Advent 4

The First Thursday of Advent, December 4, 2008

Isaiah 2:12-22

Get you into caves in the rocks and crevices in the ground from the dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to inspire the earth with fear.  On that day a man shall fling away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which he has made for himself to worship; he shall fling them to the dung-beetles and the bats, and creep into clefts in the rocks and crannies in the cliffs from the dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to inspire the earth with fear. 

America’s economy is in crisis.  The housing market is nearly moribund.  Heating oil has become frighteningly expensive.  The price of gasoline, a staple that enables us to drive to work and play, has gone up precipitously and quickly.  People are selling their boats and SUVs; they are carpooling and foregoing long trips.  More people are walking to the store.  As much as we felt bound to our big vehicles, and deserving of road trips, we are, without a great deal of fanfare, flinging these luxuries away from us. 

But Isaiah not only tells God’s people to fling away their silver and gold, he tells them to get out of town, flee to the country, and hide in crevices in the hills.  Drop your idols and run for your lives, he says to them and us.  An angry god is coming, and you’re in trouble. 

We Christians are fortunate.  We know—or should know—that while Yahweh gets angry at injustice and cruelty, he loves his people and only wants them to see how injustice hurts others.  He wants us to repent, change.  He wants this so much that He will come to show us, in person, how injustice and apathy destroy the weak and downtrodden. 

In the meantime, let us crawl into the crevices in the rocks with our hands empty of gold and car keys, empty of stock certificates and credentials.  Let us scramble into the nooks and crannies and wait for God’s coming, not in fear, but in faith.   

After all, it was when he was tucked safely in a crevice on Mount Sinai that Moses met Yahweh face to face.