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7 - In That Day: Salvation (Isaiah 12) |
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Read Isaiah 12 at biblegateway.org
Interpreting the Passage
Hope of Salvation Salvation as a dimension of Isaiah’s vision of the future (eschatology) shows up often and in a number of shades and forms throughout Isaiah. Some of the passages give subtle hints or outright details of what kind of salvation that entails. Some of the particularities of that vision of salvation (A Son of David, A Whole Land, Peace) will be covered in greater detail in later lessons in this series, but for now, let’s focus on how a firm hope of salvation can affect the community of faith in the present. Chapter 12 is a great resource for such reflection, and gives us a picture of how a hope of salvation can affect us now. Isaiah communicates the promise of future salvation for the sake of present.
Looking Forward to Looking Back Chapter 12 is a psalm of thanksgiving, given as a summary of the promises of salvation Isaiah is offering, as a way of concluding the first section (chapters 1-12) before moving into the oracles of the nations in chapters 13-23. It is a prophetic psalm, one that the people of Isaiah’s time are not yet ready to sing, but will once the vision he is revealing comes to fruition. This is demonstrated by the first verse, “In that day, you will sing:” We can think of it is a sort of eschatological psalm, one expressing hope for God’s community in the future. It is about the things that Judah will look back on in the future. By shaping the psalm this way, Isaiah is able to communicate what it means to be a part of the community that has such a salvation to look forward to.
God Relents The first verse speaks of how Judah will give thanks for God turning away his anger from his people. Although there was punishment and discipline in their near future, Isaiah is communicating that for those who repent, the anger that was targeted at them from God would not last. Isaiah’s God is one who is willing to turn away from anger and comfort his wounded people, even though they had brought the trouble on themselves. This has the possibility of changing the attitude of the people in the middle of the struggle, of calling for their repentance! Isaiah says, “In the future, you’re going to look back and thank God for his forgiveness.” What kind of effect does that have on the community in the present? They may know both God’s readiness to respond to their forgiveness, and that God does not intend their final destruction. The community who knows that their future involves forgiveness can begin to live in the attitude of repentance and thanksgiving in the present.
Trusting CourageIsaiah’s salvation psalm turns next to the assurance that the worshipper can have (12:2). With the power of God backing their salvation, the faithful have no need of fear. Because of their experiences, God’s people will live free of anxiety and fear in the face of whatever challenges await them in the future. This is a bold message for Isaiah to proclaim, since Judah would face annihilation and extreme hardship in the future. He proclaims still that they will come out on the other side of it able to look to god for salvation no matter what the circumstance. This promise isn’t speculation about the future though, it is a message waiting to be claimed in the here and now. The community who knows that their future involves deliverance can begin to live in the attitudes of trust and courage in the present.
Salvation for the Nations Just as Isaiah’s long-term vision of the world included a time of worldwide judgment and the destruction of evil things, the future of Isaiah also includes a remarkable vision of salvation. In places like chapters 2 and 56, the God of Isaiah describes his vision of an eventual future where salvation is both definitive for the faithful of Israel and also an open reality for the other nations of the world. The radical claim of salvation for all people involves an extreme commitment to hope and faith in the God who can accomplish the improbable and impossible. In the passage at hand, the worshipper in the psalm encourages the community to make the Lord’s saving actions known “among the peoples”, and in “all the earth” (Isa 12:4-5). Isaiah’s community of faith is not just to enjoy their salvation among themselves, but to speak freely of their experience of salvation to world around them. The community who knows that the future involves the possibility of good news for everyone can begin to speak testimony of the good news in the present.
Praise for the Holy One! The final verses in this chapter which are broken up into a second psalm. It is one of praise, as God’s character has been demonstrated. the Lord’s actions spark off celebration and joy. Isaiah describes the future as a places of praise, where the community has realized God’s actions, see God’s glory demonstrated in them, and spontaneously sing his praises. This note of hope is meant as an enduring summons to praise for the community until that salvation is realized. By the certainty of God’s promises, God’s people can understand the struggles of the present as passing away, and anticipate the praises of the future. The community who knows that their future involves deliverance can begin to singing God’s praises in the present.
Teaching the Lesson
IntroductionMuch like the community to whom Isaiah ministered, the church exists in two realities, one in which we look forward to the full benefit and realization of our salvation, and the reality that we already experience the power and benefit from Jesus‘ saving acts in the present. This is our primary struggle, to live in the present as though the things that we believe about the future are true. Maybe the best way to start this week is to begin with a playful conversation of different ways that having a vision for the future can affect the decisions made in as varied contexts as parenting, marriage, sports, business, fitness, or whatever. Simple conversation of what we believe about the future, particularly in terms of our final salvation by God. Then we may ask what that future means for our present, and turn to the text as a way of listening to some ways that developing a vision for God’s future can affect our present.
Letting the Future affect the PresentIn the interpretation outlined above, the passage can be seen to offer insight into how God’s vision of the future can shape us into people of repentance, gratitude, trust, and courage. It can motivate us for evangelism and praise. You might choose to discuss each of those individually, but once we see the entire sketch, it’s worth asking whether or not we see ourselves as possessing these traits. If not, is it because we fail to grasp the reality of what we hope in, or is it because we fail to live out the implications of that hope? whichever s decided there, what kinds of solutions can we think of to pull us back into alignment? How can we learn to rely more on our hope? HOw can we become more in touch with our salvation, so that it guides our actions? What are moments in our lives when we were successful in living out these things, and why? Who are other people we know that have demonstrated what it means to live out these characteristics?
Also, once all the elements above are outlined, we might well ask which are more difficult for us, and why. Why do we struggle with some of them, but others come more easily to us. Which are most dependent on our faith?
Another exercise that might be good for this lesson is to rewrite the psalm. Start of with the words, “In that day, we will say:”, and see how your class might express the general thought of Isaiah here. What is it that we need to be reminded of?
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