After Isaiah 14, I know what is coming. After Isaiah's gloom and doom sermon on Babylon, I just don't think Moab is going to fair any better. But then, as is often the case with God, things get turned upside down and inside out. All of the sudden Moab's destruction is not reason to gloat, but to grieve. People shave head and put on sack clothes (this was a sign repentance, see Jonah 3, something to consider with Lent coming up...just saying). The people wept and cried out. This is what the People of God will do in Babylon, they will sit there and weep (see picture above).
And God in response says God's own heart cries with them. Not that this should amaze us too much. God has often had concern for the stranger and foreigner in our midst, see Deuteronomy 10:18. It is easy sometimes to forget this, especially in Isaiah where there are often violent scenes.
It becomes trite or cliche to talk about expecting the unexpected. After all, if you are anticipating a surprise, on some level it is less of a surprise. However, because we have the tendency to compartmentalize and categorize our understanding of God, we can be surprised when what we read in a particular book does not conform. For example, many believe that God in the Old Testament is violent and angry...into lots of smiting. And that God in the New Testament is more about warm and fuzzy love. So, when passages about God weeping come up in Isaiah, it is a good challenge for us.
The understanding of God that Jesus taught in the Gospels was not some radically new idea. Rather, Jesus emphasized what was already there in the Hebrew scriptures, just not as readily part of our imagination.
What has surprised you about Isaiah so far? What chapters have you thought, "I never realized that was in the Bible?" How can we keep that question in our minds as we continue to study this book of the Bible?
May the traces of God's grace surprise you today and as we gather for worship tomorrow.
Blessings and peace!
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