Reflections on Isaiah 58

A couple of months ago, we were challenged with the question, “What does it mean to have a vibrant relationship with God?”. As I was reflecting on this, would my answer be the same if I asked the question a bit differently, such as “What would it mean for God to have a vibrant relationship me?” This is the God who created all things, upholds his creation, and is restoring his creation (including his people) to himself, and yet “holds me in the palm of his hand”.

In the last post, I shared how Psalm 23 gives us some great direction on what it means for God to have a vibrant relationship with us. Isaiah 58 also has some important things to say on this. Most religions have some kind of checklist to gain favor with God. Many Christians as well live with some kind of checklist to gain favor with God – pray more, go to church more, give 10% of our income to the church. As Dr. Tim Keller, pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York puts it – “self centeredness is the default of the human heart” Sometimes we like to live as our life is just about us. Christianity isn’t just about us. Its about delighting in and being thankful for God who is our shepherd, who restores our souls, who leads us in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Its about connecting with God on where his heart is….”For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son….” (John 3:16). God is at work restoring his people and his creation to the way that he first intended it to be, and he invites us to participate with him.

In Isaiah 58, the people of Israel are worshipping God, they are following God’s laws, they are fasting. They are wondering why God is not answering their prayers. Then Isaiah says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice, and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” (verses 6-7). “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” (verses 9-10).

Dr. Timothy Keller has a great message on this chapter (http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/justice). He points out that the word justice in the Bible has a different meaning than we usually think of today. Justice in the Bible is the rich concept of “shalom”. God created the world to be a fabric, woven together, interdependent – the more interdependent, the more rich it is. All entities were created to be in a unique interdependencey and harmony. Neil Plantinga defined “shalom” as “the webbing together of God, humans and all creation in equity, fulfilment and delight.Shalom is the way things ought to be.”

The parable of the good Samaritan has a similar theme. In Luke 10:25-37 , Jesus says: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”, then follows with the parable of what it really means to love our neighbour.

There is yet again a similar theme in John 21, in response to asking Peter if he loves Jesus, Jesus tells Peter three times to “feed my sheep” “The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (verse 17).

Its interesting that both Peter and James, who was also with Jesus when he asked Peter to “feed my sheep” bring it up in their later letters. In Galations, Paul talks about how he went back to Jerusalem to talk with Peter and the other disciples about his theology – to make sure that they were being consistent. Paul says in Galations 2:10 “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.” James mentions it in James 1:27, where he says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

Isaiah 58 also suggests that charity is not just an individual act, its a communal act. “Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations, you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (verse12). We are called to influence structural change in our world as well, which are major causes of injustice, or the breaking apart of how things are supposed to be.

Dr. Timothy Keller also said, “The simple fact that a child born into my family has a 300-400 times greater chance of economic and social flourishing and just happiness in general is proof of the enormously inequitable distribution of resources and opportunities in this world, which is just one example of the way that shalom is broken. If I don’t share the advantages that this unjust world has dealt me with them, that in itself is unjust….Its not enough to do individual charity, we have to deal with the causes of injustice.”

“When people have money and resources and invest them in the human community – we experience social shalom. When we ignore those who have less, the shalom unravels” Dr. Timothy Keller.

As we have seen from Psalm 23, how is God as your shepherd leading you along the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake? How is he leading you in “the webbing together of God, humans and all creation in equity, fulfilment and delight?”