Let us pause for a moment and listen to words of prayer from Garret Epp, a member of Knox Metropolitan United Church in Edmonton:
God, who gives birth to the world, who gives us breath
fill us with your light,
and help us to usher in your reign of love,
justice and peace here on earth.
Tune us to the harmony of the heavens;
teach us to sing your name.
Grant us wisdom, hope and compassion
for all living things,
and feed us what we need each day.
Free us from what binds us,
as we release others from guilt and shame.
Help us to focus on what is good,
and to do what is right;
teach us how to love.
Renew our hearts, our minds, our strength,
and make us whole, and wholly yours. Amen (Gathering, Summer/Autumn 2008, p. 55)
The book of Isaiah recalls the hopes, dreams, and struggles of the Isaian community over a period of 500 years. The beginning chapters of Isaiah are attributed to Isaiah of Jerusalem who was a prophet living in the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel had been occupied and destroyed and Judah had become a subordinate state under Assyrian imperial rule. The second part of the book of Isaiah was written by the Isaian community during their exile in Babylon when the Babylonian empire took Judah from the Assyrians. The third section of the book of Isaiah was written after the exile when Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylonia and allowed the exiles to return to their homeland.
I think knowing the context in which literature is written helps to understand its content. Today's scripture reading from Isaiah 65 reflects a hopeful vision of life for the future of the Hebrew people. Everything was not rosy after the exile. The returnees came back to a land profoundly changed. They only knew about their homeland from the stories they had been told. Those in exile who had actually lived in Judah had long since died but they had instilled the memory of their heritage in those who made the pilgrimage back to the home of their ancestors. The Temple in Jerusalem had been completely destroyed during the Assyrian occupation, and had not been rebuilt, but hope for a brighter future is reflected in the promise that God would create "a new heaven and a new earth". It is a vision of a time where no one would labour in vain and enemies would become friends and eat and live together in peace.
I had no idea when I began my theological studies what a tremendous influence the book of Isaiah has had on the development and writings of the Christian tradition. When I began to study Isaiah in depth I became very excited when I discovered how often Isaiah is quoted in Christian Scriptures and how often the prophetic words of Isaiah were interpreted by early Christian communities as being fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. There are many examples of this phenomenon but in the interest of time I'll just cite only a few examples. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus is introduced as the messiah, the one who was foretold in the sacred text of Isaiah, when he was in the synagogue in Nazareth. Jesus stood up in front of the religious leaders and the gathered community and read these words from the scroll of Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. (Luke 4:17-19)
We'll be hearing from Isaiah each week during our Advent readings beginning on November 28th. The first Sunday of Advent we will hear the familiar words, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:4). Advent 2 we will be reminded about God's peaceable kingdom where, "The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them." (Isaiah 11:6) Advent 3 we hear about hope in wilderness times, "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing." (Isaiah 35:1-2) And on the fourth Sunday of Advent we prepare for the birth of the messiah with the words, "Therefore God will give you a sign. Look, the, young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14) And on Christmas Eve we will hear the pronouncement from Isaiah, "...For a child has been born to us, a son given to us; authority rests on his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:2,6)
You can see just by these few examples, a glimpse of how important the writings of Isaiah are in our Christian tradition. It's important to remember that Jesus was Jewish and was profoundly influenced and inspired by the sacred writings of his religious tradition. The book of Isaiah contains much which reflects radical views on social justice issues. Issues which Jesus proclaimed as God's vision of a world where all are treated with respect as equal citizens; where all had enough to eat; where all can live without fear, in peace and harmony; where all can work together side by side to create a community which is a welcome home to all.
Today's reading from Isaiah, announces these ideals: "They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands." (Isaiah 65:22) Isaiah also illustrates God's desire for the creation of "new heavens and a new earth" (Isaiah 65:17) by saying, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like an ox...They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain." (Isaiah 65:25)
We know these sacred writings influenced Jesus' life and teachings which in turn influenced the Christian communities of his time. But, some may question whether they still have power and influence in our modern day and age.
Do any of you remember growing up hearing stories of the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919? A favourite story of mine, regarding this event, is from The Wounds of Manuel Saquic, written by retired United Church minister, Jim Manly. Manly tells the story of J.S. Woodsworth, a former Methodist minister and the first leader of the CCF (now NDP) party, who was charged with seditious libel for material that he published in a labour newspaper during the Winnipeg General Strike. Unfortunately for legal officials, two of the six items cited as "seditious" came directly from Isaiah 10 and Isaiah 65. A few months after Woodsworth was charged the government quietly announced that they would not prosecute the charge.
Although the Bible is often used to support established authority, and the status quo, there are a great many examples in sacred scripture which are truly radical and subversive in nature. Jim Manly comments on Isaiah 65:
The...poet who wrote, "They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat," had a powerful vision of a new society where one class would not exploit another. This vision did not fit easily with the market economy of ancient Israel; it did not fit well with the raw industrial economy of Canada after the first World War; it does not fit well with the new global economy that lays off Canadian workers when manufacturing plants relocate in third world countries to exploit the labour of children or young women. ( pg.111-112)
Jesus, influenced by the prophetic tradition of his heritage, proclaimed God's vision of a just and loving world. He worked tirelessly to convince others that they had an essential role to play in the realization of God's commonwealth. During his lifetime, and after his death, the movement which continued Jesus' ministry strengthened and practised their faith zealously in justice-filled action.
That movement is still alive and thriving today. Christians all over the world turn to the stories in the Bible to inspire and inform their faith. We know that as the Body of Christ in the world today it is up to us to continue his prophetic, healing, teaching, justice-making ministry. We realize that we are the hands and feet of Christ in our time and place. We know, as he did, that we are co-creators with God in the realization of a new and just world.
So, where do we see signs of a "new heaven and a new earth" today? One article I read this week gives some examples: "When a Christian and a Muslim sit down to eat and talk, it is a sign of the rule of God. When people band together to begin the eradication of malaria in Africa, it is a sign of the reign of God. ...When millions are fed, when Habitat for Humanity builds another 100 homes, these are signs of the reign of God. Isaiah 65: 17-25 is a sign and seal of the certainty of the coming reign of God. It is a divine vision that we can never fail to hold before us, reminding us of our part in the dream and reminding us of God's constant work to make that dream a reality." (Lectionary Reflections by John C. Holbert)
Some examples from our local context which come to mind are: the work of the Nelson Grans to Grans in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation; the countless volunteer hours which are offered in support of services which benefit marginalized persons in our community (like Nelson CARES Society and Nelson Community Services Centre); the tireless work of Amnesty International and other social justice organizations; the sponsorship of refugee families and other initiatives which reach outside our community with concern and action; our congregation's contribution to the United for Peace campaign and the Mission and Service Fund; circles of care which offer pastoral concern such as our Prayer Shawl Ministry, to name just a few.
We know this vision of a new heaven and a new earth will not happen overnight and that faith, hope, courage, perseverance, hard work, and cooperation are some of the tools we need to carry with us proceed into the future. Even so, these small but vital initiatives are glimpses of a world transformed by God's love and grace.
I'll end with a contemporary poem, by Judy Chicago, which echoes Isaiah's vision of a new heaven and a new earth:
And then all that has divided us will merge.May it be so!
And then compassion will be wedded to power.
And then softness will come to a world
that is often harsh and unkind.
And then women and men will be gentle.
And then both men and women will be strong.
And then no other person will be subject to another's will.
And then all will be rich and varied.
And then all will share equally in the Earth's abundance.
And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old.
And then all will nourish the young.
And then all will cherish life's creatures.
And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth.
And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.
(Judy Chicago, The Dinner Party: A Symbol of Our Heritage, 1979)
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