Of all the Old
testament writers, Isaiah stands out for a few reasons. A third of his
prophesies are regarded as the most poignant messianic prophesies of the entire
canon.
His words leave little doubt about his intention. He prophetically saw a coming Messiah and
embraced that.
He never needed to see that as a challenge to Judaism,
because he anticipated a messiah for the Jewish people.
Only the march of
history made that unpalatable to the Jews of Roman times, because it embraced
the gentiles and became a universal faith.
That should never have
offended the Jew, for their boast in history lies in the substantial
contributions they have always made to the advancement of humanity.
It is such a privilege to have sired the Savior of the World.
Isaiah‘s life
extended from the reign of Uzziah or Azariah, the long-reigning king of Judah
who succumbed to leprosy, to Jotham, Ahaz and Hekekiah. He wrote after them
(Isaiah 1:1), when Judah was steadily limping towards a moral abyss.
Traditionalists argue
that he wrote from 740 to 686 BC, a period of 54 years during which he further
distinguished himself as a noble writer. He was a member of the royal household.
More recent views hold
that only part was written by him with the latter chapters being written by
other prophets during the exile.
What is wrong with you? (Isaiah 1)
He bemoaned the
rebellion of people and likened them to one who is sick in mind and body. He
also expressed God’s distaste for the sacrifices, for they were the works of
impure hearts.
Against that he pleaded in a staccato literary style, as in do well, seek judgment, wash your hands,
and so on. His style would work even today. It is the writing of an evergreen
intellectual.
How is the faithful
city become a whore? The princes rebel and love gifts or follow rewards. Its no
different today. Materialism still corrupts nations.
The crux of his plea
lies in verse 18, “Come now let us reason together, though your sins are as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow”.
Why equate sin to
scarlet? He had a glimpse of the cross and the blood that would cleanse us,
free our consciences and make us as white as snow in God’s eyes. Only the cross
could do that.
Such reasoning
reflects a mind of higher insight and grasp. He wasn’t telling, he was
reasoning and arguing from a position of moral strength, as intellectuals still do.
The mountain of God will be exalted (Isaiah 2)
He likened the
revelation of God to a river source, as did Ezekiel in his greatest works. He
saw the house of God being a pinnacle among pinnacles, a mountain above the
mountains.
He also saw it as the wellspring of revelation and righteousness. He wrote in hope,
anticipating God’s covenant to show the people his ways. He foresaw a day when the law would flow from Zion and God’s word from Jerusalem.
Then God shall judge
the nations and they will beat their swords into plowshares, their spears
into pruning-hooks: a noble idea celebrated on the campus of the United
Nations.
Despite economic and
material advancement (that’s how insightful he was), the nations turned
their success into idols and turned away from God’s counsel.
Thus he sees judgment
falling to the mightiest spires of Lebanon, the ships on the sea, the mountains
and towers, and the lowliest of souls, until his glory reduces our wealth to
something that they will cast before moles and bats in the dark, hollow shadows
of a fading glory.
Children will rule over you (Isaiah 3)
It happened too.
Josiah is a case in point and was probably a prophetic overlay for Isaiah 9, “for
unto us a child is born, a son is given”.
However, the point
Isaiah makes is that the reservoir of experience and wisdom in the older
generation, will be so despised that they will heed a child.
In the Brexit vote that
took the UK out of Europe, many disparaged the votes of the older generation
and how their collective wisdom had seemingly ruined it for the youth.
Isaiah saw all of
that in the future and bemoaned the loss of social anchors. It is relevant, for never have teachers and
other pillars of society been so despised as is now happening. Even in highly
traditionalist African societies, children are leaving their parents to their
own ends.
In that context he
saw children and woman ruling, where men ought to have led by example.
He also reflected on the
cosmetic ornamentation of the women of coming generations, who would walk with
haughty disdain as their fashions, celebs or related frivolities become the
most important priority of a generation that will dance on the eve of destruction.
He alluded to the
displacement of priorities and values, with empty veneer and appearances.
Seven women shall cleave to one man (Isaiah 4)
He saw the consequence of war, that which creeps up on all cultures whilst they are preoccupied with
lesser priorities and their vanity. It’s a deep irony.
Instead of their decorations
being priceless and valued by men, the remaining men will become priceless to the
women left behind. So much for the transient value of our vanities.
And to such bonfires,
the people gather and remember again what always mattered. Then the real
beauty, of the Lord, shall be treasured by the remnant. Then they will realize what
they lost in the fire, what really mattered.
Then as God cleanses the
remnant of its torrid past, he will again be a fire by night and a pillar of
cloud by day, to lead them through the wilderness of failure back to the glory
of God.
As Bastille sang in the iconic song, Pompeii, "where do we begin, the rubble or our sins?" Do I need to answer that?
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
