Isaiah, Chapter 51, verse 12-13
12 I, it is I who comfort you. Can you then fear mortals who die, human beings who
are just grass, 13 and forget the LORD, your maker, who stretched out
the heavens and laid the foundations of earth? All the day you are in constant dread of the fury of the oppressor when
he prepares himself to destroy; but where is the oppressor’s fury?
Imagine the joy of the
Apostles when at the resurrection of Christ they finally realized this. That
they could no longer be controlled by powerful men who would die just like the
grass and that they were already on the winning side. Imagine the peace they
must have felt when they knew evil was conquered. Imagine the comfort they felt
for they knew the presence of God.
Mere Mortals; why fear ye, Sons of God?[1]
·
Our
speaker invites everyone to turn their attention back to God, "the rock
from which you were hewn," the same God of their ancestors. He says that
God will make the wilderness and the desert surrounding Zion into a garden as
nice as Eden.
·
God's
voice breaks in, saying that he will save the people swiftly. Heaven and earth
will both vanish, but his salvation will endure forever. With a little
sprinkling of ultimate justice and righteousness. Righteous people shouldn't
worry about the naysayers who make fun of them—they're just going to be
devoured like wool getting munched on by moths.
·
The
speaker calls on God to awake and reveal his strength again, since he was the
same person who killed the evil sea serpent Rahab and dried up the sea so that
Israel could cross and return to Zion and salvation.
·
Now,
God's voice comes back into the prophetic monologue. He is the one who comforts
Israel, and he's confused as to why they would be afraid of mere mortals (like
the Babylonians). After all, if they get into any trouble, they should know
that they're going to get released from oppression right away.
·
That
said, Israel has drunk from the bowl of God's wrath, making it stagger around
like someone totally deluded. Its children are all caught by God's wrath, too.
So who can save Israel? God will give the cup of wrath to Israel's enemies
instead, and Israel will receive mercy from now on. Probably one of the
few times that someone was pleased to have their beverage confiscated.
The Servant of the Lord
Here is my servant
whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased. Upon him I have put my
spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out, nor
shout, nor make his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he will not
break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench. He will faithfully bring
forth justice. He will not grow dim or be bruised until he establishes justice
on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and
its produce, who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk on it:
the LORD, have called you for justice, I
have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant for the
people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out
prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. I
am the LORD, LORD is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to
idols. See, the earlier things have come to pass, new ones I now declare; before
they spring forth I announce them to you.
Daily
Devotions
·
Do 1 hour in front of
the Blessed Sacrament now till Easter.
·
Please pray for me and this ministry
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