December 1, 2019 1st Sunday of Advent
The prophet Isaiah is the most often quoted Old Testament writer in the New Testament. He is also the most often read book in synagogue other than the Torah. His words were a mixture of doom and deliverance. The doom was the recurring attacks by foreign nations caused by the sin of the nation. Isaiah addresses the people in chapter 1, “Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil, children who deal corruptly, who have forsaken the Lord, who have despised the holy one of Israel.” He's not pulling any punches here. But he doesn't leave them condemned. He offers the promise of deliverance including promises of salvation, of a king who would rule the nations, the prince of peace. Today, we associate Isaiah with prophesies of the birth of Jesus.