The Anticipation of Advent

In chapter 35, Isaiah lays out the hope and reality of the Messiah who will make all things "right" (our Old Testament Reading from the third week of Advent in the Revised Common Lectionary).

 

 Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

"Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

He will come and save you."

 

Isaiah tells us that we should not fear those who use their power for evil or who seem to threaten the very "humanity" that we have come to believe should make us different than the rest of creation. However, our problem is not being created in God's Image; our problem is that we are corrupt because we want our humanity to be equal to God and His majesty.

 

In addition, when He does return as our God (the Messiah), He comes with the power to overthrow those who only understand a hammer of a justice which they cannot defeat. If there is anything that we have learned in our politics of late, there is no way to reason with the arrogant and delusional. That said, it is truly not a new problem.

Our God, however, does not delight in punishing, but it is the only recourse for those who reject God's offer of salvation. However, He also blesses those who realize they cannot justify themselves outside of the righteousness and forgiveness given through Jesus Christ. Evil cannot dwell in the presence of our triune God, as it always represents a cancer that leads to humanity wanting equal or greater power than the one and only creator who is thoroughly just and holy. He can righteously handle all of the immense power that is a part of his being. We humans, cannot.

 

The Messiah breaks into a humanity and a human history that has overwhelmingly rejected God's offer of redemption by choosing to believe that He and His revelation to mankind are optional. For these, only punishment remains. Their rule of selfishness, hypocrisy, and injustice (according to God's character and ways) is over.



May our God "Strengthen our weak hands, and make firm our feeble knees" as we wait faithfully for that final day when all is made right.

Fr. Thomas Reeves