Restoration
NL Year 2 • Sermon • Submitted
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Last week we talked about Jeremiah’s joyful word centered around the despair of the destruction of Jerusalem and exile. Today we fast forward toward the end of Israel’s exile. King Cyrus of Persia has grown an empire that rivals that of Babylon and, Cyrus, unlike pretty much any other foreign king will invite the Israelites back to their home countries to essentially rule themselves with a certain amount of autonomy. God knows this is happening and asks Isaiah to share this good news with the people and this is the word that we hear today.
I feel like today’s word is even more hopeful than that of Jeremiah’s. A word of hope for the future is incredible especially in the moment it was heard, but to have the words of hope from Isaiah be more immediate must have been even more joyful than Jeremiah’s at the actual time of hearing it. There are so many beautiful images from today’s reading that I thought we would spend a little bit of time on each one rather than focusing on just one part of it.
The map that you see on the screen is a map from my house to the church. I couldn’t zoom in any further and have the whole route show up on the map so I left it where it is. The reason I wanted to zoom in even further was to show some of the turns that aren’t as obvious from this height. Honestly it isn’t that bad of a drive, but there is a lot of zig zagging to be able to get here. And on a larger scale I also remember the amount of roads, highways, and interstates that I used to take any time Bekkah and I drove across country from Ohio to Arizona or California.
A voice cries out to prepare the way of the Lord and to make everything straight including the mountains and valleys so that there is this straight path for God. Before I get to the highway for God I wanted to address the word cry out. Another possible translation for that is to proclaim. I like the word cry out as it evokes an emotional response from people, but I think it’s also very important to know that it also means to proclaim. A voice proclaims to the people. The first proclamation is for a straight way to be made. Not one with twists and turns. Not one that has to go up or down hills and mountains to be able to get from point A to point B.
I mentioned that Bekkah and I used to make cross country treks from Ohio to Arizona and California. The very first time I went to California after living in Ohio for a year I was struck by how many hills, mountains and valleys there were in California. Ohio is flat. You can see all the way to the horizon in Ohio. Kingman is a valley between to mountain ranges. Imagine wiping both ranges flat and being able to see for everything until you hit the horizon.
Every valley is lifted up and every mountain and hill made low. Everything will be even. Why? Because God wants you to have this image that you will see God coming. When you step out the door of your house and look out you will have nothing obstructing your view when the God of all creation comes walking up to restore you to your real home. Not just that, not jus that you will see God coming from miles and miles away and that you know God is coming, but that there are no barriers between you and God. You don’t have to make 15 different turns to get to your destination. And actually, it is you that is the destination. God is coming to you and there is nothing in the way. No mountain to make the journey difficult or troublesome. There are no rough places that would cause God to take longer, God is coming straight down the highway to you. There are no barriers between you and God. Not that there ever were, but sometimes we need to be reminded for that fact.
A voice cries out and proclaims again. This time we are reminded that we are grass and flowers. Much like Jesus reminds us in that flowers and grass, specifically the lilies of the field are here today and gone tomorrow. Or as Isaiah puts it we wither and fade. On the surface that doesn’t sound so comforting especially when Isaiah repeats it twice. Most days I don’t feel too old, but any time I am with my oldest brother Nick, and his 16 year old son I am reminded that I skipped school in college to go and see him the day after he was born. He is now 16 years old. Time flies and sometimes you don’t realize how quickly it does fade behind you. I have talked with people who in their 80’s and 90’s and they will tell me that life is short and there is still more that they would like to have done in their life especially when they were younger and more able to do things. It has been about 2,000 years since Jesus was here on this earth and if I live to be 100 that is only a small amount of time that I am here and in comparison with how old the world is I am even more insignificant in that scale of things. No wonder people like Cyrus of Persia and other powers in the world tried to conquer the world. They wanted to make their mark on history or live the most they could live in the very short time they had in a world that would keep going when they were gone.
Even though we are here but for a short amount of time the Word of God never fades and will stand forever. Proclamations like that from God are always a reminder that all of the covenants and promises that God made with God’s people will hold true for all generations. The promises made were not to a specific group of people but a promise for all people for all time. So as we read through God’s story we can know that it is also our story. As we read God’s promises to people we can know that they are promises made to us. As we read about God’s steadfast love for people we know that love is for us also.
Because of that great and steadfast love we should declare it to all people. I know God told us to level everything so there are no barriers, but now we are called to find a mountain and declare to the people “Here is your God!” Then Isaiah gives us images of what God looks like and means to us. First we are reminded of how mighty and strong God is it is ultimately that God who rules no matter what king, foreign or local, sits on the throne and commands the earthly laws of the people. So we have this first image of a strong and mighty God which is then followed up by what I view as almost a polar opposite view. God is now viewed as a shepherd, much like Jesus refers to himself as, who feeds them and who lovingly cares for them and carries them in God’s arms. Isaiah even uses the imagery of gently leading the mother sheep that are likely nursing their young. Not only is God mighty and strong and willing to protect you with God’s mighty arms, but God will use those same mighty arms to tenderly and compassionately hold you close so that you are protected and loved.
God is coming. Make straight the pathways and the highways. Remove all obstacles and barriers. In every time and place, in every generation God comes to us. As we move further into Advent we make ourselves and our world ready for the coming of the Lord in the form of a baby child who will use both his mighty arm and his loving care to lift us up and show us how close God is to each and every one of us. God is coming, God is with us. Emmanuel. Amen.