ANTICIPATING SHALOM (2 OF 52)
Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10
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Anticipating Shalom (2 of 52)
Series: Lectionary, Year A
Christopher B. Harbin
Isaiah 11:1-10
We have all heard the Hebrew greeting Shalom or its Arabic equivalent salam. At its most basic sense, it is a blessing seeking God's peace upon the other. Shalom, salam, peace, and the Greek eirene have been used as words of blessing and greeting across the centuries, including Paul's epistles. People have often turned to this salutation precisely because we have lacked peace. We yearn for what we do not have, and peace is one of those blessings that seems forever elusive. In Advent, we anticipate God's peace. How can we anticipate what would appear to remain forever beyond our reach?
It does not seem easy to characterize the theme of today's passage at first blush. Isaiah brings up various topics. He mentions God's Breath upon Yahweh's anointed. He mentions justice for the poor. He mentions harsh sentencing for those who are unjust in their dealings with others. He mentions righteousness. He mentions peace that looks like the abolishing of conflict and death. He mentions security. He mentions the knowledge of Yahweh. He mentions Yahweh's anointed being sought out for guidance by nations the world over. He paints a portrait of how creation was designed to be, the fullness of Yahweh's plan for community and peace.
Then again, all of that makes up the definition of shalom. Yahweh's shalom is so much more than what we mean by peace. It is about wholeness. It is about completeness. It is about tranquility, welfare, and blessing for all persons. It is the world of human community fulfilling Yahweh's purposes of harmony and unity and justice. It is all of those things Isaiah included in the vision set before us, the vision of life under the reign of heaven.
Isaiah was not describing life in heaven. He was not proposing a description of life beyond our human material existence. Rather, Isaiah understood that this was Yahweh's design for life on earth. He had no c ...
Series: Lectionary, Year A
Christopher B. Harbin
Isaiah 11:1-10
We have all heard the Hebrew greeting Shalom or its Arabic equivalent salam. At its most basic sense, it is a blessing seeking God's peace upon the other. Shalom, salam, peace, and the Greek eirene have been used as words of blessing and greeting across the centuries, including Paul's epistles. People have often turned to this salutation precisely because we have lacked peace. We yearn for what we do not have, and peace is one of those blessings that seems forever elusive. In Advent, we anticipate God's peace. How can we anticipate what would appear to remain forever beyond our reach?
It does not seem easy to characterize the theme of today's passage at first blush. Isaiah brings up various topics. He mentions God's Breath upon Yahweh's anointed. He mentions justice for the poor. He mentions harsh sentencing for those who are unjust in their dealings with others. He mentions righteousness. He mentions peace that looks like the abolishing of conflict and death. He mentions security. He mentions the knowledge of Yahweh. He mentions Yahweh's anointed being sought out for guidance by nations the world over. He paints a portrait of how creation was designed to be, the fullness of Yahweh's plan for community and peace.
Then again, all of that makes up the definition of shalom. Yahweh's shalom is so much more than what we mean by peace. It is about wholeness. It is about completeness. It is about tranquility, welfare, and blessing for all persons. It is the world of human community fulfilling Yahweh's purposes of harmony and unity and justice. It is all of those things Isaiah included in the vision set before us, the vision of life under the reign of heaven.
Isaiah was not describing life in heaven. He was not proposing a description of life beyond our human material existence. Rather, Isaiah understood that this was Yahweh's design for life on earth. He had no c ...
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