In our scripture readings for Isaiah Sunday, the prophet Isaiah is speaking to a nation of Judah that is uncertain of itself. It has witnessed the conquering and exile of its kinsmen, Israel, to the north. And, in its doubt of the ongoing protection of God, it is caught up in a chaotic storm of political maneuvering, making and breaking alliances with its neighbour nations, seeking security. Isaiah prophesies that Judah, too, will be conquered and taken into exile for their sins, but in the future, the thick darkness of their situation will give way to the bright light of the child born for them, God's only son, Jesus....
England, France, Italy, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, Germany, Russia...these are the seven empires that vie for world supremacy in the Avalon Hill board game “Diplomacy,” roughly based on world politics before World War 1. But unlike the dice-rolling fest of a board game like “Risk”, in “Diplomacy,” the focus is on human interaction and alliances. Before any movement of troops takes place, there is a stage when each player has the opportunity to talk to each other player, to coordinate strategy, to look for mutual advantage. And then the troop movement orders are recorded on paper, so that they can be revealed simultaneously for each player. THAT is when you find out whether your allies from last turn have now invaded you on this turn. Woe to you if you suddenly find yourself friendless, because six against one does not go well....
Judah, the remnant of Israel, Syria, Egypt, Assyria, the conqueror of Israel....these were the major players in the game of “Diplomacy” circa 700 B.C. And it is a theme running throughout the book of Isaiah, that the right answer for Judah is not to play – to trust in God for protection instead. Don't pay attention to the nations talking behind your back, conspiring. Don't look for wisdom in consulting the dead, which is strictly forbidden anyways. Take seriously the call to cast aside the other gods that have accumulated in the nation of Judah, and focus solely on the Lord of hosts.
You would think that with the recent example of the exile of Israel to Assyria – AS A RESULT of their pride and arrogance of heart – that the people of Judah would listen. You would think that the people of Judah would see the desolation of Zebulun and Naphtali, the first territories invaded by the Assyrians, and smarten up. But no, the head and tail of Judah, the elders and false prophets, have the people of Judah in confusion. They are putting their hope in their skill at diplomacy, while living in dread of the consequences of their impending failure.
Who is friend, and who is foe? I cannot remember a time in my life when these questions were more confusing than right now. Back in the 1980's it was simple: the Soviet Union was the foe, NATO were the friends, and we successfully rode the coattails of our powerful friend to the south. Now, uncertainty reigns supreme. Now, we are at the point of questioning which PROVINCES are friends and which are foes. Now, we wonder which PERSONAL friends we have that will become foes the next time we post an off-the-cuff comment on social media. It's easy these days to dread the conspiracies, to dread becoming the one against six.
And the confusion, the polarization, has come from OUR head and tail, our elders and false prophets. They have led us to view the world with a LENS of friend versus foe. They have split us into teams of oppressors and oppressed. They have entrenched, for the purposes of accumulating power, the notion that our highest good should be NOT the Lord of hosts, but the minimization, the punishment, the destruction of our foes. They are hoping, in the future, that through their efforts, every mouth will eventually speak folly. You would think, with the book of Isaiah in front of us, that we would smarten up. But I'm not sure this confusion is clearing up any time soon.
And instead of fearing what those around us fear, we should turn to the Lord of hosts. Our focus should be on eliminating the idols in our own lives. Our focus should be on humility and gratitude. Our focus should be on shining light in the thick darkness that surrounds us. And we can place our hope in the Lord, that he will have pity on our young people, and compassion on our orphans and widows.
For we are living in the latter times of which Isaiah spoke. We have received the child that was born for us, Jesus Christ. We know Galilee as the site of Jesus' miracles, not the site of Assyrian destruction. We have available to us the teaching and instruction of our risen and living, Wonderful Counsellor. And we have the imputed righteousness of Christ, through our baptism into his sacrifice on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead. Our joy, is like at the harvest of 2025. For Satan's bar across our shoulders has been broken, and the Lord of hosts has made us his own children forevermore.
We who have the great light of Christ are now agents of clarity in the confusion. We are agents of cooperation amidst the conspiracies. We are people of the dawn, not just for ourselves, but to help lead those trapped in deep darkness, to find the light.
Gracious God, help us to focus on you in turbulent times. Keep our perspective clearly on your kingdom, and use us to draw others to your glorious light, in Jesus' name, amen.