Year C 17 November 2019
“Wouldn’t It Be Nice” the Beach Boys sang … Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older then we wouldn’t have to wait so long? And wouldn’t it be nice to live together in the kind of world where we belong?
While this song was undoubtedly about a love interest, it is also a mantra that might hold true for those who believe in the promises of Isaiah 65. Wouldn’t it be nice to live upon the new heaven and the new earth? It is in this renewed Heaven and Earth that justice rules and, as a result, security is so abundant that wolves and lambs graze together. Hunger is fed and homes are filled. Wouldn’t it be nice?
Do you ever wonder about what it will be like when God sets the world right again? Just like the believers in biblical times, we sometimes think about these things. We wonder what the world will look like when God’s promises are fulfilled. Today’s passage from Isaiah is a beautifully crafted piece of poetry which shares pieces of a vision that give believers hope, not only for the distant future, but for now.
The people who lived in Jerusalem in around 475 BCE were not to be envied. Two generations has passed since their ancestors, with much rejoicing, had set out from Babylon to repopulate the city of David. The people who had thrived on stories of past greatness are now challenged by the daunting task of rebuilding life in their homeland. Their prophets had sung of how Yahweh would lead the people home from exile while all creation rejoiced (Isaiah 40:1-11), and had spun visions of a glorious new Temple set within a sparkling city (Ezekiel 40-48). These images must have danced in the heads of the returning Jews, but as some of their number chose to remain in Babylon, this must have been a reminder of the state of the ruined city to which they were returning. There was much distance between the vision and the reality.
Stories of past greatness were far from the reality the Jews found. It had been almost half a century since their return but in Jerusalem little was changed. The Temple had been restored, but it was shabby compared to the great edifice of Solomon which had stood on the same spot before the Babylonian invasion. There are still no city walls, and piles of rubble can be seen where houses and markets used to be. It is no wonder that the energy and excitement of returning home have faded, and the people are disillusioned, when they continue to see destruction around them.
The poet-prophet who wrote these words was someone who understood the larger plan that God had for humankind. God’s plan is bigger than they can imagine, for God is not going to just rebuild Jerusalem but will “create new heavens and a new earth” (65:17), something much greater than what has been before.
Within this new order of being God will not only “rejoice” (65:18) in what is being created, but “delight” (65:18) in the people. In this new homeland, security, peace and joy will be shared by people, animals, land and God. God will rejoice in this creation and the creation will rejoice in God.
While 2 Thessalonians 3:3-16 is part of a letter of encouragement and correction to a community of faith, its words lack the poetic beauty of Isaiah and can seem very brutal. “Anyone unwilling to work should not eat” (3:10) hardly seems encouraging, but rather harsh and unforgiving. Before we dismiss this passage I would like to mention a couple of things which are helpful in understanding what the author was intending.
Firstly, there is no ambiguity about the fact that this passage is written to a Christian community. Members are told to “keep away from believers who are living in idleness” (3:6). Paul’s own behaviour is then held up as an example which reinforces this point, for it is precisely Christians, and only Christians, to whom Paul is an example. The problem that Paul is addressing here is how Christians treat one another.
Secondly, the words “idle” and “idleness” may not be the best translations of the original Greek. The Greek word “ataktos” primarily describes behaviour that is insubordinate or irresponsible; behaviour by individuals who rebel against the constraints imposed by the needs and wishes of the community for the benefit of others. Apparently one form of this irresponsibility is taking “bread without paying for it”. (3:8)
The passage doesn’t explain why this behaviour is happening, but it is enough of a problem for Paul to write about it and his response is sharp. There is a command to keep away from those who are not behaving appropriately.
The appropriate behaviour is to imitate Paul’s attitude and disposition. Paul insists that he has the right to be supported by congregations but refuses to take advantage of this right, instead supporting himself.
Paul suggests that those who eat the bread of others are putting an unnecessary burden on the community, for others are harmed by this behaviour. He also encourages people to do their work quietly, for those who do not might attract attention which could compromise the community as a whole.
Finally Paul calls the believers to not grow weary in doing what is right. Anyone who has seen any of the ice-age movies would know Scrat. He does not expect anyone else to do the work he needs to do to eat, and is relentless in his quest for what he needs – the precious acorn.
Paul is calling all members of the Christian community to live in a way which is not exhausting, but life-giving to individuals and the community itself.
And this is where, for me, these readings intersect beautifully.
The world of Isaiah 65 is the world where God’s loved ones belong, where there is peace, security and joy, a place where no-one take advantage of another, a place which is life-giving. This place is not one that is completely beyond our knowing, for God is actively working to fulfilling this promise.
This vision is not only in a place that is far away. We are in its midst now. For Isaiah, God’s promise is fulfilled in the new heaven and earth, the new community that we can help birth, a new kingdom that Jesus called into being.
How do we respond to the promise of a new community?
Do we believe it?
How have we been that promise for one another?
Or haven’t we?
These are hard questions. The vision of God is one where brokenness is restored and all of creation benefit; a place where life is revered and protected. Surely this vision is one that we are called to participate in. It is one that the world desperately needs to hear.
Freedom, peace, security, joy, community … this is the good news and the reality of the gospel of Christ.
Amen.
Rev Heather Hon – November 2019