The
prophet Isaiah is one of those prophets of doom standing in the big cities with
“The End is Near” signs. “Doom is coming!” “Doom is coming!” The kind of
prophet parents pass by with their children and say: “Children, pay no
attention to the funny man!”
Isaiah
is the woest prophet of all.
Isaiah says: Woe to the sinful nation. Woe to the
drunks. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. Woe to the proud who are
wise in their own eyes. Woe to Congressmen who pass unjust laws and to judges
who defend them. Woe to those who try to hide their plans from God. Woe to
rebellious children. It’s Isaiah’s way of speech. Over twenty times he announces
doom, destruction, punishment, sorrow and pain.[1]
Then, as if something from heaven falls on the
head of the prophet, he changes the key to his tune. His minor chords become
titanic major chords of wild celebration. But don’t worry: the prophet is not
changing his mind. It’s just that he sees something new in the future. He is so
lucid, that he plays with his words. While many of Isaiah’s lines begin with “Woe”
which is the Hebrew Oi, his first
line in Isaiah 55 starts with Come, which
is from the same Hebrew root pronounced Hoi. In Church History, we learn
that a letter can make a difference in how we understand Jesus, in the Bible, a
letter can make a difference between doom and delight; war and wine; hell and
hospitality.
And just two short chapters after the most detailed
picture of Jesus found in Isaiah 53, the prophet turns his attention to the
compassion of this suffering servant who does not offer woe to his people, but an
invitation to taste of bread and wine, water and milk. By the way, do not insult
the host by attempting to pay him for his generosity. Don’t bring money! At the
Lord’s Table, there is only laughter, rich food, and everlasting friendship.
If any of you here have never tasted of God’s
invitation to this table, if you are here out of curiosity over this
crucifixion business Christians talk about, well, here it is: the cross is an
invitation to come and taste the goodness of God.
And before we begin to take too much pride in our
free meal, remember what it cost our Lord of glory. Yes, he gives us bread, but
remember his body was broken; yes, he gives us wine, but remember his blood was
poured; yes, he gives us water, but remember that when the soldiers pierced his
side with a spear, at once there came out blood and water; yes, he gives us
milk and every good thing, but remember he abandoned his riches in glory to
dress himself in human flesh to live a perfect life and to be hung on a torture-saturated
cross.
Yes, our woes have turned into an invitation to a
glorious feast because the woes of the Prophet have been poured on the Person
of Christ and now, we shall live forever in the house of the Lord.
Come! Come! Come! The fast is ending. The invitations
have been sent! On Sunday, we celebrate the ends of all our woes!
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit. Amen!
[1]
Peter Leithart homily.
