Utterly Estranged
Woe, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil, children who act corruptly, who have forsaken the Lord, who have despised the Holy One of Israel, [[who are utterly estranged!]] – Isaiah 1:4 (NRSVUE)
I have a nerdy fascination with biblical footnotes. This verse has one: “Gk OL lack: Heb adds who are utterly estranged,” meaning, the ancient Greek translation of the verse lacks a phrase that the ancient Hebrew includes. I’m captivated by the editorial focus on this phrase, which goes beyond condemnation to evoke an existential condition. Can we ever recover from utter estrangement?
The book of Isaiah begins with a vision that sets Isaiah on the prophetic path, warning a people who have gone too far. The images bring up for me the divisions we see today: nations, denominations, neighborhoods, families taking sides on everything from the most mundane to the most crucial. When we do our utmost to stay on one side or other of the dividing lines we draw, the result is utter estrangement.
I know I am often guilty of assuming that if a person agrees or disagrees with me on one thing, we will agree or disagree on everything. That rubric fell apart for me after October 7, 2023, when people whose opinions I generally trust diverged. In wrestling with my own assumptions and reflexive loyalties, it occurred to me that what I really needed was not an authority but a prophet, a prophet who would point not to the preferences of earthly powers but to the desires of God.
Scripture and tradition show that such prophets will not be popular. People will call the cops on them, throw them in jail, assassinate them. Yet God is with them.
Where do we want to be?
Prayer
Holy One, may we recognize the prophets who point to your desires for our world and join with them. Amen.
About the AuthorMartha Spong is a UCC pastor, a clergy coach, and editor of The Words of Her Mouth: Psalms for the Struggle, from The Pilgrim Press.