Apocalyptic inversion

Apocalyptic inversion … it seems like the season is full of them. Isaiah’s imagery of the straight paths to the point of mountains being made low and valleys raised is in keeping with apocalyptic tradition. When the Lord comes it wrongs are righted and chaos brings order. It heralds a new life, a new existence.

John the Baptist is charged with the same image. He prepares the way for the Lord. The imagery carries the force of the upheaval long expected. The one coming would baptize with fire after all. Even if we indict John with having a flawed image of the roll of the messiah, he is not wrong. Jesus did, does and will bring the kind of upheaval and new order that the apocalyptic eschatology describes.

Isaiah goes on to say men wither and fade like grass.
Peter picks up the refrain also employing apocalyptic imagery.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire?

But don’t get me wrong. I grew up in a culture where the church used the “Blessed Hope” as a scare tactic for some misadventure in evangelism. I was thoroughly terrorized by the thought of the Lord’s return. The expectation rich in this week’s readings is not to bring us fear but joy upon joy. As Mark points out, this is the beginning of the Good news about Jesus.

The psalmist proclaims the joy of that day, I encourage you to pray this psalm aloud as you meditate on it.

LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. Selah
Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.