Isaiah 29,17-24 4223
12. Trinitatis 59
Monica, Widow mother of Augustine, ✠ 387
Caesarius, Bishop of Arles, France, ✠ 542
27. August 2023
1. ℣ Make haste, O God, to deliver me:
℟ Make haste to help me, O Yahweh! (Psalm 70,1).
O Yahweh, blessed be Thy Name at all times; make us humble and glad, so that when we hear of Thy mercy we rejoice and boast in Thee. Amen. (Psalm 34,1-2 Gradual).
2. »Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day the deaf will hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in Yahweh, and the poor among mankind will exult in the Holy One of Israel. For the ruthless will become nothing and the scoffer will cease, and all who watch to do evil will be cut off, who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right. Therefore thus says Yahweh, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: „Jacob will no more be ashamed, no more will his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will sanctify My Name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel. And those who go astray in spirit will understand, and those who murmur will accept instruction.“«
3. The Prophet Isaiah lived at a time when Judah was living wicked by worshipping idols, forsaking Yahweh and mistreating their neighbors. Isaiah summarized their sin by writing: »And Yahweh said: This people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, while their hearts are far from Me« (Isaiah 29,13). »Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah: „Hear the word of Yahweh Sabaoth: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.“« (Isaiah 39,5-7).
4. Judah wasn’t the only one punished for their wickedness. The Gentiles likewise suffered for their wickedness. Sickness, deafness and blindness afflicted them as results of the sinful curse. Creation was also subjected to this curse so that draughts, famines and natural disasters, like devastating wildfires, inflict sorrow and destruction upon people as a consequence of the fall into sin (Romans 8,20).
5. Yahweh’s prophets and pastors exhort His people to repent of their sin and seek God’s mercy. Jesus began His ministry preaching: »Repent, for the reign of heaven is in your midst!« (Matthew 4,17). In His homily to Nazareth’s synagogue Jesus read these words from the Prophet Isaiah: »The Spirit of the Lord who is Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me to bring the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Yahweh’s favor« (Isaiah 61,1-2), then Jesus proclaimed: »Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing« (Luke 4,21).
6. The Prophet Isaiah foresaw a time when the deaf will hear and the blind will see; the meek will be refreshed with joy and the poor will exult Yahweh (Isaiah 29,18-19). Isaiah’s vision was fulfilled by Jesus in His ministry. Mark tells us in his Gospel that Jesus healed a man who was both deaf and mute (Mark 7,32.35). The crowds zealously proclaimed this miracle (Mark 7,36), which also fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that the poor would exult Yahweh; in fact, they declared that Jesus has done all things rightly (Mark 7,37). The people realized that Jesus taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes and Pharisees (Mark 1,22).
7. Jesus correctly fulfilling the Messianic prophecies is evidence that He is the prophesied Messiah! This Messianic confession of the crowd was based on more than just one act of healing. Prior to this miracle in Chapter 7, Mark records 13 miracles performed by Jesus ranging from healing various ailments, casting out demons, calming a storm and feeding 5000 men with 5 loaves and 2 fish. The crowds have seen Jesus exhibit Divine power and authority in different circumstances over several months. Jesus’ ministry involved preaching the Scriptures and performing miracles; both of these attested to His power and authority. The Psalmist proclaimed: »Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; His understanding is beyond measure« (Psalm 147,5 lxx); Jesus fulfilled the psalm as well.
8. Moses and the Prophets prepared the way for the Messiah; Jesus shows Himself to be this Messiah who has arrived to redeem the world. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one goes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14,6).
9. »Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear Him and who hope in His merciful steadfast love.« King Solomon teaches in his Proverbs: »The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge« (Proverbs 1,7). Martin Luther exhorts us to take these verses to heart as he encourages us to fear, love and trust God. Jesus furthers our knowledge of God by revealing to us the mysteries of the reign of God (Mark 4,11). The great mystery of God’s reign is revealed by Jesus when He tells His apostles: »The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, the scribes and be killed, then after 3 days rise again« (Mark 8,31). At first, the apostles could not accept this and they tried to convince Jesus to walk another path, a path they think is befitting their interpretation from the Scriptures of the Messiah who arrives with power and ruling authority over the land. But Jesus would not be deterred from walking the path that led Him up to the Roman cross. The chief priests and the scribes mocked Jesus as He hung on the cross (Mark 15,31), but when Jesus had breathed His last a centurion confessed: »Truly this man was the Son of God!« (Mark 15,39). The great mystery of the Messiah revealed by Jesus is that the Son of God has arrived to lay down His life as a ransom, and in doing so will redeem the world from its sin (Mark 10,45).
10. We thus praise Jesus with hymns of joy for He has saved us from our sinful state; He has healed our broken hearts and bound up our wounds. We have faith in Jesus, and He promises us: »For to the one who has, more will be given« (Mark 4,25). Go in peace, for you have Jesus; He has purchased your forgiveness; He strengthens you through life’s tribulation; He is preparing your abundant and eternal inheritance in His presence. Amen.
11. All sin is now forgiven
and is fully covered
I’m no longer shamefully ridden
before my Lord and God.
I am newly clothed
with a beautiful dress
adorned and gifted
with salvation and righteousness.
(Ich freu mich in dem Herren elkg 566,3 2021 Bartholomäus Helder (vor 1635) 1646/1648).
This is most certainly true.
14. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.
15. Let us pray. O Lord, who dost, not willingly afflict the children of men, behold from Thy holy habitation of heaven the multitude of miserable souls and lives among us, and have mercy upon us; have mercy on all ignorant souls, and instruct them; on broken hearts, and heal them; are struggling with temptation, and rescue them; all that are fallen from Thee, and raise them; all that stand with Thee, and confirm them; O blessed Jesus, that didst shed Thy blood for our souls to save them, shed Thy Holy Spirit on all, and heal them; for Thy pity’s sake. Amen. (12. Trinitatis, 2. Vespers Collect. The Daily Office.)
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.
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