Tonight’s selection is Isaiah 44-48. In the previous post one can see that God has evolved to be the god of the world. In Exodus, we read a passage that “clarifies” that the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai was the same God worshiped by Moses as the “I am Who I am,” or YHWH (pronounced Yahweh.) In this selection, Isaiah reminds us in two places that God is more than just a God for humans.
From Isaiah 44:23 first, and then from 45:8 next.
Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this;
shout aloud, you earth beneath.
Burst into song, you mountains,
you forests and all your trees,
for the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
he displays his glory in Israel.
. . .
You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
This is what keeps me from being a secular humanist. I believe there is a more profound truth that can be found through worship and reflection on God.
One more passage jumped out at me, at the very end, Isaiah 48:22, “There is no peace for the wicked.” This plugs in to the cosmic, I believe. Isaiah’s author knows that there will be decades of exile and many wicked people will be victors, so for their entire lives. But even so, they will not know cosmic peace.
Can the wicked know peace?