Today in the Morning Prayer we read from Isaiah 45:14-19. We
are in the season of Epiphany (the manifestation of Jesus to the world), having
completed the twelve days of Christmas culminating with the Feast of Epiphany
on January 6 (which was the earliest celebration of the Incarnation/birth of
Jesus). The themes of light and revelation (apocalypse)
are present as we are called to ponder what God has unveiled (apocalypse) to the world.
It begins with God’s promise to pour the wealth of the nations
on the Jews. However, once I read a bit more I understood the promise in its
actual context [a reminder: always read in context, context, and context!] The chapter
is actually part of a longer explanation that God has done the unimaginable. He
has raised up a Messiah. Who is the Messiah? Why it is Cyrus the Persian King…..
Clearly, there is some reluctance to believe Isaiah’s word;
as Isaiah points out the ridiculousness of questioning God (does clay complain
to the potter about its purpose? Side note, Paul uses this same image in his
arguments about the ways of God. Paul read the Jewish Bible!). The idea that
God of Israel is at work in the pagan king is a scandal. Not unlike the scandal
of Jesus, who is also not what the people expect. Hence, the promise of wealth
is fulfilled when Cyrus literally uses tax money from his empire to help the
Jews rebuild their city and temple. This theme which is also present in Exodus
(the Egyptians give gifts to the departing Israelites in a “despoiling”)
continues into the New Testament when Paul commends the churches to give
generously to the mother church in Jerusalem!
The verse which captured me was this: Truly You are a God who hides Himself. This, of course, is
the great mystery of creation. Why is God hidden? Why is He not obvious and
overt? Even in revelation He remains hidden. The Bible cannot be read without a
commentary, and if you read more than one commentary the growing clarification
seems to be accompanied by confusion of alternatives. Even in the Book God
remains hidden.
The second reading today (Colossians 1:24-2:7) helps some.
Following up on the great Christological hymn (He is the image of the Invisible
God, the firstborn of all creation…) it portrays Jesus as the One in Whom “all
the treasures” are “hidden.” The “mystery that has been hidden throughout the
ages and generations but has now been revealed to His holy ones.” This fulfills
what Isaiah speaks in 45:14-19; God is the Savior and not human constructs
(idols). We live in a world where
darkness and chaos seem to prevail, but behind it all (behind ‘the veil’) the
hand of the Savior is at work. The mystery of salvation unveiled in Jesus
remains a mystery none the less.
The hiddenness of God is something which Jesus Himself
remarked upon (Luke 10:21 I thank you,
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the
wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father for such was Your gracious will.
As Paul Hanson says in his commentary (Interpretation,
Isaiah 40-66, p 109) “God’s hiddenness is a hiddenness in mercy, making God’s
presence available only to those whose hearts are prepared.” (emphasis
added). A timely reminder to keep preparing our hearts for the Epiphany, the
Apocalyptic moments of God unveiling and revealing His saving Hand at work
among us each day, until it be The Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment