The Day of Peace – Isaiah 52

A text – Isaiah 52:7-10

52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
52:8 Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
52:9 Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
52:10 The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

A reflection:

This portion of Isaiah 52 is an apt text for Christmas. The theme songs of Christmas are certainly present: peace, joy, and comfort.

The picture painted in these verses is of the messengers who bring news of victory on the battlefield to the people waiting on the edge of the war, the sentinels. The messengers and their feet embody beauty because the news they bring is the most beautiful news. They announce that their side has won – “Your God reigns.”

When the sentinels hear this news, they spread it – they sing for joy. Even the ruins of the city sing out because the Lord has redeemed the city once again. The whole world sees it.

This is a passage of great joy because of the long-awaited news of peace. Imagine if today peace broke out simultaneously in the middle east and in Ukraine. No more bombs, no more destruction, an agreement of peace in each place (and the countless other places on earth where war rages that we don’t even hear about!) has been reached. Wouldn’t we sing? Wouldn’t we dance?

Peace can mean cessation of hostilities. It can mean fullness of life, or the conditions where people can have fullness of life. Shalom. Peace on earth. Good will to all. It feels like a dream to us, but God’s future includes just that: peace. May God’s kingdom come.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us the hope of peace. Thank you for giving us language for it. It is your will for our lives, even when human greed and ruthlessness stand in the way of it.  Please, oh Lord, let us see the day you have promised, the day of peace. Amen.