Reading for May 21st

Read Isaiah 26.1-21. In 26.1-21: praise to the God of justice The hymn of praise to God for the justice of the divine judgments upon earth in vv. 1-15 indictaes that chs. 24-27, and probably the entire scroll of Isaiah, were designed to be read, and prayerfully responded to, in acts of worship. The message of God was a call to penitence and faith, so that unresolved questions and doubts could be answered by trust, as in v. 3: Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace-in peace because they trust in you. It is necessary to accept the purpose of God and to await salvation without fully understanding the violent wrongs of human history. This trust is expressed in the remarkable outburst of vv. 16-19. When the promises of God appear so far from fulfillment, a new vision breaks in, a vision of life beyond the grave and of life renewed for those long dead. The only other passage in the hebrew Scriptures that compares with this visionary insight into the world beyond the grave is Dan 12.2. The prophet is attemting to reconcile the righteousness of God with the promises of suffering and conflict. Comments and Questions..