Scripture: Isaiah 11:6 – “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.” (NRSV)
There is a saying, “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” It is meant to showcase an optimism that good things are possible but admits realistically that the worst may occur. A corollary to this saying is the Russian proverb popularized by Ronald Reagan: “Trust, but verify.” This is again, realism couched in the language of optimism. However, what seems to be an appeal to realism can very easily fall into pessimism. Hope and trust become empty when the assumption is that the worst will occur, and that people are not trustworthy.
It is natural to move away from optimism when one has been continuously disappointed, to build up callouses against the harms of the world. And in many ways, it is good to approach the world realistically. However, it is important to maintain one’s hope and trust when dealing with questions of God.
Many of the scriptural passages commonly read during Advent come from the Book of Isaiah. Of all the prophets in the Old Testament, Isaiah is one of the most connected with the royal court. On several occasions, it seems that Isaiah was called upon to give oracles of blessing to the king, especially during times of coronation or new beginnings. According to the superscription at the beginning of the Book of Isaiah, the prophet served under four different kings. Some kings, like Uzziah and Jotham, were unremarkable. Others, like Ahaz, were wicked or led the kingdom to ruin, and some, like Hezekiah, were pious heroes. Over his long career, Isaiah had seen ups and downs, but generally maintained his positivity.
Scholars believe that Isaiah’s oracle in chapter 11 is about a coming king of Judah. “With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth.” There are many such descriptions of virtuous kings in the Bible. But Isaiah does not stop there. He says, “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.” He describes a world not only of human peace, but of global and ecological peace, where there is no predation. He describes a return to Eden, an earth “full of the knowledge of the Lord.”
Isaiah’s oracle of paradise is too much for any human ruler, and really can only be applied to a messianic figure, which Christians, of course, believe is Jesus. But given its original context, it is hard not to applaud what Isaiah is doing. He is not stopping his hopes for God’s loving kindness in the world at just a better than average king, but on perfection, on a world where all the problems of life are solved.
Isaiah is completely unrealistic in his hopes, but maybe that is not such a bad thing. We need to aim high if we are to make the world a better place. While we will always fall short this side of God’s coming in glory, we must strive ever more to make the world a more just, peaceful, and kind place. Faith is no place for setting a low bar and expecting the worst. Unlike the world, which makes us numb with constant disillusionment, a life of faith strengthens us in the face of disappointment, so we can handle anything that comes our way. As we move closer and closer to Christmas, keep aiming for the stars, for the star was the sign of Jesus’ coming.
Prayer: God, help me keep hoping for the best, for my hope is in you, the greatest imaginable. Amen.
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