BIBLICAL PROPHECY is sometimes very specific to a particular people for a particular time, and sometimes applies to all people for all times. A prophecy from Isaiah 40 initially speaks hope to the exiles of the Assyrian diaspora, in which the Jews were stripped from their promised land the first time, and then scattered out to the nearby ancient near east countries. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:2) But it also brought hope to those scattered after the exile during Jeremiah’s time, and was additionally quoted specifically during Jesus’ time, as John the Baptist was referenced as the “voice crying out in the wilderness.” (John 1:23) In the earlier two diasporas of Israel, the prophets’ voices spoke to those already in exile; when the gospels speak of this, there is an underlying ominous sense of great trial looming before the nation of Israel. This indeed came to pass as Rome destroyed the Temple, the city of Jerusalem, and all of Israel, beginning in 66 A.D.
Jesus, the greatest of prophets, spoke to the coming destruction. “Do you see all these things?” Jesus asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:2) This led to the afore-mentioned great diaspora of the Jews, which lasted some two thousand years into our modern time. And today, once again, Isaiah’s voice speaks comfort to his chosen people. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isa. 40:2) In Isaiah’s time, the nation would suffer extreme discipline, yet be comforted. In our time, the nation of Israel has been reborn, and is once again being comforted. This is a testimony to God’s unwavering faithfulness to his covenants.
But God’s voice also speaks to us today in our own individual journey towards the promises of the Lord. We are not the first generation to use this passage of scripture to liken our spiritual awakening to a growing sense of the emptiness of a mis-spent life, and to awaken to an acceptance that we have found ourselves metaphorically in a desert place in life. And in that place, the same voice of Isaiah calls out to us: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isa. 40:3)
This is a word penetrating to the center of our spirit and soul. God’s voice calls, at first only a warning: “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isa. 6b-8; cf. 1 Pet. 1:24-25) But as we begin to listen more intently, we deepen our understanding of what God is trying to tell us, and we hear, for the first time really hear, the spirit-quickening words of John the Baptist: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” (Matt. 3:2) When we hear almost these same words next from Jesus, they call us urgently to a time of decision: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15)
Then, miraculously, life begins in our desert, as we respond wholeheartedly to unconditional love and a decidedly undeserved grace. The doorway to heaven opens, and a new life becomes possible. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Rev. 3:20-21)
Life in the ‘now’ and life in the ‘then’ blend together into one new life when we hear God’s voice and act in accordance with his message to us. God speaks to us through Jesus, who says, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23) As we obey in faith, time loses its sense of anxiety, and instead of each moment decreasing what is left for us to experience, each moment opens a promise of endless and boundless experiences. Prophecy has come to pass in a personal hope that replaces heartache, and in a potential that is released as our new reality.
Q. Have I fully heard God’s message for me?
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