December 11th – Advent Devotion
The book of Isaiah is written in 2 parts. The first 39 chapters tell of God’s judgement towards Judah (the other 11 tribes have already been judged) because they didn’t worship only God and they failed to provide justice to the poor. But Judah doesn’t listen and the Babylonians come and conquer Jerusalem and capture Judah to take them into exile. Then chapters 40-66 of Isaiah tell Judah how to have hope while living in exile.
Imagine you have been displaced from your home, sent off into captivity, and don’t know when or if you’ll ever see the place God has promised your people again. You have the promises of God memorized, the reminder of his faithfulness through all that he has done for your people, but when you look around, it’s hard to see.
The human race has mirrored the nation of Israel. Once chosen by God, we now find ourselves living in oppression, captivity, and exile. We long for things to go back to the way they were designed to be. We long for wholeness, completeness, and rest. We long for Shalom.
And that longing in our hearts is the foundation for God’s promises in Isaiah 54 and 55. He wants to remind Judah, Israel, and all of humanity that he has not forgotten his covenant of peace. In fact in Isaiah 54:10 it says, “’For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love (hesed) shall not depart from you and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord (YHWY) who has compassion on you.”
Empires come and go, even mountains and hills are destroyed, but God’s covenant still stands. But Israel is still in captivity, Jerusalem and the temple are in ruins, and sin, idolatry, and injustice seem to reign in this world.
700 years later and after 9 months of waiting, Mary gives birth to the one called Immanuel, God with us, and the covenant of peace remains. In fact Zechariah, Jesus’ uncle says that he will, “guide our feet to the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79) And just like that the expectation of peace returns. And as he heals, and speaks with wisdom and authority, dismantles religious oppression, and casts out demonic forces, he begins the work of peacemaking. In fact in his most famous sermon, he actually says that the most flourishing life you can have is by being a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9). But then he dies and with his death instead of sorrow and pain, the earth cries out.
Just one chapter after God’s covenant of Peace, in Isaiah 55:12 it says, “For you shall go out with Joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
It’s easy to look around at our world and think that peace is a long way off. But the covenant of peace started with the birth of Jesus, fulfilled in his death and resurrection, and is lived out by embracing and engaging in the kingdom of God through the church. Today, join the mountains and the hills by singing that the peace of God has come as we look to the arrival of Jesus at Christmastime.