by Jane Josephs
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” –Isaiah 55:12
In the sixth century B. C., the Babylonian Empire razed Jerusalem, destroyed Solomon’s Temple, and forced the Jewish people into exile. Psalm 137 captures their lament: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion…our tormentors demanded songs of joy… How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”
Although the prophet Isaiah lived 150 years before the exile, his writings are central to the story because he directly predicted both the rise of Babylon and the ultimate return of the Jewish people to their home. His words, particularly in Chapters 40 to 66, inspired by the Holy Spirit, served as a beacon of hope for the weeping captives.
The 55th chapter of Isaiah has long been one of my favorites. I can almost hear the voice of the Lord saying, “Come, all you who are thirsty… Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost…” But it is the image of the trees clapping their hands (vs. 12c) that really captivates me. In C.S. Lewis’s story, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the trees are in a state of freeze until Aslan (who represents Jesus) sacrifices himself on behalf of the Pevensie children and all of Narnia, and sets in motion the thaw that brings with it forgiveness and reconciliation.
In many ways, just as the exiles of Jerusalem and the Pevensie children were captives, we sometimes find ourselves in a foreign land today; frozen by sin and disobedience to God. Life’s struggles and problems, disappointments, and worries handcuff us to fear. But thanks be to God, we have hope. Jesus has provided a way out. The debt He paid on the cross was one we never could have paid. The mountains and hills know and burst into song. The trees know and applaud! How can we do any less?
Dear Lord, we praise and magnify Your name. You alone are worthy! We bow down before You with thankful hearts for Your love and mercy. Strengthen and sustain us in times of trouble and distress. Give us knowledge and understanding of Your will and Your ways, for the glory of Your name, Amen.