Isaiah in Advent

Vicar's letter
This year our lessons in Advent all come from the first part of the book of Isaiah. This was written at the time of what is known as the Assyrian crisis. In the 720's BC, Assyria became a powerful nation and in 721 captured Samaria the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel. That kingdom ceased to exist and its citizens were dispersed. Isaiah was the great prophet of the southern kingdom. Assyria threatened the southern kingdom and in 701 laid siege to Jerusalem and then retreated to its natural territory.

Isaiah was critical of much of the prevailing politics and ethos of Israel and Judah, although he had an ally in the King of Judah, Hezekiah, who did right in the eyes of the Lord. Isaiah was critical of the injustice that prevailed, the economic and political dominance of  certain families, the seeking security through military might and when that failed through foreign alliances with nations of dubious morality.

Isaiah gives inspiring visions of how people with differences can live together and he stresses that to develop the virtues needed for this creative living together we must turn to God. God will send us help. In several passages he looks to a saviour to help directly the people of Israel. This saviour Christians interpreted as pointing to Jesus, the coming saviour of the world.

Advent is a time we particularly repent of our social sins; those things in ourselves, our local community, our church, our nation that assist injustice, division, violence in the world. As we read Isaiah inveigh against injustice we can ponder the way more powerful nations treat the less powerful nations on this earth as well as the injustices that pervade our own nation. We can hear Isaiah's vision, our falling short of the vision. Our need for a saviour - not one who will do all the work for us, but one who if we let influence us, will help us influence the life of the world above all by the way we live our lives, our example, our help in the flourishing of all peoples.

Advent is a busy time; we do our shopping, we prepare our food, we have many school and other carol services. Let us as we are stuck in traffic jams, waiting at the check out, recall he who is coming as our saviour, he who, if we let him deeply into our lives, will help us work with others for the transformation of the life of the world.

Christopher Morgan-Jones

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