Who do you want to become?

 

It may not be so obvious, but this is at the heart of Isaiah 55.1-9.

I love that the author of the last chapter of Second Isaiah portrays the Divine as a comforter, provider, and liberator. The invitation in the text may seem out of place for those of us in the throes of Lent, a season typically dedicated to abstaining from food and similar practices. Yet, we must situate ourselves within the context of those to whom Isaiah was writing.

Biblical scholars refer to the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah as First Isaiah. These chapters recount significant events from a critical period in the history of the southern kingdom of Judah. Uzziah is acknowledged as one of the greatest kings of Judah; his reign signified a time of great prosperity for the kingdom. However, as prosperity surged, the gap between the rich and poor widened, while the threat of invasion from Assyria increased.

The situation escalated when King Uzziah contracted leprosy, forcing him to pass Judah's throne to his inexperienced son, Jotham, who failed to inspire confidence. This political climate set the stage for Isaiah's prophetic work, believed by scholars to focus on social justice and the welfare of the poor amidst the growing wealth gap. A major theme highlights how the people and their leaders relied on temporary kings instead of the Living God.

Isaiah's prophetic message aimed to awaken the people from their dependence on the empire and guide them back to the covenant with the Living God. However, Judah's sins are numerous: the rich oppress the poor, resources are wasted on military spending, idolatry prevails, people cheat their neighbors, and many dissociate from the reality of their crumbling empire and government. Goodness, this sounds eerily familiar.

Second Isaiah, which includes chapters 40-55, was written after the fall and during the exile. The final chapter of this section serves as an invitation. Isaiah 55 calls out to all who are thirsty and hungry, as well as to anyone without money, to partake in God’s abundance at no cost. There will be wine and milk, along with rich food that will delight and satisfy us. We are invited to come just as we are, to listen to the Living God so that we may live.

The invitation asks the people, “Who do you want to become?” Chapter 55 reminds the people of the everlasting covenant of God, who, despite the peoples’ best attempts to abandon the Divine for their emperors and material gains, moves toward them with … empathy!

If you are thirsty, come to the waters. Like their ancestors who wandered in the wilderness, the Divine will provide water for them. The Living God desires for God’s people to know rest and experience renewal, just as anyone does after drinking a glass of water when parched.

In this chapter, the author highlights the Divine’s chosen favor for the impoverished. Those lacking wealth or resources, marginalized by exile and empire, will receive blessings in the Divine’s new order. They will enjoy wine and milk, symbolizing that the land of milk and honey still belongs to the people. The Divine will now restore this inheritance to them. A redistribution of resources so that all, including the land, will flourish.
 

Despite the centuries between us, we aren’t much different from the people in Isaiah. Like them, we labor and expend energy and strength on things that won’t last. As Malaysian theologian, Ee Yan Tan notes, “War, conflict, and colonial economic systems (all experiences of the exilic period) are key contributing factors to scarcity of food, soaring inflation rates, and lack of access to daily necessities. In the weariness of exile, God invites the people of God to finally rest at the feast, where they can eat what is good and delight themselves in rich food. In communion with God, there will be satisfaction and true life.” In what is to come, the mantra “it is what it is” can be set aside to embrace the covenant of love that remains!

The community mentioned in Isaiah 55 continues to show the wounds of exile. They are those who hunger and lack resources. They are those seeking nourishment. They are those who have faced hardship and deprivation due to forced relocation. They are at a threshold, the place between what was and what will be. So, who will they become?

You might wonder whether the text refers to metaphorical or physical sustenance and nourishment. It addresses both, as each is integral to the message. The socio-historical backdrop of exile and repatriation highlights the importance of this text's material aspects. Food, drink, and financial resources are crucial for the community’s survival. For many years, the empire's economy has deprived them of these essentials. Despite this, the Living God of abundance assures them they will endure and flourish under God’s care.

As the cost of living rises at unprecedented rates, along with threats to national security among many nations and the unpredictability of modern empires' governing practices, we are also invited to “listen carefully” to the Living God. If we take this text seriously, listen to the invitation extended to us, and embrace the call to become the mystical Body of Christ in the world, we can join the Living God in their empathy by doing whatever we can so that all who thirst and hunger shall have access to food for their well-being.

We have enough, and then some, to embody the Living God’s hopes for the world. Spiritually speaking, if we allow the fruits of the Spirit to grow – the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – we have what we need to become what we pray: God’s reign of love come on earth as it is in heaven.

So, who do we become?

As a follow-up to this question, what voices shape our answers?

Hopefully, the one that leads all of life toward the fullness of Love here and now.

[The Rev. Dr. Adam R. Quine, M.Div, MAS]

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