Today's Scripture Reading (July 23, 2020): Isaiah 40
Sixteenth-century poet and playwright John Heywood is credited with saying that "It's no use closing the barn door after the horse is gone." And there is no use protecting something that has already been lost or stolen. Discipline is also all about timing. It is an art that I am not sure that Christians have mastered. Sometimes, we seem to be all about judgment. But there are times when we should be all about comfort.
I think this is especially true when it comes to some of our hot button issues. I am not sure that we understand opposition with the heart of Christ. Let me go out on a limb. One example that comes to mind is our stance on the hot button issue of abortion. Is it possible for us to take a position on the incredible value of the life of the unborn child without belittling and terrorizing women who are making one of the hardest decisions of their lives? I keep on wondering where Jesus would be in the midst of a protest of an abortion clinic. Would Jesus be standing outside the abortion clinic holding a picket sign with the protestors? Or would he be holding the one in tears on the inside of the clinic, the one who is scared and all alone, experiencing one of the worst moments of her life? I kind of think that the answer might be the latter. It is not that we should not uphold the value of a human life but that we need to find ways to value the life of the unborn child without diminishing the life of the mother or others involved in the abortion process. We need to understand somehow that there is a time to preach judgment and a time to speak comfort to those who have fallen.
There is a distinct change in Isaiah's prophecy as we move from chapter 39 to chapter 40. From here on, Isaiah's name no longer appears in the text of the document. In the first thirty-nine chapters, his name appears eighteen times, almost once every other chapter. And the message shifts from one of judgment to one of comfort. There are many attempts to try to explain this significant shift, but maybe one of the most potent explanations is that from this point on, the words are written by a different Isaiah, at a later time, and with a very different purpose. The Isaiah of chapters 1 – 39 is concerned that if Israel's behavior continues, that it will end with the defeat and exile of the nation at the hands of the Babylonians. But for the Isaiah of Chapters 40 forward, the exile is no longer in the future; it is a present reality. And what Israel needs now is not judgment, but comfort.
The Isaiah of Chapter 40 wants Israel to know that they are still loved. The begins to preach a message that God is still present, even though the Temple is gone, and that God still has a plan for the nation. The Isaiah of Chapter 40 onward wants to preach to hearts already broken, rather than proud hearts that need to be broken. The horse has already left the barn, so there is no need to check to make sure that the door is closed. What Israel needs now is not judgment, but comfort. They need to be held by a loving God in their moment of need and know that, in spite of their rebellion, he is still there for them.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 41
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