Isaiah 56:1

In seminary many of the doctoral students were writing four hundred pages on a single verse. They usually focused on a verse which generated the question, "what exactly does this mean?" The academic study of Scripture is different from prayerful reflection, but both should genuinely ask "What is God saying?"

This morning Isaiah 56 was our first reading. As I prayed over this text, I found myself drawn into the first verse. (NRSV) "thus says the Lord, "Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance will be revealed."

"Maintain justice and do what is right"
God says (shamar mishpat). Shamar first appears in Genesis 2:15 where God tells the man that he is to keep/watch over/protect/guard the Garden. So this verb reminds us of the first command of God concerning human purpose and duty. I am led to consider this word of Isaiah to be a further command on how to keep the garden (or wider planet earth, even if in a fallen state). There are a variety of angles here: maintain justice, guard justice, keep justice, tend and protect justice. The word translated as justice is mishpat. It is an very important word in the Jewish Bible--occurring over 400 times. It describes judicial acts. It reflects the proper relationship between God and humans (God is just, i.e. He keeps His covenant) The blueletter bible includes the following meanings: judgment, justice, ordinance, justice, right, fitting, proper, among others; and its central meaning is to pass judgment. So God says, "guard judgment, doing the right, fitting legal thing".
The next important Hebrew word, tsedaqah, also means justice, doing right, rectitude, morally correct and is generally translated as righteousness. Interestingly, this word shows up again in the verse.

"for soon my salvation will come"
The word translated "soon" literally means near (can mean in time or in space), it can also be translated as "at hand." Here we see echoes of Isaiah are found in Jesus' own proclamation ("repent the Kingdom of God is near/at hand"). This is a reminder that it is best to interpret the words of Jesus with an eye to His Bible (the Jewish Bible!). Jesus is almost quoting Isaiah verbatim--repent God's salvation is at hand, His Godly-Rule is near.

However, it is salvation which catches my interest most. The word yeshuw'ah can be translated as salvation, help, deliverance, health and welfare, even victory and prosperity. Two things to note, salvation/health/deliverance are not other worldly in their focus. It is here and now that God's salvation is manifest. This is an important corrective to the "overly spiritual" understanding of the word which reduces God to an afterlife insurance policy. Salvation (God's Kingdom) is "at hand" for both Isaiah and Jesus. All of life matters--this life and the afterlife. The second thing to note is the word jeshuw'ah is actually a familiar name to us: Jesus. Every time Jesus read this verse, He heard His own name (and His mission) in the reading. Finding Jesus in the Scripture is easy here. "Jesus is at hand!"

 "and my deliverance will be revealed"
The word 'deliverance' is tsedaqah in Hebrew, again. Here it is translated deliverance, which is an interpretation. God is faithful to His covenant, He does the 'right' thing and is 'righteous.' What is His covenant promise? He will protect His servants who are faithful (do right= tsediqah). In time of need, that means He will rescue His people in distress. Literally, Isaiah says that God's righteousness will be revealed, but the way that righteousness is revealed is by delivering His people. And a note, the word "revealed" means to unveil. Literally it means to denude and by extension it can refer to exile. However, one usage, as here, is that something hidden is brought to sight. It is clearly seen.

In the Septuagint (the Ancient Greek Bible of the Jews, the one used by many of our New Testament authors) the word tsedaqah is translated by two different Greek words. The first time, they write dikiasune, generally it means righteousness in the NT, but the second time they use eleos which is translated as mercy or mercy kindness. These translations predate Jesus by a long time. And, just for fun, the Septuagint uses apocalypto, a reminder that the Apocalypse/Revelation of John, is a book bringing to light the salvation of God.

So much in one little verse. A great promise from God. It is a call to not despair (arguably a major theme of revelation, and particularly the Apocalypse of John to stand firm in faith during the persecution) and to trust. It is a reminder that in every time God stands ready to help His people, and that those who trust Him will have eyes to see His deliverance. We trust the promise and wait, even if the circumstances are bleak (as they were to the first hearers).

The first audience of Isaiah, like us, was a mixed group. Some were more trusting than others. Some were more open than others. Some were more faithful than others. Yet God addresses them all. The prophet's message and words are echoed again and again in our Bible, both Jewish and Christian Covenants. We see that the two covenants overlap and inform one another--thereby informing us. "What is God saying to His people? What is God saying to us?" Each of us and all of us together hear this word in a particular circumstance. It can mean different things, therefore, at different times and places. But always it is Good News. It is Gospel. It is Truth and Life.