The readings this morning seem to present very different views of reality: the prophet Isaiah presents a vision of peace, harmony, and prosperity; Jesus presents a description of war, international conflicts and natural disasters. Let’s see if we can make any sense out of how these two readings go together and what message they have for us in November 2004.

The book of Isaiah is filled with military conquest, exile and oppression. As we get close to the end of this book, Israel is still having a difficult time. The Israelites had been allowed to return from their exile in Babylon as a result of the Persian King Cyrus taking control there and reversing their policy of holding captive peoples. However, few had chosen to return and those that had returned were still suffering from very bad economic and social conditions. Even though the prophets had promised a new day after exile, the city of Jerusalem was still in ruins, the temple still not rebuilt. The people were in despair because there was no evidence of the restoration of the David’s kingdom. There was a spirit of cynicism and pessimism amongst the returned exiles, and many were giving up on God. They complained that God had not answered their prayers; however, Isaiah saw it differently. He states in chapter 59 that God had not answered their prayers because they had not been faithful and had begun worshipping other gods. He said it was their sin that had prevented the new actions they had expected from God. So Isaiah calls for national repentance, a turning back to God by again practicing justice and righteousness. So in chapter 60, Isaiah again promises a new kingdom and a new restored city that would be majestic and a joy, the centerpiece of the nation. Our reading in chapter 65 is the climax of these promises, yet they are conditional, based on the peoples’ repentance. Although many of the unfaithful will be destroyed, God will save a remnant. God will not destroy all of Israel. And then we have the promise that the former troubles are forgotten and hidden from God’s sight. For God is about to create new heavens and a new earth; Jerusalem as a joy and its people as a delight. What a beautiful message of hope and faith. The darkness and hopelessness will be gone and blessing after blessing will be the new creation.*

Isaiah promises economic justice and prosperity, “They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat…they shall not labor in vain.” (v.21-23b). He goes so far as proclaiming that even nature will be in harmony: the wolf and the lamb will eat together as well as the lion and the ox. This scripture is often used to signify peace as the animal typically considered dangerous becomes friend to the gentle.

The dream of peace is a common one across the world especially for those who live in a world torn by conflict and violence: consider Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Jerusalem, Haiti, Oakland, CA, and other gang torn inner cities, to name just a few. The human heart longs for serenity, for stability, for a daily existence without danger and threat, a good environment to raise children and grow old without such fears of safety, fears that Americans, too, have after the tragedy of 9/11.

Let’s now take a look at the Gospel reading. I must confess that when I first read this passage in Luke, I was tempted to forget it, to preach on Isaiah alone. As I thought and read more about this scripture, I knew it was important to include. This passage is considered part of the apocalyptic scriptures. Apocalypse means revelation of hidden things and usually talks about end times. If you remember, the thinking in the early Christian church was clearly that the world would soon end. Paul believed this, as well as that Jesus would come back to take the righteous to the eternal kingdom in his lifetime. Beliefs such as the resurrection of the dead, judgment day, heaven and hell are all apocalyptic subjects; however, it was most often refers to widespread disaster or destruction.

At the opening of our Gospel lesson, Jesus is foretelling the destruction of the Temple. According to Jewish history this temple was burned to the ground along with the rest of Jerusalem in 70 CE on the exact day, August 10th, that the King of Babylon burned down the Temple the first time in 586 B.C. E. This time the Roman general Titus was the person in charge of the destruction. The destruction of these temples was at least as devastating to these religious Jews as the destruction of 9/11 was to us Americans. It use to be that such devastation was known to us only in our heads from afar, but now we know it in our hearts as well. As a nation we are fearful; we are told it will happen again; and we spend tremendous amounts of money trying to figure out when such a thing might happen again and what we can do to be more safe. The disciples were no different. They wanted to know when this destruction would happen so maybe they too could escape the horror. They wanted to know early warning signs. Jesus then warns them about the appearance of false messiahs, and then goes on to list other horrible things: wars, international conflicts, and natural disasters, that are only too familiar to us from other more literal Bible reading Christians, who often use them to predict the end of the world.

Jesus does not leave his disciples in a state of fear about the above. He seems to imply that even more likely is their arrest and persecution because of their loyalty to him. Yet even with this realistic possibility, Jesus gives them reassuring counsel. He tells them that he will give them words and wisdom that their opponents will not be able to contradict. Although some indeed will die, Jesus says to his listeners that “not a hair of your head will perish” (v.18). And then the verse I like the best, v. 19, “By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

I think it’s hard to understand clearly all the words in Jesus’ counsel in this scripture. Some of the things certainly sound contradictory. As with anything the reader or listener can choose to focus on some things and not the others. In my opinion the focus of this lesson is not on predicting the end of the world but on the spiritual resources that we can use to cope with adversity and hardship. It is not up to us to figure out the mysteries of the universe; it is not for us to claim that we have special knowledge about what God is going to do and when, but to do what we can do to be obedient to the teachings of Jesus, to persevere, and to endure. To me Jesus’ teaching here means that we remain faithful and steadfast in the bad times as well as in the good times. I see it as a promise of hope and the importance of realizing that our ultimate security can only be in God. What would happen if we started to focus on the fulfillment of God’s promises in Isaiah 65? What if we stopped wondering and worrying about when the problems would cease and start working more to bring about God’s new earth? In Luke’s theology, all temporal or material things are passing. As Christians we are to focus on the Kingdom of God, not passing wealth and power or struggle and pain. Also in the New Testament in the chapter 21 of Revelations we have similar promises as in Isaiah. The author says, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” v.1-2; and then in v. 5, “…See, I am making all things new.”

My brothers and sisters we must endure in order to save our souls. It is up to us to work for the Kingdom here on earth, a new world of justice and peace for all. In that time we can join with God’s people from the Isaiah times in their hymn of praise and I read Isaiah 12:

12:1 You will say in that day: I will give thanks to you, O LORD,
for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you
comforted me.

12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my
salvation.

12:3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

12:4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted.

12:5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be
known in all the earth.

12:6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel.

Amen and Amen