Day Twenty : 17th December

Isaiah 54

8 In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you,
but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.

9 This is like the days of Noah to me;
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you.

10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Brueggemann (2) p 154:

'In the end, Yahweh is faithful, if not all the way through. In the Christian tradition, the spin-off of such abandonment suggests taking the Friday-abandonment of the cross seriously and without toning it down. Something is given here that is not easily palatable in our common traditions of theological triumph.'

on verse 9: (p 155)
'The Exile is like the Flood (a) in that it is a season of deep chaos, (b) it is caused by and authorized by Yahweh, and (c) it is about to end.'

on verse 10:
'Yahweh's promise is more durable and more reliable than is creation itself.'