BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Tuesday, Dec

The prose portion of today's reading (Isa. 11:10-11) describes the glorious reign of "the root of Jesse" (v. 11, cf. v. 1), a Davidic king in "the messianic age" (Victor R. Gold and William L. Holladay, NOAB). The Lord will "recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros [Upper Egypt], from Ethiopia, from Elam, from Shinar [Babylonia], and from the coastlands of the sea [the Aegean seacoast and islands]" (v. 11). According to J. J. M. Roberts (HarperCollins Study Bible), "These verses [10-16] need not presuppose the Babylonian exile in 587 B.C.E. During Isaiah's lifetime Israel suffered major deportations in 733-731 and 722-720 B.C.E. According to Sennacherib's Assyrian annals more than 200,000 people were deported from Judah in 701 B.C.E. and others undoubtedly sought refuge in Egypt."

The poetic lines in today's reading (Isa. 11:12-16) describe the gathering of "the outcasts of Israel" and "the dispersed of Judah/from the four corners of the earth (v. 12). Ephraim and Judah put aside their hostility (v. 13) and "swoop down" together on their old enemies, the Philistines, Edom, Moab and the Ammonites (v. 14). The Red Sea ("the tongue of the sea of Egypt") will be destroyed and the Euphrates ("the River") will be split by scorching wind into seven channels, "and make a way to cross on foot" (v. 15), to open the way for a new "Exodus," this time from Assyria (compare the "Exodus" from Babylon, Isa. 48:20-21; 51:10-11)

so there shall be a highway from Assyria

for the remnant that is left of his people,

as there was for Israel

when they came up from the land of Egypt. (Isa. 11:16 NRSV)

Isaiah looks to Israel's past--victories of King David, and earlier, deliverance from Egypt under Moses' leadership "through the sea"--for models that shape his vision of the future, the "new thing" (Isa. 43:19):

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

for I give water in the wilderness,

rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

the people whom I formed for myself

so that they might declare my praise. (Isa. 43:19b, 20b, 21 NRSV)

After describing the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:11-15), when "the dead were judged [i.e. will be judged] according to their works, as recorded in the books" (v. 12), John sees "a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away" (Rev. 21:1). He sees "the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming d own out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (v. 2) A voice from God's throne announces:

See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them;

they will be his peoples,

and God himself will be with them;

he will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death will be no more;

mourning and crying and pain will be no more,

for the first things have passed away. (Rev. 21:3-4 NRSV)

The next paragraph (vv. 5-8) is spoken by "the one who was seated on the throne," that is, "the Lord God (1:8)" (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB), who is "the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end" of all things (Rev. 21:6; cf. 1:8; Isa. 44:6). He promises, "To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children" (Rev. 21:6b, 7).

The Gospel reading from Luke (1:5-25) introduces Zechariah and Elizabeth, who would become the parents of John the Baptist (vv. 5-7), tells of Zechariah's service as priest in the Temple, where the angel Gabriel appears to him (vv. 11, 19) and announces not merely the birth of John (v. 13), but his life style (v. 15) and ministry (vv. 16-17). Because Zechariah questions this announcement (v. 18), he becomes "mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur" (v. 20). When Zechariah emerges from the sanctuary, and cannot speak, the waiting people "realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary" (v. 22). Later, Elizabeth conceived, and is thankful for the removal of her disfavor. "This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people" (v. 25). Elizabeth did not sing as Hannah did (1 Sam. 2:1-10)--Hannah's song comes after Samuel was weaned and presented at the Tabernacle to serve under Eli--but later Elizabeth recognizes a "common cause" with Mary, and blesses her (Lk. 1:42). It is Mary whose song (vv. 46-55) echoes the Song of Hannah.

This part of Luke forms "a theological prologue, explaining the rise of the Baptist as a ghreat prophet and drawing out the parallels and connections between God's action towards the Forerunner and towards the Christ" (G. W. H. Lampe, Peake's Commentary). "Elizabeth's withdrawal enables the news of her conception to be first given to Mary by the angel [v. 36]. Her response to God's action is expressed in similar terms to that of Rachel (Gen. 30:23)."

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com