A voice cries out: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." Isaiah 40:3-5
The Isaiah scroll consists of two parts. Chapters 1 to 39 were written during the Assyrian threat to Israel in the 8th century B.C.E. Chapters 40 to 66 were written by one we call Second Isaiah during the 6th century B.C.E. after Judah had been captured and its inhabitants deported to Babylon. They stayed there until Cyrus, emperor of Persia released them to return home to Judah.
There had to be some explanation as to why God allowed his people to be conquered and transported away from Jerusalem and the temple where God dwelt among his people. The explanation given by the prophets was that the people were being punished for their sin of turning away from Yahweh and in turn worshipping other Gods. In this foreign land, the people were discouraged. Psalms of lament were poured out such as Psalm 137 where they cried, By the rivers of Babylon-- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion.
But now it is time to go home. They remembered how hard the journey had been as they crossed the mountains and the deserts on the way to Babylon. Now they must go through the same experience on their way back. In this passage, Isaiah assures them that the journey home will be much easier than their forced march to Babylon. First of all, God will lead them as he did in the Exodus from Egypt. A smooth highway will be prepared for God. The mountains will be leveled, and the rough ground will be made smooth. This is reminiscent of the parting of the Red Sea during the first Exodus.
More importantly, this mighty act of Yahweh will cause all nations and peoples to see his great Glory. They will know who it is that protects Israel. The people can be assured of their salvation, because the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.
Each year during Advent, we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace. We also stand in need of deliverance from our worship of false idols; greed, power, and violence. We have experienced the failure of these gods to save us. Now we look to God to deliver us from our own failure. In our preparations, are we preparing a highway for our God?
Prayer: Forgiving God, we also sit by the Rivers of Babylon and weep when we remember Zion. We want to return home to our Jerusalem. Deliver us from our self-centered lives. When we repent and look again to you, the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Amen.