|
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Background to the Book of Isaiah Historical: xxxxIn 598 BCE, 587 BCE, 582 BCE (Jer 52:28-30), the Babylonians deported significant numbers of Israelites to Babylon, especially the leaders and highly educated people. It appears that the Babylonians allowed the exiles to own land (Jer 29:5) and gave them much freedom. They could continue to worship (Ezek 8:1, 14:1,3, 20:1,29, Jer 29:1), to participate in trade (Marashu business texts), to remain in tribal groups with their leaders (Jer 29:5-7) and to serve on royal projects and in the military forces. The evidence of the Jeremiah, Deutero-Isaiah, Ezekiel and Priestly material shows that writing continued in the exile. An awareness of both the written and oral traditions of the past is seen in these books. While some writings (Deutero-Isaiah, Jeremiah, Deuteronomic History) probably received their final form in exile, other writings (Priestly, Psalms, Ezekiel) did not achieve their final form until much later. The people were aware of the Torah requirements (see Lev 26:14-45, an exilic sermon) and Ezekiel drew upon the laws in the Holiness Code in Lev 17-25. The later writings confirmed that the people in Babylon knew the requirements of the law (Ezra 7:11-20: Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law, the one sent by the God of heaven to Jerusalem with treasures for the temple and a commission to undertake teaching of the law and moral reform). We assume that if Ezra was going to Jerusalem as a teacher of the law he would also have been teaching the law to those in Babylon. In summary, the exilic community appears to have been well organised, able to enjoy the benefits of Babylonian life and free to maintain its own religious life and worship. Although the people were not able to worship at the temple and offer sacrifices, they learnt about their past traditions (Isa 40-55) and the requirements of the law (Deuteronomic History, Ezekiel, Leviticus). PURPOSE of Isa 40-55:xxxxxxxThese chapters in the scroll of Isaiah appear to address a situation later in the exile (circa 540 BCE) when the prophet proclaims that God wants them to return to Jerusalem. Most of the older generation would have died, those who remained would have heard the stories of Jerusalem, but this generation would be very comfortable, settled, well off, living in a fertile and cultured country. They were safe, had freedom and many obtained wealth. The question is how do you get a group of people to move who are comfortable, settled, whose children are born in this new country, to move back to a wreck of a city taken over by people from the surrounding countries, Edom, Moab ,Transjordan etc. You want to transport them back to a rocky and barren landscape, where there was no immediate opportunities for making a living. We have the experience of Kosovar refugees who were only in Australia a few months not 40 plus years and some of them had no desire to return to probable hardship and possible death. I have no desire to return to a ‘but and ben' in the Highlands of Scotland on a permanent basis. A holiday is wonderful. This is the task of the writer of Isa 40-55 - to convince the people to return to Jerusalem and build the temple and city again. The experience of the exile has made them realise that they have to rely on the grace of God alone and that it is only by God's loving kindness they can know forgiveness. Literary Comments Isa 40-55 begins with a prologue in Isa 40:1-11 which sets out the message of the following sixteen chapters. The first verse declares that the people of Israel are forgiven and they have suffered enough for all their rebellion and unfaithfulness. Now God will lead them back to Jerusalem. The poetry is quite different to that used in Isa 1-39 and is regarded as some of the most beautiful in the Old Testament. Isa 40-55 proclaims God as creator and develops the explanation God as creator of the world first stated in Gen 1. Not only is Yahweh creator of the world, but also redeemer of people within history. It is Isa 40-55 who has a fully monotheistic presentation of God. Up to this point there has been an acknowledgement and acceptance of other gods by the writers of the Hebrew Scriptures. This can be seen in many of the psalms we read. |
|||||||||
|
Context of Isa 60:1-6 After the inclusive message of Isa 56:1-8 an immediate impact is made by the use of stark pictures to describe the situation as perceived by the writer. Isa 57 spells out in detail the idolatrous behaviour of the people: judgement will befall them and their adopted idols will not rescue them. Isa 58 expounds the sins of the people even further. Moreover, the chapter combines two major areas of sinful behaviour in the eyes of God: cultic impropriety and unethical behaviour (vv.1-7, 9b-10a, 13). If these behaviours are reversed the people will be saved (v.8-9a, 10b-12, 14). The separation from Yahweh is blamed on the people's sinfulness which is described in graphic pictures in Isa 59:1-8 and reiterated by the people who acknowledge their sins in Isa 59:9-15. In response the Lord will put on righteousness, with the result his enemies will suffer his anger and those who turn from their sins will be redeemed. The separation between the ungodly and the righteous which is detailed in chapters 65-66 is pre-figured in both Isa 57 and 58. Isa 60-62 contains a strong emphasis on the role and place of Zion. The proclamation is unconditional and states how God will act towards Zion and his people. Images of light and glory rest on Zion which attract the foreigners. In response the foreigners are wholly subordinate to Israel. A situation which gives honour to Yahweh. God will make an everlasting covenant and their descendants will be known among the nations. The people respond with their acknowledgment of what God will do, which includes the recognition of God's righteousness. The final verses of Isa 62 affirm the special relationship between Yahweh, his people and the city. We move from God's promise of renewal and restoration in chapters 60-62 to the portrait of a God who is angry and vengeful in Isa 63:1-6 . When God looks there is no one to save. Here is one of many contradictions which the writer of Isaiah 56-66 seems to have retained in these chapters (Isa 63:5, I looked, but there was no one to uphold versus a promise of renewal and restoration to the people, Isa 65:17). Isa 63:7-64:12 is a lament by the people acknowledging their unfaithfulness and seeking God's forgiveness which is immediately followed by a response from God who asks why did they never answer when God called. After giving details of their heinous crimes God promises a new heaven and new earth in which God is described as a comforting mother. |
|||||||||
|
Insights/Message of Isa 60:1-6 Literary structure: Isa 60 takes up the prophecy from Isa 59:20 which proclaims that Yawheh will come to Zion as Redeemer and we read of the consequences which begin with the imperative voice speaking to Jerusalem directly - 'Arise, shine' . The play on the word 'arise' is apparent in vv.1-2. Jerusalem will 'arise' and the nations will see this 'rising' together with the glory which has come because the Lord has 'arisen' x2 on Jerusalem. The imperative commands to Jerusalem continue, and the consequence of Jerusalem 'lifting up her eyes' (v.4) will be the sight of nations and exiles returning in glorious acclaim to Jerusalem. Wealth and abundance will accompany these returnees, both Israelites and the nations. A description of this wealth is further expanded using images from the middle East in vv.6-7. Indeed, the unit continues until the end of v.9. In v.2b, the glory can be interpreted as God's presence which has returned to Jerusalem. InEzekiel 8, we are told the glory has left Jerusalem and is present with the exiles in Babylon. Now that presence has returned and has the same intent as when David brought the ark into Jerusalem when he became King - God's presence is here with us. Isa 60-62 comes in the centre of Isa 56-66 and proclaims a picture of the rebuilt glorious Zion who will draw all people to her splendour. The nations will be subservient to Israel bringing their wealth and themselves as builders to be used by Israel. As God addresses Jerusalem in Isa 60, using the femine pronouns to confirm that it is indeed Jerusalem, the voice in Isa 61 is that of the prophet speaking in the first person before the chapter moves to Yahweh speaking in the first person. It is likely that Isa 60-62 came from a tradition spoken to the exiles soon after their return from Babylon and later was incorporated into its present position in Isa 56-66 at a much later time (circa 400 BCE). Message / Theology:xxxThe implied audience is the group of people who have returned to Jerusalem inspired by the message of Isa 40-55. Indeed, the people would have needed the hope of a glorious renewed Zion to keep their spirits alive after the trek back from Babylon and seeing a ruined Jerusalem which their forbears had left 50-60 years earlier. The darkness which had descended when Nebuchadrezzar invaded and took Jerusalem will now be lifted and the light, which is God's glory/presence is now shining out and apparent to all peoples. This glorious rebuilt Jerusalem with God's presence has been a picture of hope and salvation throughout all the history of the Jewish people which is been echoed in the liturgy at the end of the Passover meal, 'Next year in Jerusalem'. For Christian readers it is part of the story retold in the liturgy which commemorates the Magi following the light (star) to Bethlehem and worshipping the new born Christ. God's presence is now that light which has come into the world. In the history of God's people God's presence was with Moses on Mt Sinai, with the people, symbolised in the Ark, as they travelled the wilderness, that presence/Ark brought into Jerusalem by David, the glory/presence leaving Jerusalem to abide with the exiles in Babylon and returning in Isa 60. The light of God now present in Christ which the Magi saw in the heavens and followed. The Magi are symbolic of the nations/gentiles who come to the Jerusalem/Bethlehem attracted by the light. The worship of gentiles is accepted by the Christ and are fully included within the gospel of Jesus Christ as indeed the foreigners are accepted fully into the worshipping community in Isa 56:1-8.
|
|||||||||
|
Resources/Worship for Isa 60:1-6 Worship: xxxx. Resources: Commentaries The Old Testament Guides (OTG) by Sheffield Academic Press are an excellent small resource which give many suggestions for readings on particular aspects in the book. The New Interpreter's Bible is another very helpful resource and published in the late 1990's - 2002 is more up to date than some earlier works. Baltzer, Klaus. Deutero-Isaiah: A Commentary on Isaiah 40-55. Herm. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress Press, 2001. Seitz, Christopher. "The Book of Isaiah: Chapters 40-66." In The Interpreter's Bible. 6:307-552: Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001. The Dramatised Bible: ed. Michael Perry. London: Marshall Pickering: Bible Society, 1989 Web sites with helpful lectionary resources: These links were updated 09/06/2008
|