Come near, you nations, and listen; pay attention, you peoples! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world, and all that comes out of it! – Isaiah 34:1

Today's Scripture Reading (April 12, 2023): Isaiah 34

On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride. According to folklore, Revere rode through the countryside yelling, "The British are coming! The British are coming!" At least, that is the way we remember it now. But the truth is different. Yes, the ride happened. But the truth is that Revere wouldn't have wanted to yell, "The British are coming," because most of the people who heard the message would have been ethnically English and therefore considered themselves British. There were also many British patrols in the area.

Eyewitnesses reported that the phrase used was "The Regulars are coming out," indicating that the standing British army was on the move. Was it yelled? Maybe, but it would have been more likely passed from person to person in an effort to ready the defensive troops without letting the British regulars realize that they were prepared for the attack. There is a sense that Paul Revere's message would have been a bit of a secret message. In fact, rather than a shouted warning, part of the story was that Revere's message was passed with a secret lantern signal, not a shout. Part of our problem is that "The regulars are coming out" doesn't roll off the tongue like "The British are coming" does. 

But whatever the phrasing of the message might have been, and however the message might have been delivered, Paul Revere's ride was an essential moment in the history of the United States. And the message, which preceded the first engagement of British and American armies, was one of the reasons that the Colonies were victorious in their subsequent battles.

In contrast to Paul Revere's ride, Isaiah's message is an open invitation to everyone. Isaiah wants the nations to hear the message. Like Paul Revere's message, it was essential to everyone, regardless of whether they lived in the country or the city or whether they were Judean, Assyrian, or Chaldean. Unlike Paul Revere's message, this was intended for everyone to hear. Isaiah's message had a worldwide importance attached to it.

Isaiah's message was also phrased in the language of the law courts. Not only was the message important, but the prophecy was part of man's legal standing before God. Therefore, "come near" is an imperative; the judge has called the accused into his presence; he has something to say that all of his creation needs to hear.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 35