Saturday 14 December 2013

Background

The historical setting of Isaiah 40-55 is the period just beforethe Persian conqueror Cyrus overwhelmed the Babylonian empirearound 550-540BC. The Persian Empire was already large and strong,and overshadowed the ailing empire of Babylon. A new superpower andworld order are about to be established. The prophet who speaks tous in these chapters senses this and sees God's hand and purposebeing fulfilled in this upheaval. The intention of the propheciesis to awaken those in Exile to the divine at work in the midst oftheir history, and to present a renewed and sometimes breathtakingvision of God. The theological themes being worked out in thesechapters are in some ways a reworking of the great themes ofIsrael's history - the creation, the exodus from slavery, and thejourney to a new land. At the same time there are new themes whichemerge in and through the reworking: God as redeemer, the purposeof Israel's exile, and the role and identity of 'the servant' - afigure who appears regularly in this section of the book ofIsaiah.

Today's passage appears to be the first half of a carefully craftedpoem. It unfolds its message though three sections. Verses 1 and 2say that Israel should be worshipping in Jerusalem. This is wheretheir identity lies and although worship in Jerusalem has not beenpossible in exile, that period is over and Jerusalem beckons to theexiles. Verses 3-8 point back to the original Exodus and assertthat God predicted the first Exodus and it had come to pass. Nowthe new Exodus is to happen and God's word declares it but, just aslong ago, people do not hear and they do not see that it is God whois at work. Rather they are inclined to attribute the changes toother causes or even idols. Verses 9-11 state that God's purposewill proceed, regardless of popular recognition or response.

In other words, the prophet announces that God is calling God's ownpeople home and has a new exodus journey for them to travel. Peoplemay be slow to hear but God's purpose will be fulfilled; and youcan be sure that this is not a return to the old pattern of life orworship in Jerusalem but the beginning of a new future.

To Ponder

• How might someone born and grown to adulthood in exile andnever seen Jerusalem have reacted to this message?

• How do you think God speaks through world events?

• Have any large scale changes nationally or in the world madeyou reconsider how you should live? What were they and whatreconsiderations did you make?