The Peaceable Kingdom - Hicks

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. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. – Isaiah 11:6 - 9

The once great nation of Israel, ruled by David and later by his son Solomon had long since been divided into two kingdoms. The Assyrian Empire rolled across the Middle East and laid waste to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The people were carried off to parts unknown. In the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the people were understandably nervous. King Hezekiah tried to deal with the Assyrians as best he could, but Assyrian power was overwhelming. Time and again, the prophet Isaiah tried to assure Hezekiah that Yahweh would protect Judah and the city of Jerusalem. However, knowing that the immediate future of the nation was in great jeopardy, Isaiah turned his attention to a future time.

Isaiah saw a time when Israel would again be united under the rule of one in the Davidic line. He looked to the day when the ideal king would again reign in Israel. When this happened, it would be “paradise regained.” In his vision, the disorder of nature would again be restored to the pristine harmony of the Garden of Eden.

The focus of this messianic passage is the phrase, “and a little child shall lead them.” Edward Hicks painted this idyllic scene in 1833 in his famous “Peaceable Kingdom.” In that painting, all eyes are focused on the children in the foreground. Just who is this child that shall lead them?

The obvious answer is that he is a descendant of King David, who is to again rule Israel in perfect wisdom. But one might look at a more subtle choice. Israel itself is often referred to as God's son. Perhaps in this new paradise, Isaiah sees Israel as a light to the nations and so, God's kingdom becomes truly universal. Might Isaiah have envisioned the little child to be tiny Israel?

In the Christian scriptures, the gospel writers viewed Jesus as the fulfillment of this Messianic promise. In particular, Jesus took on the roles of king and servant as had been portrayed in the writings of Isaiah. The obvious choice of the Christian church for “the little child” would be the Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Again, however, there might be a more subtle meaning for the little child. Once, when Jesus was holding the little children on his lap and blessing them, he said to his disciples,”Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it?" Was the Isaiah passage on his mind? Surely the innocent child on his lap must have seemed like a more appropriate choice for a leader than those argumentative Pharisees who had just tried to trip him up with their questions.

Perhaps, you and I are to become as children and take on the role of the “little child,” and lead this world into the Peaceable Kingdom. What an awesome responsibility that is. We long for the day when God's Kingdom will be completed and 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.

Prayer: God of the old and new covenants, we are so grateful for the writings of the ancient prophets. Their insights are still meaningful for us today. Show us the way to the peaceable kingdom. Guide us in the paths of peace and compassion. Nations are constantly warring with each other. We need to find solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Walk with us as we travel this lonesome valley of fear and terror. We cry with John the Revelator, “Maranatha; come Lord Jesus.” Amen