I’ve been slowly working my way through the book of Isaiah with a group of friends. One of the things that has helped with my this journey is the understanding that large sections of Isaiah are poetry, not “predictions about the future” as we can commonly think of prophets/prophecy. One of my friends pointed out that it’s interesting think of the prophets as the poets of their time, holding up a mirror to society and seeking to express God’s heart in ways that would open people’s eyes, would evoke emotional responses and would be memorable. Also hopefully in ways that would draw people to repentance.
Like all great poetry, the words of Isaiah can speak to us as much today as when they were written. There are passages that jump out as if they were written about society today, not thousands of years ago, and through those passages we can see what angered God then and what angers God now. One thing that has really jumped out at me is God’s anger at the rich and powerful living it up while the poor struggle, all while feigning righteousness. The same thing that seems to be shaping up as one of the key issues for the upcoming election.
I can’t stand your trivial religious games:
Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—
meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more!
Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them!
You’ve worn me out!
I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning.
When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way.
No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening.
And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody.
Go home and wash up.
Clean up your act.
Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings
so I don’t have to look at them any longer.
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.”1:23 “Your leaders are turncoats who keep company with crooks.
They sell themselves to the highest bidder
and grab anything not nailed down.
They never stand up for the homeless,
never stick up for the defenseless.”
And just for fun, one from chapter 3 in honour of Jacinda Ardern taking over the leadership of the Labour party:
3:6 “One brother will grab another and say,
‘You look like you’ve got a head on your shoulders.
Do something!
Get us out of this mess.’
And he’ll say, ‘Me? Not me! I don’t have a clue.
Don’t put me in charge of anything.’”