Tuesday 18 September 2012

Background

Yesterday's passage reminded us of God'srole in our suffering and subsequent comfort. Today's passage tellsof how that comfort becomes permanent. The writer informs us that acertain period has passed, and now new things can begin! Thepassage begins (verses 1-2) with a suggestion that the punishmentserved by Israel has been more than was necessary, and so God'scomfort has been well earned. We hear the prophesy that is laterreiterated by John the Baptist in both Matthew's (Matthew 3:3) and John's Gospels (John1:23). What we don't hear from the Gospel writers (andtherefore maybe not from John) is the further statement that "theglory of God shall be revealed" (v. 5), as well as the mountainsand hills being made low, and ground that is uneven becoming level.Let us assume that these are metaphors for huge changes that are onthe horizon.

Today's passage concludes with the proclamation to Jerusalem:"lift it up, do not fear" (v. 9). These people have previously beenon the receiving end of some reprisals that they believe to bejudgements upon their behaviour, yet this prophesy seems to suggestthat the time is coming when good news will arrive, and everythingwill be different from then on, irrespective of future actions bythese listeners. We, of course ascribe this passage to a predictionof Jesus' coming, which is reinforced further by John the Baptist'suse of the prophecy as well. If we take the imagery of mountains,hills and valleys and suggest again that these might be metaphors,then the first readers of this text may have foreseen a time whendifficulty would be removed from their lives, and things would bemuch more straightforward. It's an interesting thought from Isaiah,that once these obstacles are removed, then the people will see theglory of God. Is Isaiah suggesting that God's glory can't be seenpast the problems or issues that we may have, or that God doesn'twish to bring God's own glory until everything is resolved? We candebate either of these meanings, and shan't ever know what thewriter intended to suggest, but what I am reminded of, andreassured of is that I often feel the impact of God's glory all themore when the mountain is steep, or the valley is dark, or theworld's goodness seems a long way from where I happen to be.

"He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather thelambs in his arms" writes Isaiah (Isaiah40:11), and this image resonates through much of Scripture - wethe hopeless are given hope, we the weak are sustained by God'sstrength and we the lost are found time and time again. Ourheavenly Father is the saviour of the downtrodden and regretfulIsraelites, and calls out to all nations, past borders andboundaries, past inequities and regrettable histories, so that whenwe hear this incredible news, that we too may be brought into thefold.

To Ponder

• How do you think it might have felt to those Israelites who forthe first time heard of better times ahead?

• To what extent can we ever truly understand the importance ofthe Messiah, without being part of pre-Jesus culture?