An unknown journey to Eternal Peace; a series of Old Testament Prophecies (# one).

An unknown journey to Eternal Peace;  a series of Old Testament Prophecies. ( # one).

In the age of antiquity when so many unknowns existed, our future in eternity was hidden until God spoke to prophets with an unimaginable promise.  “But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,  too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is ruler in Israel;  Whose origin is from old, from ancient times.  Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel  He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the Lord, in the majestic name of the Lord, his God.  And they shall remain. For his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.”  (Mi 5: 1 - 4).  From Matthew we read; “The Magi said we saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.  When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled.  He asked where this was to take place.  They said to him, (King Herod) In Bethlehem of Judea,  for thus it has been written through the prophet;  “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.”  (Mt 2: 2- 6).  

Already, Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah was preaching the impending judgment of the Lord, followed by an exposition of its causes, Israel’s sins.  A censure of Judah’s leaders for betrayal of their responsibility, The glory of the restored Zion.  And the case against Israel, in which the Lord is portrayed as the plaintiff who has maintained fidelity to the covenant.  This taken from pre-notes to Micah of the NAB.  

 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz:  Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep, deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!  Bur Ahaz answered, I will not ask!  I will not tempt the Lord!  Then he said:  Listen, O house of David!  Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God?  Therefore the Lord  himself will give you this sign; the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and name him Immanuel.  (Is 7: 10 - 15).   

As Advent begins, it is more than a hope alone that sinful Israel and the descendants who are us.  It becomes an answer to the very adherence humanity has willfully adopted sin and chosen this in place of God!  Ironically as we see how Israel was to be the center of God’s people, the same location was always the target by counties of the North then, and now, 2023 a severe rift between the Gaza strip and Israel is occurring.  

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying; “Whom shall I send”  Who will go for us?  “Here I am; I said; send me!”  And he replied;  Go and say to the people;  Listen carefully, but you shall not understand!  Look intently, but you shall know nothing!  You are to make the heart of this people sluggish, to dull their ears and close their eyes; Else their eyes will see, and their ears hear, their heart understand, and they will turn and be healed.”  “How long, O Lord?”  I asked.  And he replied:  Until the cities are desolate, without inhabitants, houses without a man, and the earth is a desolate waste.  Until the Lord removes man far away , and the land is abandoned more and more.”  (Is 6: 8 - 12).  Isaiah is called at a time when Israel has become obstinate towards God and he will become the chosen one to precede Immanuel’s arrival.  

Our time during Advent places the need for more prayer this year as no other time is relevant.  There is very little difference between the years Isiaah was called and the present time that history will convict us for neglecting Israel in its most severe crisis.  

Each week of Advent we shall walk with the prophets portraying God’s plan to find us, convict our weakness, and ultimately forgive all of humanity.  The structure of Israel’s survival brings the hope of world peace to a battle that brought Immanuel with Isaiah’s call.  

Ralph B. Hathaway