Peace and Judgement

The image of God’s peaceable kingdom, described in Isaiah 11:1-10 is an inspiring passage of restoration. It was a picture very different from the reality of the time. Pastor Phil Kniss used the paintings of Edward Hicks as a visual depiction of this passage. Pastor Kniss spoke of this peaceable kingdom coming as a result of God’s judgement. John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:1-12, points out the judgement and wrath of God. Even in the Isaiah passage, there is reference to God’s judgement. But God is judging for the poor and the meek of the earth, and the vehicle for judgement is the truth of God’s word. Because we are the body of Christ in this world we are agents of God, commissioned to speak truth for the poor and the meek. Are we prepared to step into that role? Can we rely on God to provide the strength and truth for that task?