Making Light of the Truth

Reflecting on the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Three Days after Sunday (Year A)

Scripture (semicontinuous)

Psalter: Psalm 8

Old Testament: Exodus 2:15b-22

Gospel: Matthew 26:6-13

Scripture (complementary)

Psalter: Psalm 18:1-3, 20-32

Old Testament: Isaiah 28:14-22

Gospel: Matthew 26:6-13

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Prayer

Your voice burns within the depths of our being, O God of our ancestors, and draws us into your presence and service. Hear the cries of your people and speak a word of comfort, that we may proclaim to all the earth the glory of your name. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary)

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Reflection

Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers

    who rule this people in Jerusalem.

Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death,

    and with Sheol we have an agreement;

when the overwhelming scourge passes through

    it will not come to us,

for we have made lies our refuge,

    and in falsehood we have taken shelter”;

therefore thus says the Lord God,

“See, I am laying[a] in Zion a foundation stone,

    a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation:

    ‘One who trusts will not panic.’

And I will make justice the line

    and righteousness the plummet;

hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,

    and waters will overwhelm the shelter.

Then your covenant with death will be annulled,

    and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;

when the overwhelming scourge passes through,

    you will be beaten down by it.

As often as it passes through, it will take you,

    for morning by morning it will pass through,

    by day and by night,

and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.”

For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it,

    and the covering is too narrow to wrap oneself in it.

For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim;

    he will rage as in the valley of Gibeon

to do his deed—strange is his deed!—

    and to work his work—alien is his work!

Now therefore do not scoff,

    or your bonds will be made stronger,

for I have heard a decree of destruction

    from the Lord God of hosts upon the whole land (Isaiah 28:14-22).

In Isaiah 28:14-22, the prophet focuses his truthful gaze upon the leaders of the southern kingdom of Judah. He warns them that the impending judgment upon the northern kingdom of Israel may not be limited to them alone. In verse 15, the prophet refers to Judah’s treaties with Egypt as making a covenant with death. Judah’s leaders have not trusted in God, but rather the Egyptians—another earthly kingdom.

Isaiah refers to the leaders as “scoffers.” This is a seriously negative description in the Old Testament. A scoffer is someone who not only rejects the truth, but makes light of it… makes fun of it. The leaders of the southern kingdom are scoffers. They have laughed at the foolishness of trusting God and in so doing they have allied with Egypt and made a covenant with death.

In the midst of these words of judgment, God reminds the leaders that nevertheless, the truth of God is a sure foundation. It is a precious cornerstone. Those who trust in God will remain secure even in difficulty.

For those who trust in God, these are words of comfort, but for those who scoff, they are impending words of judgment.

PRAYER: Redeeming Sustainer, visit your people and pour out your strength and courage upon us, that we may hurry to make you welcome not only in our concern for others, but by serving them generously and faithfully in your name. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary)

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