The Monday after Cantate Sunday
Posted on May 19, 2025 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 14:1-3 (NKJV)
14:1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 2 Then people will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them for servants and maids in the land of the Lord; they will take them captive whose captives they were, and rule over their oppressors.
3 It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve.
Devotion
Here we have a prophecy of the fall of Babylon and the rising of Israel. Some interpretations generally focus on the historical interpretation of passages like this. Of course, the historical aspect is important, knowing the context and the perspective of the prophet at the time of the writing, but Lutherans focus their interpretation Christologically and in view of the ultimate fulfillment.
Here, “the king of Babylon” doesn’t just point to a specific ruler, but is a kind of symbol of worldly power in general. Here, Isaiah points to the ultimate overthrow of the powers of this world. God will bring “Babylon” low, while raising up “Israel.” Ultimately, Babylon represents all the wicked rulers of this world that come against God’s people or oppose God’s will. And Israel represents the faithful Church. Christ’s Church suffers in this world, but it will one day be brought up to glory, while the pomp and glory of those who oppress His Church will be brought to nothing. Verse one alludes to the Gentiles being brought into the kingdom of God. In verse two, “people” refers to the Babylonians, or those who held God’s people captive. The captor and captive roles will be reversed. The oppressors will now serve the Church, but, in doing so, will find true joy and freedom.
Collect: O God, Who makest the minds of the faithful to be of one will: Grant unto Thy people that they may love what Thou commandest, and desire what Thou dost promise; that, among the manifold changes of this world, our hearts may there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
