Does God’s presence require both salvation and destruction?
By Sonja Olson
Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 7:10-17
For Sunday, December 19, 2010: Year A – Fourth Sunday of Advent
If God is with us, is that a good thing?
If you spend any time with the prophets of the Old Testament you know a lot is made out of the doom, destruction, and calamity of God’s wrath. But Isaiah is a peculiar prophet. Not only does Isaiah hear pictures on the temple walls speaking to one another, has an angel touch his mouth, but also his very name means “Salvation is of the Lord.”
A prophet whose name means salvation? It doesn’t make sense. Prophets aren’t known for such happy news. But “salvation” occurs twenty-six times in the book of Isaiah compared to the seven times the word is used in all of the other prophetic books combined. Where is the death and doom?
How nice.
In the Isaiah passages we have read so far this Advent season, Isaiah tells of a time when all nations will recognize one true God and there will be no need for warfare. The wolf will live with the lamb. The blind will see. The deaf will hear. The lame will leap like dear. How nice that sounds. So many nice things are told to us in weeks one, two and three of Advent.
What happens in week four?
Isaiah is called to speak the word of God to King Ahaz, ruler of the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Rumor has it that the Northern Kingdom, led by the King of Israel has aligned itself with the King Aram. This alliance is plotting Judah’s ruin.
God came to Ahaz once to tell him not to fear. Still Ahaz is considering a counter alliance with Assyria. Again God speaks to Ahaz, this time telling him to ask for a sign. Ahaz refuses saying he will not put the Lord to the test. This seems to try God’s patience and God gives a sign anyway.
Hallelujah . . . maybe
The sign God gives to Ahaz is very common. Nothing big or flashy is given. I guess that is what you get for not accepting a sign when God offers. The sign given is a pregnant woman. The woman is not clearly identified, but she will give birth to a son and will call in Immanuel (“God with us”).
The child born will not be too old before Aram and Israel will be defeated. In other words, God is with Judah when she triumphs over her enemies. Hallelujah? The sign does not end there. Verse 17 reads, “The Lord will bring on you and on your people and on the house of your father a time unlike any since Ephraim broke away from Judah – he will bring the king of Assyria.” Judah will be saved, but only for a short time. Assyria will provide temporary respite, but will eventually bring destruction. The sign of the child whose name means “God with us” points to a time of ultimate ruin.
The Hardest Question
Isaiah speaks of a sign God will give to Ahaz to strengthen his faith. Immanuel will be the sign − the promise of Judah’s protection and destruction. How does this affect what we understand of “God with us”? And when this sign is given from a prophet named “Salvation”, how does that affect what we experience of salvation? Does God’s presence require both salvation and destruction?
Sonja Olson is a trained sculptor working as a preschool and elementary art teacher. An amateur theologian, she is learning to love the Old Testament as much as she loves her table saw. She lives in Saint Paul with two recovering barn cats.
