Day 31

In this chapter Peterson turns to Isaiah of Jerusalem and in particular describes the awesome experience of Isaiah in the Jerusalem Temple( Isaiah 6:1ff). Here Isaiah experience the ‘Holy’( which is a characteristic word for God in the book of Isaiah).

Peterson suggests that the holy is an interior fire, a passion for living in and for God, a capacity for exuberance in the presence of God. Yet in our culture the words holy and holiness are not often seen as positive, vibrant words that are full of life. In describing the experience of Isaiah in the Temple he reminds us that ‘holy, holy, holy’ is not Christian needlepoint - holiness is dangerous, exhilarating.

The author notes the experience of Moses at the burning bush and John in exile on the island of Patmos and suggests that we need all of Scripture, all of history, all of experience to provide us with a horizon large enough in order to take it in. Isaiah is not simply a spectator in the Temple - he was a participant. We too need to enter into the experience. Peterson notes the sequence of what happened in the Temple and suggests that this sequence is significant –

It begins with a deep sense of inadequacy( ‘woe is me’) - opens into mercy and forgiveness( God’s primary work is forgiveness not condemnation) - and moves into consecration in response to the word that God speaks. We note that Isaiah was not coerced into accepting the call. He was invited.

Peterson notes that in our reading of Isaiah 6 we most often stop at verse 8. But the vision in the Temple and the word which followed are aspects of one revelation.

He suggests that Isaiah, despite being a great preacher, was a conspicuous failure. He preached powerfully for 40 years and no one it seemed listened..

The words that follow on from Isaiah 6:9 give the answer. The holy is not a marketable God. Isaiah had to preach in the terms that God had revealed to him. He was preaching to a people wanted a God they could serve on their terms.

The Assyrians would indeed invade and conquer the land and the image given here is of a forest of tree stumps. The trees have been felled and all that is left are the stumps. But there is a message of hope - ‘the holy seed is its stump’(Isa 6:13). It is the seed from which salvation will grow( Isaiah 11:1-2 - a shoot shall come forth from the stump of Jesse).

Once again Peterson is suggesting that we cannot manipulate God or work ourselves into some experience of the Holy. The holy is not that which we can market or produce or control on our terms. We, like Isaiah( and Moses and John on Patmos) can only respond.

Peterson ends the chapter by answering the question as to why both Jesus and Paul quoted from Isaiah 6 to account for the brick wall that they hit as they preached and taught the Way. Did they quote from Isaiah as a way of telling those who are following Jesus that there is no way to eliminate the Holy from the way of Jesus… to make clear to insider and outsider alike that, inconvenient as it is, baffling as it is, disappointing as it is to anyone who was expecting the way to be paved with consumer rewards, the Holy is non negotiable.

Does that take us back to the experience of Jesus in the wilderness temptations?

And I am sure you would expect me to mention last night's amazing result from the Champions League - Lyon 0 - 3 Rangers :-)))