Monday 09 January 2012

Background

Today's passage marks a significant change in style and contentfrom what has gone before in Isaiah, so much so that it isgenerally recognised that chapters 40-55 are not the work of the8th century BC prophet Isaiah who received his calling "in the yearthat King Uzziah died" (Isaiah6:1) which was around 746 BC. Instead these chapters werewritten by an unknown prophet and reflect the time when the Jewishpeople were in exile in Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalemin 586 BC. So the author is often called Deutero-Isaiah orSecond-Isaiah.

The Jewish exiles must have felt a long way from home and thattheir God had abandoned them. They had been conquered by morepowerful neighbours. Many would have considered this as a result ofthe way they and their kings had behaved, repeatedly failing toworship the God of Israel in the way that was expected, or indeedat all (eg Isaiah 1:1-17). There were echoes of the timethe Jewish people were in the wilderness (verse 3) after fleeingfrom Egypt. They were unsure what the future would hold.

However almost immediately in these first few verses the message towhich the author repeatedly returns is heard loud and clear - theexiles have been forgiven by God and will be redeemed by God. Theywill return from exile and, above all, there is hope for thefuture.

It is as if the prison sentence that they were given for theirbehaviour has now been served (verse 2) and there is no questionthat they have been forgotten for God is now going to actively helpthem leave the wilderness. Valleys and mountains will not preventthis (verse 4). The way to Jerusalem will be made clear for them.The Jewish people may have been fickle and frail like flowers butthe word of God can be utterly depended on. For this is a God whocreated and controls the heavens and the earth (verse 12), and nonation, not even Babylon, can stand in his way (verse 17).

To Ponder

Consider the similarities between the feelings ofthe Jewish exiles and those in the 1st century who lived underRoman occupation. Does this explain why Gospel writers used thispassage (eg Mark 1:2-3)?

What valleys or mountains act as barriers for youtoday preventing you from responding fully to the word of God?

If you are going through a wilderness time inyour life, try to listen for the voice of God calling out to you,offering you hope for the future.