Isaiah 40:1-11: Preparing the Way

Lectionary Cycle Year B: Second Sunday in Advent
Isaiah 40:1-11 (Read it on Bible Gateway)
Preparing the Way
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As is typical, we continue to delve into the Prophet Isaiah during the Season of Advent, specifically the prophecies and teachings that have become closely associated with Christ. Most of us probably see the particular connection in this selection immediately upon reading the passage. After all the words from verses 3-5 are more popularly known as having come from another colorful Biblical character, namely John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, and John 1:23) as he spoke of the coming of Christ. In fact John was quoting from this passage in Isaiah.

From Isaiah's context, where these words were written somewhere around 700 BCE, thus some 700 years prior to the birth of Christ, they could speak specifically to Christ's entering the world. John's message was far more immediate and heralded the coming of Christ's public ministry. To us today, they also are important, because we are they who are 'preparing the way' for Christ's Second Coming.

But what exactly does it mean to "prepare the way?" This is one of those oft used Biblical phrases that might have some layers of meaning we miss because the original context of its use is now so outdated. As a result, it doesn't hurt for us to explore a bit of the original meanings and then explore their spiritual significance.

One constant from Isaiah's time to ours is that for many and various reasons, national leaders, whether they be the President of the United States, or a King of Israel, travel. Another constant has been that those travels require far more preparation, planning, and precautions than when any average person does the same.

As anyone might guess, the President does not just pick up and drop in on some town, or function. Plans are made well in advance, every detail, routes to and from, arrival and departure times, security, accommodations, etc. are all meticulously planned out. A single day appearance might involve hundreds of worker hours committed from dozens of people. Not only does a great deal of planning go into it, a great deal of fanfare usually surrounds it. If the President is 'driving' through a city or town, it will be a motorcade, led by Police, accompanied by a number of cars, decked in fender mounted flags, etc. If the President is arriving in a given state at an airport, there will usually be a band, military presence, and the inevitable crowd of onlookers.

Well, this was also true in Isaiah's time for the rulers of his age, from kings to emperors; however, often, those trips required even more planning and preparation. Today while details of those Presidential journeys must be mapped out, they usually use well-established means. In ancient times, many of the roads, passes, bridges and very means used for transportation were built as the result of a royal visit or a military presence. The Roman Empire built countless miles of road all to move their legions from one place to another, as well as the emperor or other dignitaries.

If a given King were going to travel to a specific place, then a huge retinue would accompany that King. This would often include family, friends, servants, possessions, military accompaniment, etc. In other words, these trips could encompass hundreds of people, animals and gear. In some cases, the roads, more paths in truth, originally laid out to reach those territories were not designed to accommodate such travelers. As a matter of fact, some of them could wind through mountain passes and barely accommodate a single mount and rider! As a result, sometimes preparation literally included building a road, or bridge so that the full party accompanying the ruler could arrive with them.

So when Isaiah and John the Baptist are telling us to prepare the way, they aren't telling us the spiritual equivalent of getting the house cleaned up and some extra food on hand for guests.

Another key factor in the visits of those ancient rulers and still today is that it is never a 'surprise-was-in-the-neighborhood-and-decided-to-drop-in' kind of visit. Again, today, such visits are well publicized and those who will be part of them advised well in advance. In Isaiah's day this was also true and where a king or ruler went, heralds always went to first to 'prepare' the location for their arrival. This could be days, weeks or even months in advance.

The message of these Scriptures is that we are those heralds. Even as Isaiah heralded the coming messiah 700 years beforehand, and John the Baptist was the herald of Jesus' imminent ministry, we are the herald of God and Christ in our day.

Part of our calling is to prepare the way. On a personal level this can speak to our calling to witness to the faith, to be in ministry to those in need, so that we open individuals to God's love and presence in their lives so that Christ might come more fully into those lives. On a social level this can speak to ministries and efforts to spread the Word nationally and internationally as well as to work to change the world in which we live to a place more amenable to Christ's teachings.

Even as 'preparing the way' in Isaiah's time could literally mean cutting a wide pass through a mountain, clearing a stretch of desert territory, or carving a road through wilderness, it embodies significant effort today as well. We are called to help transform the world, just as those ancient people transformed many miles of wilderness territory to build civilization.

In those times it involved a physical transformation, today a much more spiritual one. It is upon us to work to prepare the world for Christ to come again. It is on us to work to open the hearts and minds of those who have turned against God and to work to transform society into a more open, caring, and just one. Whether it be in the context of our families, our communities, our work places, and even our nation and world, hopefully we are all indeed preparing the way.


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