Nov. 30, 2014

Background Scripture: Isaiah 52:1, 2, 7-12

As you probably are aware, Nov. 30 is the first Sunday of Advent, the period of our anticipation of the coming of Christmas. In fact, “advent” is defined as “approach,” “coming” or “arrival,” so Advent is the season in whAich Christians anticipate the coming of the Messiah, the birth of Jesus Christ.

Since the 8th century A.D. Advent has marked the beginning of the church year. Advent, which varies annually from 22 to 28 days in length, has heralded the coming of Christmas.

It was and is a four-Sunday time of spiritual preparation for Christmas and the return of light to the world.

When I was a seminary student I knew little about “the church year,” let alone Advent. All I knew as special days were Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. It was sometime in my first pastorate that I put Advent into our church calendar.

I also did some research and found the original date for Christmas was Jan. 6, which is why Orthodox churches still celebrate on that date. But changes in the structure of the calendar moved the winter solstice – when the light begins to return and the days grow longer – first to Dec. 25, and later to Dec. 21.

On the new calendar we still use, Dec. 25 remains the day for the celebration of Christmas and the beginning of the Christmas season.

Our scripture passage for this day is Isaiah 52:1, 2, 7-12, which, although it is not directly related to Christmas, is a prophecy proclaiming the biblical hope of a messianic age, now and future.

Who is this Isaiah? The original Isaiah probably ministered from 742-701 B.C.

Isaiah also appears in 2 Kings 18:13 to 20:21. Scholars believe there were either two or three men whose prophecies comprise the Book of Isaiah.

Were all these men really named Isaiah? We do not know. Possibly they – second and third Isaiah – took his name because they believed themselves to be building on his prophetic ministry.

The first 39 chapters of the book are generally believed to be the work of the “First Isaiah.” Our passage is from the work that is often designated as “Second Isaiah.” (I mention “First,” “Second” and Third Isaiah” not because it is necessary to the understanding of his message, but because you may read or hear of “the two” or “the three” Isaiahs.)

A wake-up call

The prophet begins Isaiah 52 with a wake-up call: “Awake, awake, out on your strength Zion! Put on your splendid clothing Jerusalem, you holy city … Shake the dust of yourself; rise up; sit enthroned Jerusalem. Loose the bonds from your neck, captive daughter of Zion.” (52:1, 2).

“Zion” was originally the scarp of rock on the southern tip of the ridge between the twin valleys of Jerusalem, the Kidron and the Tyropoeon. Before the arrival of the Hebrews, Zion was a natural stronghold of the Jebusites. In time, Zion became another name for Jerusalem.

So, all Zion, all Jerusalem, is called to wake up and hear the good news: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns. Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion’” (52:6, 7).

Perhaps you will agree with me: It would be wonderful if my church and yours could in different ways make that announcement to the world where we live; if each denomination could join together and all Christians exclaim the Good News; if all Christians everywhere were to become the “messengers with beautiful feet,” joining together for the whole world to hear and see.

“Your God reigns. Listen ... Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all nations; and all the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (52:7-10).

The eternal light

Jeanbon St. Andre, a God-denying leader of the French Revolution, is said to have told a peasant: “I will have all your steeples pulled down, that you may no longer have any object by which you may be reminded of your old superstitions.”

“But,” replied the peasant, “you cannot help leaving us the stars.”

Since human life first began millions of years ago, the stars have pointed us to a reality that transcends everything in the universe we can see or imagine. Van Gogh captures some of that in his marvelous painting, “Starry Night” – heavenly bodies depicted not so much as fixed points, but as luminous energy, living light that points to a reality upon which we and the universe are solely dependent, the cosmic Everlasting Arms of the God who reigns.

Ernest Poole in his novel, The Harbor, writes of a Brooklyn Heights boy who frequently wandered out to a secluded spot where he had an inspiring view of the harbor. Except that at his feet, there were unsightly tangles of railroad tracks over which hundreds of freight trains carried worldwide precious cargoes.

These trains frequently obstructed his view of the harbor, until, one night he found that by lifting his eyes slightly, he could see the stars above the freight trains. (From Donald H. Trippett, Best Sermons 1951-1952, The Macmillan Co.)

Advent is a time when the hustle and bustle of life in the fast lane can keep us focused on the freight trains and other distractions, unless we lift our eyes and see the stars above the human melee – and focus upon the light that shines in the darkness.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World.