Monday, December 30, 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

Isaiah 25: 1-9

The Harper Collins Study Bible (NRSV) offers a helpful subtitle prior to this passage: “Praise for Deliverance from Oppression.” I have two very different responses to this text. First, I am attracted to one aspect of this image of God that is concerned for the welfare of the Israelite people; particularly the needy and poor. The Lord is willing to empathize with people and will provide a lavish banquet of rich food and wine to meet their needs. Here is an image of a God that graciously provides for “all peoples” and it appears that no particular nation is privileged. 

The second image that causes more concern for me is when God appears willing to strike out and obliterate an entire people or nation to exact justice on the part of the oppressed. This, in my mind, is perplexing. When nations undertake unjust policies are these policy choices approved by everyone – from the most privileged to the most marginalized? Or, are such policies mostly likely undertaken in the interests of the political elites? If the latter is closer to the truth, should all members of a polity from the highest to the lowest (in terms of socio-economic power) be equally punished? To what extent would this be a just response? For example, Isaiah 25:10 specifically mentions that: “The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit.” I would like to speak to those who authored this passage to find out what particularly inspired them to utilize this image of a vengeful God willing to lay waste to “the other” in this world? 

-Terry Rothwell