Isaiah 56-61
The words of God continue to be given to all in chapter 56. A picture is given of those outside Israel reaching out to Him and God receiving them. "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations," (56:7) is the verse recited by Jesus while cleansing the temple. Clearly God is not simply a national God. It is the righteous He is calling while the wicked are punished -- but not always in the way the world expects. God explains in 57:1-2 that many righteous die to be spared from further evil. It is victory which is found at death for them. But the wicked will continue to be tormented on earth. Even their good works will be exposed as having bad motives (56:12). The idols which lured the evil are not saving gods. They are not able to rest (56:20-21). There is no peace for the wicked.
However those who are contrite will live with the Holy One forever.
The falseness of the fasts are exposed in chapter 58. Why is God ignoring their fasting? Because their heart isn't in it. They refrain from eating, but not from their evil lifestyle. But true fasting is described in 58:6-14. It is not a lack of food, but standing for the oppressed and hungry and poor and homeless and naked. It is eerily reminicent of Jesus' parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
A new set of charges begin in chapter 59, but it is the same theme. God is holy. Man is evil and his deeds are corrupt. Those craving justice go unsatisfied until the Lord takes matters into His own hands beginning in 59:16. Two pieces of the armor of God are mentioned in this description: the breastplate of righteousness (technically He puts on righteousness as a breastplate) and the helmet of salvation. God will mete out justice. But His promise is that His Spirit will not leave.
Chapter 60 begins a section foretelling the glory of Zion. It is a time where all will recognize the light of Israel - or more accurately, Israel's God. The city walls are rebuilt by foreigners and their kings will serve Zion. There is a sense in which this is fulfilled in the resettlement of Jerusalem, but there seems to be much more to it than I would have imagined. Chapter 61, of course,
begins with the passage Jesus claimed to fulfill in declaring the year of the Lord's favor.
However those who are contrite will live with the Holy One forever.
The falseness of the fasts are exposed in chapter 58. Why is God ignoring their fasting? Because their heart isn't in it. They refrain from eating, but not from their evil lifestyle. But true fasting is described in 58:6-14. It is not a lack of food, but standing for the oppressed and hungry and poor and homeless and naked. It is eerily reminicent of Jesus' parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
A new set of charges begin in chapter 59, but it is the same theme. God is holy. Man is evil and his deeds are corrupt. Those craving justice go unsatisfied until the Lord takes matters into His own hands beginning in 59:16. Two pieces of the armor of God are mentioned in this description: the breastplate of righteousness (technically He puts on righteousness as a breastplate) and the helmet of salvation. God will mete out justice. But His promise is that His Spirit will not leave.
Chapter 60 begins a section foretelling the glory of Zion. It is a time where all will recognize the light of Israel - or more accurately, Israel's God. The city walls are rebuilt by foreigners and their kings will serve Zion. There is a sense in which this is fulfilled in the resettlement of Jerusalem, but there seems to be much more to it than I would have imagined. Chapter 61, of course,
begins with the passage Jesus claimed to fulfill in declaring the year of the Lord's favor.
posted by rev-ed @ 12:16 AM
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