What does a golden age of peace and justice look like? Many
people think it looks something like what the prophet Isaiah describes:
The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them. (Isaiah 11:6)
There is one problem with this interpretation of this text.
Isaiah is not talking about some future age of peace; he is talking about the
ministry of Jesus. The wolf, the leopard and lion are all code words for the
enemies of Israel (see Jeremiah 5:6). What is going on here? The text is really
talking about how Jesus will come and bring Good News to all people including
the enemies of Israel and God. If you are far from God today, Jesus came to
bring you close. If you think you are at war with God or think God is at war
with you, Jesus is came to bring peace. The babe of Bethlehem leads us to
peace. – Ron Friesen
WDP,
ReplyDeleteThe trouble in the Middle East is all about a very small part of land that is sacred to all three of the world's Abrahamic religions. And, in advance of Secretary Kerry's trip to the Holy Land the Israelis have stepped up construction of settlements on the West Bank.
And, what I find so ironic is that we all worship the same God.
Good post,
Me? Doing fine - No, I don't glow in the dark - yet. And, no side affects from the radiation treatments. 17 more to go.
Ron
Hey, Ron. Nice to see you again. Glad you are doing well. Yes, peace in our time is a distant sound.
ReplyDeleteRon