The LORD will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. – Isaiah 51:3

Today's Scripture Reading (September 14, 2023): Isaiah 51

Where I live, this is a strange time of year. The end of summer speaks to the conclusion of pool parties, beach days, and carefree moments and a return to school and non-summer pursuits. But, and often this is the butt of our jokes, it is also the nearing end of something else; construction. Many construction tasks are better completed before the snow flies. It is not that they can't be done in the days as winter commences, but the truth is that they are much easier and quicker to complete before the necessary reality of warm clothes and gloves to ward off hypothermia becomes a part of the task.

Maybe the best description of the seasons where I live is that this is the land of four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction. And what is impressive, maybe because of these four seasons, is that the construction job never seems to be finished. Again, speaking of the city where I live, we have a significant ring road that surrounds the city. This road bypasses the city for traffic traveling both north-south and east-west through the city, and it took years to construct. By the time it was completed, the older sections of the highway already needed repairs. And now, every construction season includes shutting down a portion of the road to rebuild or repair the roadway. The road demonstrates a construction dream that appears to be never finished.

Isaiah writes of what must have seemed a fantasy to those who first received his prophecy. How could anyone ever expect Jerusalem, which the Babylonians had destroyed, to be rebuilt? How could the deserts of Israel be made like the Garden of Eden? How could Zion ever be comforted again?

Yet, Isaiah insists that this will happen. But part of this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. Isaiah's prophecy was partially fulfilled when Israel moved back into Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple during the reign of the Medes and Persians, turning the nation into a province in the empires that would follow. But Jerusalem was destroyed once again by the Romans. It was rebuilt once more but became a toy played with by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Israel returned in 1948, but the nation continues to be torn by internal conflicts between the Jews and others who lay claim to the city. Three religions claim the city to be essential to their history and belief. That conflict has made it far from the garden that Isaiah said it would one day become.

Isaiah's prophecy is partially fulfilled, but there is still more to come. More than two thousand years after the prophecy, work still needs to be done. Some, I believe, needs to be done by us. But most will be completed by God in the season that he has set apart to construct what he wants in this Holy Land.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52

When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst. – Isaiah 50:2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 13, 2023): Isaiah 50

I remember going to a sales seminar in the 1980s where the instructor opened up with a cautionary tale, one that I have seen happen several times in the real world. According to the story, a man and his sons were shopping for a company car or maybe even a fleet of new vehicles, but the only time available to visit a dealership was after work. So, late one afternoon, after an especially tough day, the men gathered at the local dealership to look for a vehicle. But they were in old clothes, dirty and torn from the day. Automotive dealerships often work on a system of "ups," basically an agreement among the salespeople not dealing with a customer on who will get the privilege of speaking with the people who randomly show up to look for a car. Most of these people aren't serious buyers, but there are gems hidden within this group. The dealership staff looked at the men; none were willing to use their "up" to deal with them. As a result, none of them did. The men walked around the dealership, noticing several vehicles that fit their needs. But every time they approached the sales staff, they were mysteriously called away to some other duty. As a result, no one helped the men, who then went to a neighboring dealership and bought three vehicles from someone willing to talk to them. The story's moral was to never judge a book by its cover. Wealthy people don't always look like they have money. Often, the reverse is also true; people heavy in debt can dress like they have lots of money, but some are so behind in their obligations that no one wants to lend them cash for another significant purchase.

The prophet continues to talk about the Messiah. But he appears to have no belief that the people of Israel would receive the Messiah when he arrived. After all, they had often refused to accept the presence of God in the form of the prophets. In those moments, God had come, and no one deemed him worthy of a greeting. When they spoke about important things, no one gave a response. And the prophet asks the question, why? Was God incapable of helping them with their problems? Was God too weak to rescue?

Then, the prophet begins to speak of the history of God's interaction with Israel. Hadn't he dried up the sea so Israel could cross, leaving Egypt and slavery to exist as independent people in the wilderness? Didn't God change the river into a desert, allowing Israel to travel from the wilderness into the Promised Land? Why did Israel think that he was too weak to act now? Instead, they were willing to handicap themselves and serve gods and prophets devoid of spiritual power, but who knew how to act as if they knew something that would change people's lives?

Isaiah didn't understand the Israel of his day. I doubt that he would understand us either. We still look for the best-dressed god and find them in various places. And we still pass up the one who can save, preferring the pretenders who speak loudly of their power but do little to help us. Maybe one day, we will learn the lesson of salespeople all over and recognize that our humble king is the one who can change our world.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51

He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. – Isaiah 49:2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 12, 2023): Isaiah 49

One of the more prominent themes in Science Fiction is the possibility of Time Travel and whether moving through time, either backward or forward, is possible or even advisable. But part of the attraction to time travel is to attempt to change history positively by removing certain people from the story the past tells. Usually, at least in the fictional world, the attempt to change history results in some unforeseen circumstances. What would have happened to our world in the middle years of the 20^th Century if Adolf Hitler had been removed from the historical equation during the early years of the century? Would World War II have still happened? And what about Germany? Would it still have the needed building blocks to rebuild the nation, which had been marginalized since World War I? Or, for that matter, what if Winston Churchill was killed during his childhood? Would these events have bent history in any direction, or would someone else rise to take their place? What would have changed in history if John F. Kennedy had not been assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963? How would the history of civil rights in the United States have changed if Martin Luther King, Jr. had avoided being killed in Memphis on April 4, 1968? Would history have changed for the better or the worse? It is an interesting question that we will likely never be able to answer. But an even bigger question might be what would happen if Babe Ruth never played baseball or Wayne Gretzky had never played hockey? It would have impacted the sports world, at least a little, but would the effect have been more expansive than just to Baseball and Hockey?

Isaiah begins to speak of the Messiah. When he arrives on this Earth, he will be a force for change in this world in which we live. From our point of view in history, we know the reality of the changes to this world that the Christian message has brought, primarily for good. However, we have also had our bad moments when we stopped listening to Jesus's instructions.

The prophet says that the mouth of the Messiah would be like a sharpened sword, indicating that the Messiah would speak with authority. But he also says the Messiah would be hidden in "the shadow of his hand." It is a phrase that seems to indicate that, at least for a while, the Messiah would live an unremarkable life.

Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem. It is an unusual story today, although giving birth in the shelter of a cave, which is where the stable was likely located, was probably not as big a deal then as it would be today. We know that Jesus had a great conversation with the experts of the law in the Temple when he was only twelve, but nothing else is known of Jesus between his birth in a cave and the beginning of his ministry three decades later. For those years, he was hidden in the shadows of history and existed as a polished arrow in the quiver of God. The time for his ministry would come, and the Messiah would be revealed. But until that time, no one needed to know he was there.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 50

They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, 'Yes, I knew of them.' – Isaiah 48:7

Today's Scripture Reading (September 11, 2023): Isaiah 48

Some years ago, I was challenged to write a "dramatic sermon" or "monologue" for a preaching class I was taking. And so, I chose to write a sermon about the Day of Pentecost from the point of view of a prophet named Agabus. One of my classmates derided my choice in a written evaluation of the sermon by asking if there was someone named Agabus in the Bible. I never had the chance to answer the question, but the answer is yes; he is mentioned twice in the Acts of the Apostles, and by a longstanding tradition, he is also believed to have been present in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost. There was a lot of fiction in the sermon, or maybe I can say the use of a holy imagination, but the person of Agabus and his presence on that day is not part of it.

One fictional portion of that sermon was that I invented a new Disciple named Theodore. Actually, Theodore was not a new Apostle but a nickname I had created for one of the existing Disciples, namely James the Lesser. I didn't get into the basis for that fiction in my monologue, except that Agabus and the other Disciples believed that James looked like a Theodore. However, Theodore is a Greek name. Greek culture had greatly influenced both the Jewish and the fledgling Christian faith of that day, and it means "gift of God," which I thought might be an appropriate nickname for one of the Apostles who followed Jesus. Part of the monologue was that I was trying to interact with my audience at several points in the sermon, and so at this point, I made the statement, "You know the Disciple, Theodore." The apparent response to the comment was, "No, I have never heard of a Disciple named Theodore." It was the only possible answer because I had just made him up. The "monologue" was initially given before a group of students pursuing a Master's degree in Theology. So, it surprised me when I said, "You know the Disciple, Theodore," that several of them nodded yes; they were acquainted with this Disciple. To give them a bit of a break, maybe they were thinking of the Apostle Thaddeus, better known as Jude, or possibly even the Greek official Theophilus, to whom Luke wrote both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

Saying you know a piece of fiction is one thing and ultimately excusable. But God tells the people through the prophet that he will communicate to them something new, so don't make the argument that you already know because that isn't true. And if you pretend that you already know, you won't hear what I need to tell you. So, sit back and listen to this message.

God might not change his message, but the truth is that we often mishear his message. As a result, God continually has to restate his message in a new way so that we understand his desire for us. And maybe one of the clearest restatements was given by Jesus on the night of his arrest. In that dramatic moment, Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 49

I was angry with my people and desecrated my inheritance; I gave them into your hand, and you showed them no mercy. Even on the aged you laid a very heavy yoke. – Isaiah 47:6

Today's Scripture Reading (September 10, 2023): Isaiah 47

Mark Twain always seemed to have some gem of wisdom to inflict on our lives. I have several favorites, but maybe the quote I have used, or more likely paraphrased, the most is this one; "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years." It was phrased a little differently when I was entering college, but I remember my freshman Psychology professor articulating the same concept this way. "Sophomore students are important because they see God. Junior Students are important because they have heard of God. Seniors are important because they think they understand God. Professors are important because they talk to God. And the Freshman students, of course, are God." The story is meant to drive home the idea that we often find more reason for arrogance when we know less. And there is a lot of truth in the statement. My Psychology Professor strongly believed that the surest we would ever be about any of the psychological principles we were about to learn and discuss would be in the opening days of our education. In Psychology, and I would say this is also true for Theology, the outcome of more study is more questions, not more knowledge. Certainty is for other pursuits, but for Psychologists and Theologians, we are multiplying our questions if we are doing our job. And I think that is okay because we are saved by faith, not knowledge.

God had handed Israel into the hands of the Babylonians, but the Babylonians didn't seem to realize this reality. And they had reacted to their captives without mercy. Even the elderly Israelites were given tasks that were beyond them. The people were driven hard, which was beyond what God wanted for his people. God expected mercy from the Babylonians, but he didn't receive it. When Cyrus defeated Babylon, he became known as a king who was interested in justice and compassion, so Cyrus was seen as a man of righteousness.

But as I struggle with this passage, the bigger question for me is, where does the Christian Church stand in terms of mercy? Oh, sometimes we extend it. But I am afraid some sections of the population never hear a message of compassion and justice from us. The LGBTQ community is one group that comes to mind as people who never see that aspect of Christianity. And I wonder if there will be some harsh words between God and his church at the end of all things about the mercy that we didn't give to those who were brought into our circles of Influence.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 48

They stoop and bow down together; unable to rescue the burden, they themselves go off into captivity. – Isaiah 46:2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 9, 2023): Isaiah 46

A recent political discussion revealed the difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. I have admitted that I would rather see someone else replace both of these leaders in the 2024 election. Electing either of these men to a second term seems fraught with unnecessary risk. From my humble spot as a political observer, it appears this is the perfect storm as one unelectable politician confronts another politician who is just an unelectable. But the reality is that I am in the minority. Most Democrats believe that Joe Biden cannot lose to Donald Trump. With these two men on the ballot, why would anyone vote for Donald Trump?

I know the answer to the Democratic question. On the other side of the equation stand people just like the Democrats, except that they like Donald Trump. They are not just putting up with him because no one else has been able to rise to importance to take the throne; in fact, most Republicans aren't looking for someone else, just like most Democrats aren't looking for someone to replace President Biden. Republicans like Donald Trump, and they can't imagine why anyone would vote for Joe Biden. And so, we are setting up for an election fight between two mortally wounded politicians. What is going to make this election special is that these two Presidents are facing off with the only politician on the planet that they can beat, just because neither Democrats nor Republicans are willing to say goodbye to yesterday. Neither are who the people need, but that apparently doesn't matter.

Isaiah talks about the gods Bel and Nebo, prophesying that they will be defeated. But the story doesn't end there. These gods were about to go into captivity with those who worshipped them. Not only could they not save their worshippers from what was coming, but they were also unable to save themselves. (I will be brutally honest: we can put Joe Biden and Donald Trump into this category. They, and every other politician, are entirely unable to do what we want and need them to do. The contemporary politician doesn't even try. It is enough for them to do what the populace wants in hopes of re-election to their political post. And that is seldom what we need.)

Israel had been taken into captivity. But Isaiah's point is that the reason for their exile is not the impotence of their God. And Yahweh did not enter into captivity with Israel. All of this should have given Israel hope because it meant that God could still save them. And even in our darkest moments and with an unpopular leader, he can still save us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 47

Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself, the God and Savior of Israel. – Isaiah 45:15

Today's Scripture Reading (September 8, 2023): Isaiah 45

One of my favorite games as a kid was Hide and Seek. When I was growing up, we played several versions of the game in the neighborhood, but they all carried the same idea: someone was designated as the seeker while the others hid wherever they could find a spot. My favorite time to play the game was at dusk. In the area where I grew up, there was a long twilight time as darkness seemed to come slowly, and it was fun to play the game at that time of transition between day and night. It wasn't dark; you could still see, but at the same time, everything seemed to exist in shadows, and nothing could be seen clearly.

Early on, I learned that when you played hide and seek in that long twilight time, making artificial places to hide was easy. Taking a scrap piece of wood and tilting it toward a fence created an excellent hiding place. You couldn't be seen between the wood and the fence because you were in the safety of the shadow, yet you were in a perfect position to see out. And if you built your hiding place close to an escape route, even if the seeker came toward you, you could still make your escape.

Isaiah speaks to the people of Israel. Now, they were existing as outsiders in a strange land. They always thought that God was on their side, and because of that, this kind of exile could never happen, not to them. But now the impossible had happened. The question they were obsessed with, which caused the prophets to have to answer them repeatedly, was how did this happen to us? Where is God right now?

To the people, it seemed that God was hiding, maybe playing a celestial game of hide and seek. But the truth was that God was the seeker, and Israel had placed up the barricades as they tried to hide from God. Like an adult playing Hide and Seek with a child, he knew exactly where they were, but God was willing to allow them the illusion that they were hidden. However, the reality was that God was never far away. They would have found him if the people had just stood up and looked. But they found the act of standing up harder and harder to do.

Sometimes, it feels like God is still hiding and doesn't care about the things happening in our lives. But that is not the truth. He is still close by, and all we have to do to find him is just stand up and look.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 46

Originally Published on February 26, 2011