Isaiah’s Messiah is not like that: his Name will not wane, he will not falter, he will not diminish. He will have a clear picture of all things, he wont have to rule by rumour - what his eyes see, or what his ears hear (11:4) - he will rule with righteousness, equity, and faithfulness (11:4-5). The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: wisdom, counsel, might, and understanding, (11:2); “And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord” (11:3).
This is great news for the poor (11:4a) and the oppressed (11:13), this is great news for the gentle-hearted (11:4b), this is great news for children (11:6, 8), this is great news for the outcasts and the dispersed (11:12). In short, this is great news for all, because in one way or another, this describes us, if not materially, certainly spiritually. The Messiah will be sought out by all nations, (11:10), his kingdom will be an ensign, an emblem for all the nations (11:10, 12).
But in a very real way, this news ought to trouble us also, because we are not always victims of sin, we are often authors of it: pride, self-sufficiency, greed... (11:11-16). I like the words of G. K. Chesterton: “Original sin is the one Christian doctrine for which there is overwhelming empirical evidence.” I’m always amazed that we deny this: given all the evil around us, somehow we still consider ourselves exempt, outside of it, innocent.
Isaiah shows us a very different picture, he puts a mirror in front of us that gives a very different view of reality. He says “I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, for though thou wast angry with me, thy anger turned away, and thou didst comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation” (12:1-2a).
God has “just cause” in his anger towards us who so often choose the way of destruction. Yet he turns away from his anger, and becomes the very source of our comfort: not by an arbitrary decision or by turning a blind eye, but by re-directing his anger onto Someone Else, by throwing it onto the shoulders of the only One who could make amends for our sin: Jesus Christ.1
All of Isaiah points in the direction of this Saviour Messiah, who will one day come down from his rightful place in heaven, and all nations will seek him out (11:10). The child born in the manger in Bethlehem (9:6) - the Christ-child - is the same One we thank for salvation (12:1); he’s the One we trust with our lives (12:2), he’s the reason for joy (12:3), his arrival we announce (12:4) in songs of praise along with Isaiah: “...for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy...for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (12:5-6).
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen ✠
-----
1- John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 1-39. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. R. K. Harrison, ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1986), 292-293.
No comments:
Post a Comment