Isaiah
49:1-7
John 1:29-42
The city of Jerusalem sits on a
hill – the proverbial city on a hill–that’s the reason it was chosen to become
a city all those centuries ago – because high elevation is easy to defend. The entire area is filled with hills and
ridges – in fact on our first day in Israel, mostly on foot, many of us thought
we were going to die trudging up and down these hills. It’s quite a change for flatlanders like us
to have hills like that on our walk to the market or the tourist spot or to
grandma’s house.
In the ancient and modern city of
Jerusalem, there are 8 gates of entry – some of which are merely 500 years old,
but built on top of the gate that was 1000 and 2000 years old. The Eastern Gate is one such gate. We saw it on our second day there, the day on
our tour that I nicknamed “Spiritual Jerusalem”. We started the day at the
Mount of Olives, a ridge across a valley that looks upon the Eastern Gate.
The ridge is called the Mount of
Olives because it was once covered in olive trees, but now it’s covered in
graves and tombs. Jews from all over the world and all of history
are buried on the Mount of Olives because scripture says resurrection will
begin from the hilltop east of Jerusalem. When the messiah comes, he is
to come down the Mount of Olives to enter Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate – all
those closest to the top will be the first to be resurrected. This gate,
which is also known as the Golden Gate, Gate of Eternal Life, and Gate of Mercy,
is thought to be the same gate through which Jesus entered the city on Palm
Sunday.
And it’s not only Jews who are buried here. On the opposite ridge you can see a Muslim
cemetery, and there’s a much-neglected Christian cemetery in the valley
between. The valley is named the Kidron
Valley, but it’s known as the Yehoshevatz Valley – or, in Hebrew, “God will
Judge” valley.
 |
| Jerusalem's Sealed Eastern Gate |
The interesting thing is that this gate on the other side of
the valley has been completely sealed up. There have been many versions
of the wall and the gate throughout the centuries, and we know it was closed
and opened in certain times, over and over again in history. For instance, it was re-opened during the
Christian Crusades in the 1200’s, and then destroyed by the next army, and then
rebuilt in the 1500’s… and then sealed again.
So there’s no one using the
Eastern, Golden Gate of Eternal Life or Mercy and there hasn’t been since the
1600’s, when Suleiman the Magnificent, one of the Turkish rulers, last had it
sealed. (hint: this will be covered in
class 3…)
We really have no idea whether
there’s anything special or Messianic about that gate or not… just like most
things in Jerusalem, there’s a lot of lore and mythology surrounding this place. But it’s interesting for two reasons. First, how the three religions – Jews who
believe the Messiah hasn’t come, Christians who await the second coming, and
Muslims who don’t expect any Messiah
but do have some end-of-world teaching about crossing a valley of
judgment on a bridge of 7 arches to stand in God’s judgment in God’s home – all
of these narratives have intermingled, and are all centered on this one
geographical place in the city on a hill.
The other thing that I in
particular find fascinating is the religious politics and apocalyptic strategery at work here; legend has
it that Suleiman placed the Muslim cemetery in front of the gate because in
Judaism, the Messiah will be preceded by the Messenger Elijah. That should sound familiar, because today we
just had our scripture reading about John the Baptist – who is considered the
messenger by the early Jewish followers of Jesus. In some places he is referred to metaphorically
as Elijah.
But – if you are Jewish and don’t believe the Messiah has
come yet, then you are still waiting for the Messenger and the Messiah. And, maybe this Messenger would be a clergy
person, like a high priest who lives a life of purity. And, maybe this purity, as explained in
Dueteronomy – includes a ban against being near dead bodies… Some say Suleiman blocked
the gate and chose to place a cemetery there so that the Messenger would be
unable to walk through it… and therefore the Messiah will not come.
I just find it hilarious that some
King or Ruler thinks they will thwart God with a cemetery or a blocked
gate. I mean – if God is coming…
appearing on earth from nowhere…bringing judgment for the living and the dead…
raising people from graves with every step and being followed by a wake of
saints – this guy really expected some bricks or concerns about cleanliness to
be an obstacle?
It reminds me of the smallness of
the human imagination.
The prophet Isaiah was not short on
imagination. In these past weeks we’ve
heard him paint a picture of a ruler who will war righteousness and
faithfulness like a belt, who will establish justice for the nations without
raising his voice or breaking a reed; who will cause the deserts to bloom and
water to spring forth; and the blind will see, and the deaf will hear, and the
lame shall leap, and the mute will sing with newfound tongues.
Today Isaiah changes his tone
slightly. This is one of his servant
songs, where he appeals to his audience to become like the servant. He speaks of himself, and of Israel, as
servants of God. Isaiah lived through many
hard times, when Israel was forced out of their city on the hill, and then
returned, and then were forced out again. These words were directed at a people who have been scattered
to the ends of the earth themselves. They have been greatly traumatized by the
unbridled display of imperial power when the mighty Babylonian army destroyed
their homes and holy place, and forcefully removed thousands of people from
their city, taking them into chains to Babylon.
The community he’s speaking to is traumatized, and scarred, and
feels weak and vulnerable.
And yet, they have no imagination
for what they can do.
Even weak, even traumatized, this
community has the power to be like a city on a hill – even when they are not IN
their city on a hill. Isaiah gives a newfound goal to this community;
to care for others near and far. Isaiah
provides them with a new purpose in life, looking beyond their own
self-interest and seeing their role as being of service to the many foreigners
whom crossed their paths on a daily basis. They can still show what it
means to serve and belong to the God of Israel – to embrace justice, offer
compassion and demonstrate hospitality, in the midst of their challenges.
Isaiah says, Sure, God calls us to
be obedient, but we are thinking too small.
But now, he’s calling us to do greater things than before! God says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the survivors of Israel; I will
give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of
the earth." It’s like God said,
“You and your small thinking. You aren’t
thinking big enough. I have much more in
mind for you.”
This week some members of our church told me
about Sharon Field, and the Fund established in her name. Sharon Field was an
esteemed member of this church, and from what I’ve heard, one who always kept
our congregation looking outward. It is so easy in
times of challenge, especially financial challenge, to become overly obsessed
with one’s own struggle for survival.
But when the church received a financial gift, it was Sharon’s
insistence that we look beyond ourselves and our own wellbeing to share these
gifts with others – and specifically others far away in other nations. Sharon helped us prioritize that we are
servants of the God who welcomes the stranger and cares for the poor – from all
nations.
We are called to be a light to all the nations. A light to the nations, who, like a
lighthouse, shows the way. Because, truly, the purpose of light is to
see clearly – turning on the light opens eyes to something previously not
perceived. To shine in the darkness is
to let people see God’s love, God’s justice, and God’s Mercy in us. The power of being the obedient servant is to
reveal God’s love through our service.
Blocking the gate might have been a
way of making a political statement saying ‘your messiah is not going to come
in here…but we know, just like with the tiny infant king, God finds a way. God is larger than our small human
imaginations, and when God reveals a path, that way will always lighted by his
obedient servants.
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