Author: John Tillman

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 26.17-18
17 As a pregnant woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pain,
so were we in your presence, Lord.
18 We were with child, we writhed in labor,
but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth,
and the people of the world have not come to life.

Reflection: A Difficult Birth
By John Tillman

Humanity was created to create. God’s command in Eden was to enhance, to cultivate, to grow—to birth more life from life. Despite our fallenness, we can take up our Edenic call to birth goodness. Birthing life is a holy and painful process and it does not always go smoothly.

Isaiah describes an agonizing and difficult birth. The woman strains, groans, and cries in her effort. But after all of that sweat, pain, and blood, she has no child to hold. She hasn’t birthed anything at all—only “wind” or ruach.

Ruach is a common word meaning wind, breath, or spirit. Ecclesiastes 2.11 uses it to express a similar feeling of uselessness and pointlessness. After all his work, even working with the blessing of divine wisdom that was beyond any other human, Solomon came up short. All his labor was meaningless. A chasing after ruach.

Isaiah sits in mournful disappointment following this failed birth. Israel was supposed to birth goodness, salvation, and life into the world. Instead, they brought death, enslavement, and evil. 

We may feel similar disappointment. Like Israel, the church is to birth goodness, salvation, and life into the world by being Christ’s embodied presence. It is a difficult birth. Despite all our labor we may at times despair. Has the church failed? Is our labor meaningless?

John picks up Isaiah’s image of a woman in labor in Revelation. John encouraged his readers that birthing is not over and it will not fail. The woman in Revelation is supernaturally assisted in her birth. (Revelation 12.2-6) Today, God’s people still struggle in labor, and God still steps in to supernaturally help us. 

“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.” — Samwise Gamgee, The Two Towers

In a way, we are all Samwise. Gardeners, meekly navigating an impossible course between mighty foes. By rights, we shouldn’t be here. We aren’t strong enough to bear this burden. Yet, where we are incapable or fall short, God will step in.

Along with us, God strains, groans, and cries as a woman in labor. (Isaiah 42.14; 49.15) People, groups, or nations may fail now, but God won’t. In the end tears, sweat, and blood will all be wiped away by God’s tender hand.

There will come a day when the difficulty of labor will be forgotten in the joy of the birth of God’s kingdom. (John 16.21-22) “…and no one will take away your joy.”

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. — Psalm 126.6-7

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 26 (Listen -2:58)
Luke 8 (Listen -8:09)

Read more about This Present Age
You have placed us here and called us now, to live for you in this place, in this culture, in this time.

This Present Age—Readers’ Choice

Read more about New Year, New Adam, New CreationBetter than a baby new year, Jesus is a new Adam. All creation will be renewed in him.

New Year, New Adam, New Creation

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 23.8-9
8 Who planned this against Tyre, 
the bestower of crowns, 
whose merchants are princes, 
whose traders are renowned in the earth? 
9 The Lord Almighty planned it, 
to bring down her pride in all her splendor 
and to humble all who are renowned on the earth. 

Reflection: Kingmakers Unmade
By John Tillman

Until Alexander the Great built a land bridge to completely destroy the city 300 years before Christ, Tyre had been an island beloved by kings. It made its fortune and gained power by trade across the sea in many luxurious items.

Tyre was a city-state that, historically, was friendly to Israel. Tyre’s king, sent gifts to David and his son sent gifts to Solomon. Tyre remained on friendly economic terms with Israel. Historians partly credit the vast power, influence, and wealth of Tyre to its strategic location and its partnership with the most powerful kings Israel would ever have.

Isaiah called Tyre “bestower of crowns” and they were connected through trade to royalty across the Mediterranean and throughout the region. “Tyrian purple” was traded with Egypt and Israel and the color remained a mark of royalty and wealth through the New Testament and the Roman Empire.

The term “kingmaker” refers to those who through wealth, power, guile, or all three elevate someone of their choosing to a position of power. You probably know the names of some modern kingmakers. They don’t usually want to be the king. That’s too much work. They just want to pick a king of their liking. Their wealth and influence afford them the opportunity to shape the world.

This is not necessarily bad. It is part of the Edenic command to “subdue” the earth and create growth, blessing, and abundance. Originally this meant agriculture, but economic growth is just agriculture of a different kind. Historically, however, the wealthy and influential tend to end up like Tyre.

Jesus wasn’t joking when he said how hard it was for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God. Wealth has unique and difficult dangers that can poison us. Long before the rich young ruler sadly walked away from Jesus, Tyre was given as an example to the world that God would end the pride of those who elevated themselves.

Tyre is a universal warning to all people but even more so to those of us blessed with even moderate wealth. Theoretically, wealth is a neutral tool—neither evil nor good. But in practice, as we shape our world with this tool, it is exceedingly rare that it does not also shape us. 

We should take care that our hearts are shaped by Jesus’ warning and that we use our resources to shape a world that testifies to his kingship.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. — Psalm 90.12

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 23 (Listen -2:50)
Luke 5 (Listen -5:04)

This Weekend’s Readings
Isaiah 24 (Listen -3:11), Luke 6 (Listen 6:46)
Isaiah 25 (Listen -1:59), Luke 7 (Listen -7:14)

Read more about Solomon’s Folly
We are so easily overawed by wealth and wealth so easily overturns our morality.

Solomon’s Folly

Read more about Urgent Desire for More
The wealthy young man wasn’t ready to give up earning and he didn’t yet trust what he would stand to inherit.

Urgent Desire for More

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 20.1-6
1 In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it—2 at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot. 
3 Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, 4 so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame. 5 Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be dismayed and put to shame. 6 In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’ ” 

Image Note: Image is from a 19th century photograph of a statue of Emperor Caligula.

Reflection: The Empire Has No Clothes
By John Tillman

What is Isaiah up to, going naked for three years?

Isaiah isn’t some kooky outsider among the prophets. He is the most intellectually, politically, and relationally elite prophet in Israel or Judah’s history. His writing, had he been British, would be equated with Milton or Shakespeare. Had he been Spanish, Miguel de Cervantes. Had he been American, Ralph Waldo Emerson or Maya Angelou. He was a literary giant.

Isaiah was also accustomed to the company of kings and the halls of power. This isn’t some stunt by an influencer trying to get attention. Isaiah isn’t an edgy comedian or an out-of-town hippie. He’s not a reality television show contestant striving for ratings. To us, this would be like a stodgy, erudite, professor/pastor/poet/statesman suddenly pulling off his bowtie and cardigan…and everything else.

Isaiah’s nakedness mimicked the way captives from Cush and Egypt would be treated by Assyria. They would not only be marched into exile, but would do so naked, with bare buttocks and bare feet. The bare feet would be physically punishing. The bare buttocks would be emotionally punishing.

Why would Isaiah portray Egypt’s suffering so graphically?

Judah was seeking protection from powerful political allies. Rather than rely on God, they leaned on Egypt. Like the little boy in Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, Isaiah confronted people with the truth, “The empire has no clothes!” Isaiah’s constant nakedness would not let Judah escape the image of shamed and conquered Egypt. The sight of their political allies being publically humiliated struck fear in their hearts. “See what has happened to those we relied on…how can we escape?” 

It is not uncommon for groups, including the church, to lean on “strongmen” who promise protection. Political strongmen can be individuals, small local groups, or national political machines. They say: “Only I can defend you.” “Without me, you’ll lose everything.” “Look what I can do for you.”

We would do well to recognize that these are the same promises made to Christ in the wilderness. “All this I will give you if you bow down.” Every time God’s people or his church have bargained with power for protection, it has ended in shame.

We don’t need more naked emperors trying to clothe us. If anything, we might need to be willing to be stripped and shamed, to remind others that the emperors they trust have no clothes.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
Lord, how great are your works! Your thoughts are very deep.
The dullard does not know, nor does the fool understand, that though the wicked grow like weeds, and all the workers of iniquity flourish, they flourish only to be destroyed forever; but you, O Lord, are exalted forevermore. — Psalm 92.5-7

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 19-20 (Listen -4:49)
Luke 2 (Listen -6:11)

Read more about Naked Humility, Unexpected Salvation
May we practice naked humility, humbling ourselves before we are humbled and stripping away pride before it is stripped away.

Naked Humility, Unexpected Salvation

Read more about No Princes
The princes of this land cannot save us, nor do they intend to.
Their fine bracelets are shackles.

No Princes :: Readers’ Choice

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 14.3, 26-27
3 On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labor forced on you, 4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: 
How the oppressor has come to an end! 
How his fury has ended! 

26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; 
this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? 
His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? 

Reflection: Taunting Ourselves
By John Tillman

God promises those who suffer under oppression that one day he will turn the tables and they will taunt those who harmed them.

Isaiah’s taunts target specific oppressors such as Babylon, Assyria, and the Philistines. God expands these taunts to include the whole world—any nation who takes up the spirit of Babylon. There are still nations of this kind today and some of us may live in them. We should be careful not to take up Isaiah’s taunts too quickly—we may end up taunting ourselves.

Babylon considered itself the ultimate pinnacle of human achievement. They felt they deserved to wield ultimate power because of their ultimate enlightenment. They considered themselves the light of the world and a provider of peace. Babylonian exceptionalism was part of their core belief system.

Babylon’s utopian self-concept was a lie. Their definition of peace was murdering anyone who resisted them. Their definition of achievement was enslaving the smartest people from other nations and re-educating them to serve the empire. Their definition of light was snuffing out the gods of other nations and absorbing them.

Babylon, in the Bible, is both a literal kingdom and a figurative representation of all human opposition to God. When God says, “I will wipe out Babylon’s name and survivors, her offspring and descendants,” he isn’t speaking literally of human offspring. He is speaking of nations who would follow the spirit of Babylon—those who succeed her, ascend her throne, and continue her prideful destruction of the weak. 

Babylon’s highest value is ultimate autonomy and unrestricted freedom—at least for the very, very powerful. Many pursue ultimate autonomy today as well. The dirty little secret of ultimate autonomy is that it only exists for those willing to take it by force or those privileged enough to have it handed to them.

The spirit of Babylon is not only adopted by nations or people groups. It is often adopted by individuals. Has any part of our heart been taken over by the spirit of Babylon?

Babylon disdains God’s demands for righteousness and justice.
Babylon rejects God’s definitions of sin and holiness.
Babylon honors the brutal and brutalizes the gentle.
Babylon protects the powerful rather than the weak. 
Babylon uses freedom to harm others.

One day we will taunt Babylon, but first we must come out from among her. Let us root out Babylon’s influences in our own lives and hearts.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
God is a righteous judge; God sits in judgment every day. — Psalm 7.12

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 14 (Listen -5:04)
Matthew 27 (Listen -8:45) 

This Weekend’s Readings
Isaiah 15 (Listen -1:34), Matthew 28 (Listen -2:39)
Isaiah 16 (Listen -2:32), Luke 1,1-38 (Listen -9:26)

Read more about Prepare for the End
Christians, just like the nation of Israel, can become complacent about the coming of judgment.

Prepare for the End

Read more about The Fall of a Superpower
When we read the oracles against other nations, it is easy to distance ourselves from them.

https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/the-fall-of-a-superpower