Listen to the audio of today’s Reflection:
https://soundcloud.com/hapearce/reflection-for-december-13-2022
Isaiah 9:2-7
The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as men rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
OK, so after reflecting yesterday on the depressing story of Jesus’ arrest, we’re back to a passage that seems more appropriate to the joyful season of Advent – one of the passages from Isaiah that foretell the coming of the Messiah.
The book of the prophet Isaiah was one of the most important books of prophesy in the religious life of the Hebrew people. We know that was the case because of the number of times it was quoted among later Jewish writings (and in the New Testament, for that matter). Archeologists have also found many fragments of scrolls of Isaiah, so it seems pretty clear that there was a lot of reading and copying of the book of the prophet Isaiah going on in ancient times.
You might remember that Jesus himself quoted from the book of Isaiah in talking about his own ministry, and said that he was the fulfillment of its prophecies.
For those of us who are followers of Jesus, most of our attention to Isaiah comes during the Advent season. That’s when we read a number of prophesies from the book that we understand to be foretelling the birth of Jesus. This particular passage from Isaiah is a good example – it’s one of the readings we frequently read during this season, and one of the most beloved sections of Handel’s Messiah takes its name from this passage: “For Unto Us a Child is Born.”
So in this season, when we read so much from Isaiah, it seems like a good time to stop and think a little further about the book in general, and about how this reading fits into the book.
The most authoritative Old Testament scholars say that Isaiah was probably written over a fairly long period of time – too long for it to have been written by any one individual. These scholars often refer to three distinct parts of Isaiah, referring to them as “First Isaiah,” “Second Isaiah” and “Third Isaiah.” My take on it is that the first part of the book was actually written by Isaiah himself, and that he established a group of disciples who continued their ministry after his death, and that this group of disciples was responsible for the second and third parts.
The first part of the book, the part the scholars call “First Isaiah”, seems to have been written before the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem in 587 BC. This part includes a lot of prophetic warnings that God was going to punish the covenant people unless they stopped worshiping foreign gods and turned aside from their sinful and unjust way of life.
“Second Isaiah” seems to have been written after that punishment arrived in the form of the Babylonian army. They destroyed Jerusalem and dragged off the population into exile. But there’s a much different tone to this second part of the book – the themes are very distinct. First Isaiah was a book of warnings, but Second Isaiah is a book of comfort and hope to a people who were living through very difficult times.
“Third Isaiah” seems to have been written even later – after some of the exiles were allowed to go home in 523 BC. In this third part, the tone changes again. The covenant people are warned not to go back to the sinful ways that were understood to have led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile.
Today’s reading comes from the second part of the book – the part that offers hope in dark times. This passage promises the coming of a figure who will be more than just a worldly ruler. This figure, whose appearance will mark the dawning of a new light to people living in “the shadow of death,” will actually be a manifestation of God himself.
The reading says this coming leader will reign from the throne of David, and will establish a kingdom that will never end. That kingdom won’t be just a military and political power, but rather will be a kingdom of “justice and righteousness.” And instead of destroying the nation’s enemies through military force (which is what the people of Israel had all come to expect – and what they wanted) this passage promises the establishment of a reign of peace, in which war itself will be swept away.
Those of us who claim the name of Jesus understand him to be the figure foretold in this passage – which is why we read it with such great hope at this time of year. We can see the outline of his reign of peace and justice foretold all those centuries ago. The followers of Jesus have done more to bring about God’s reign than any other movement in human history. But it’s just as clear that God is still at work bringing that kingdom to fulfillment.
So as witnesses that God really has send his “Wonderful Counselor” and “Prince of Peace” into the world, we can cling to our faith, even in the darkest of times. Even in times of war and discord and pandemic. We can hold onto our hope that God is at work fulfilling his ancient promises.
And for all the world’s problems, those of us living today have a far smaller chance of starving to death or dying by violence than people who lived just a century ago. People who lived in darkness have seen a great light begin to break little by little into the world.
And it’s the Messiah we celebrate in this season who was and is and will be the source of the greatest light in the history of the world.
Let’s pray. Lord, you know that sometimes the times we live in can seem dark and discouraging. In this season, touch our hearts with the promise of your coming again, and renew within us the hope of your peace for all the world. Amen.
Peace be with you,
Henry
(The other readings for today are Psalms 85 and 94; II Peter 1:12-21; and Luke 22:54-69. Our readings come from the NIV Bible, as posted on Biblica.com, the website of the International Bible Society.)
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