Isaiah 10

Monday, March 25, 2013

Isaiah 10

After the last few chapters, the 10th chapter of Isaiah seems like much more standard, expected stuff.  God promises that, after He allows the Assyrians to conquer Israel to make His point about the way they've wandered from righteousness, He will in turn destroy Assyria in all their offensive pride.

It starts, however, with an admonition against using political power to oppress and gain wealth at the expense of the poorest, to take advantage of widows and orphans, to deny people their rights.  So I think there's a larger message - that all the things that make the Assyrians proud as a nation and all the things that make a person proud of their position of authority, will pass away.  And when what will you do?

That's actually in the chapter - where will you run when it's gone?  If you use your power to bully and oppress, when that power is proved to be temporary, to whom will you turn?

I often think that about America.  We may not be given the dignified retirement England got when it stopped being the world's dominant superpower, not the way we're going.  I mean, England had the India fiasco, but I think we're being pretty huge bullies.  I'm just saying.  This too shall pass, guys.  All things pass.

The authority, the power, that you have - all of this is on loan.  As Jesus told Pilate in the second gospel yesterday, he would have no power if it did not come from God.  He will someday be without that power.  It's all temporary, one day you will have to face the world without it.

So use that power while it's yours to help others.  People you can turn to when things go belly up.  People who will testify before God and you helped them.  People who will help you when it's their turn in a position of authority.

I think I finally understand that parable of the dishonest steward - who is found out and then goes to each of the master's debtors and forgives their debt, so that he'll have people he can turn to for help when he's fired.  And the master is impressed rather than even more furious that the dishonest steward not only cheated him once but cost him a lot of money.

The message is that we are given these powers only for a time - and we all use them imperfectly and we all disappoint God with how little we make of them.  But if we are using that power and authority to help others, we are improving the world.  We are making a home for ourselves when our misuse of our gifts gets them taken away in anger.  We are making witnesses before God that we didn't screw everything up.

We are serving God.