Monday 12 July 2010

Background

The country of Judah was facing a crisis. The book of Isaiahcomes from the time when Israel had been divided into the northernkingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Israel had nowmade an alliance with Aram (or Syria) and was threatening Judahfrom the north, while Edom attacked from the south.

But there was an even bigger crisis looming...

Israel, Aram and Edom were relatively weak countries. In the longterm, the bigger threat would come from Assyria, which was gainingpower and creating an empire. Ahaz, king of Judah, chose to meetthe threat from the smaller countries by becoming a vassal of theking of Assyria. To show his allegiance he offered treasureplundered from Solomon's Temple and introduced aspects of Assyrianworship into the Temple in Jerusalem. The story is told in2Kings 16.

As is so often the case in a time of crisis, the people of Judahwere faced with a fundamental question. Why was it that the peopleof God appeared to be so weak? If God is powerful then surely God'speople should be able to demonstrate that power on earth?

Isaiah presented them with a vision of God turning away from theirworship and rejecting their prayers - at the very time when theyneeded God the most. Why would this happen? Isaiah argued that thepeople of God had forgotten that God cares about justice andobedience more than worship and sacrifice.

In making this argument, Isaiah joined a long line of prophetsgoing back to Samuel (1Samuel 15:22) and leading up to Jesus. In the ancient worldworship was often seen as a way of getting God on your side... "IfI offer this sacrifice to God, then God will ensure that I amsuccessful". Isaiah argued that God cares more about the poor andthe weak than about sacrifices.

To Ponder

Looking at your own life, how do you balanceworship with God's care for justice?

Can you imagine God saying "I have had enough"about any part of your church's life? What aspect do you think itmight be? What could you and your church do about it?