The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
The season of Advent is upon us. A new (liturgical) year in the life of the church has begun! Over the next four weeks, we will prepare to welcome that sweet little baby Jesus in the manger, and at the same time proclaim that Christ will return again in glory. Advent provides us a time to wait and anticipate these dual pieces of good news, all while examining how we are supposed to live the life in between. We begin this contemplation with the theme of “hope,” specifically the hope that is spoken in the words of the prophet Isaiah.
Isaiah is often called the “poet of light,” for the visionary and beautiful images he presents about the coming reign of God. The book of Isaiah is one of the richest and most complex in all of the Bible, and captures the drama of the life of a community living under peril and promise surrounding the exile to Babylon and Egypt over almost 300 years of history.
Isaiah is God’s prophet who unfolds a vision of new heavens and a new earth to God’s people, and to us today. The verses for today begin to lay out that vision, and assure the people of Israel that transformation is the foundation of what God will do, and peace will be the result.
In an ever-changing world, the words of Isaiah inspire hope. Here, it is seen joyfully as people from all the nations come to worship together, seeking instruction from the Almighty. These words are invitational to us as well, encouraging us to seek God’s wisdom and guidance for our own lives. All are welcome on God’s holy mountain, where incredible transformation can and will happen. Here, God will fill us and inspire us to lead lives of peace, so much so that those weapons we once held will be turned into instruments of peace and productivity. Our angers, frustrations, and animosity will be transformed into that which brings us together and makes us thrive as a community. Surely, this is the work of God!
As we enter this Advent season together, may we come as those seeking to learn from God and allow Christ to shape us and reconcile us to one another and to God. Then, we will be well on our way to walking and living in God’s light – over the next four weeks, and beyond!
— Written by Rev. Elizabeth Lovell Milford
