A Wine Before Breakfast Meditation on Isaiah 4.2-6
by Brian Walsh
It always comes back to creation and exodus.
Figure out Genesis and Exodus and you’ve got the most foundational outline of the biblical story.
And when the biblical imagination takes a redemptive turn,
…when a prophet moves from judgment to hope,
…and the biblical narrative transitions from the ruins to rebuilding,
…there are two themes that will pretty much always be found:
……creation and liberation.
We’ve heard so much bad news from Isaiah,
…so much condemnation on the Holy City of Jerusalem,
…that I didn’t have the heart to read Isaiah 3 to the community this morning.
The poet’s depiction of the collapse of all societal and civilizational structures and supports,
…his portrayal of a community devoid of any leadership,
…his condemnation – yet again – of the oppression of the poor,
…his denunciation of opulent luxury,
…and his provocative picture of the smell of perfume being overpowered by the stench of death,
……the sashes that the fine ladies wore around their wastes become ropes for their necks,
……their beautiful hair gives way to baldness,
……their rich robes become sackcloth,
……and instead of beauty they are adorned with shame,
all of this just seemed like too much. Read the rest of this entry »
