17. ENVISIONING A NEW COMMUNITY A LIVING
COMMUNITY
Is. 65, Rev. 21
Elizabeth
A. Nirmal
Introduction:
The theme for Bible study is "Envisioning a
New Community, a Living community" (Is. 65; Rev.21). But before
visualizing a new community let us look back in history.
We read the story of creation in the book of
Genesis, and also read that the couple who was created in God's own
image disobeyed and lost the nearness with God. Gen. 6:6 reads
that God was sorry that God had made humankind on the earth and it
grieved God's heart. The earth was corrupt and filled with
violence, so God decided to destroy it with flood waters. Noah,
the only righteous man in God's sight, was saved along with his family
and the other living things. God made a covenant that God would
never again destroy the earth with flood waters (Gen. 9:8-13).
God must have thought that this new earth would be a perfect one.
But the story doesn't end there, as we see in the
history of the Israelites: God's own people. God’s chosen people
went astray, and God, through prophets and leaders, asked them to
return. But it was all in vain. Then God undertook a
mission of creating "NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH." Against this
background let us study Isaiah, chapter 65. The passage speaks
about the life of the new age that God will usher in. It will be
a time of joy and peace (Is. 65: 9-10, 25).
Why do we need to visualize a new community?
What is wrong with the present community? Do we need a
change? And in what way? Can we call it creating New Heaven
and New Earth? Our idea of heaven is usually a place where there
is no sorrow, no weeping, no work. Everyone will experience peace
and joy.
Present Context:
Why do we need to "create NEW COMMUNITY?" Let
us look at the present situation in the world and in our country
too. It is infested with corruption and scams. The rich
flourish whereas the anguished cries of the poor go unheard.
Women and Dalits are crying for justice. Dalit Christians are no
exception. Women experience oppression at many levels, victims of
social, economic, cultural, political and religious pressures for
centuries. We talk so much about social justice, while much
remains unattempted at various levels.
In this context let us study Is. 65.
1. Biblical Context and Our
Reflection -
The Isaiah passage speaks about the life of the New
Age that God will usher in. It will be a time of joy and peace
(vs.9-10, 25). The life of the New Age is created by God.
The word `create' is used three times, in chapter 65: 17a, 18b, c; we
are invited to be glad and rejoice in it (vs. 18a, c, d & 19a, b).
The New Heaven and New Earth are God's
handiwork. God's mission is directed towards their
creation. In this new cosmic order, the forces of nature are
subject to the divine will and respond to God's command (Is. 1:2;
11:6-9; 34:1; 35:10).
By what means will a New Heaven and New Earth be
created? The present world is not to be totally destroyed (Is.
51:16), but rather to be completely transformed. God's mission is
directed towards such a transformation, and each one of us has to
participate in it. The creation provides the background for
history, here the New History of the New Age.
Is. 65: 19 speaks about the Messianic Jerusalem, as
the city of joy and gladness. The new relationship established by
the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth unites God and
Jerusalem in a common joy. The time of mourning is over and there
is to be no premature death.
Premature deaths occur mostly by hunger or
malnutrition. Recently attention was drawn to the articles
in the newspapers about children in the Western Ghats who were dying
due to the scarcity of edible roots because of deforestation.
There are not isolated incidents, because several such incidents have
been reported from different parts of India. Nearly 50% of the
population of India is living below the poverty line. But in the
new community, the wealth will be distributed equally. There is
already a movement to pressure rich nations to write off the debts of
the poorest countries by the new millennium-Jubilee 2000.
Is. 65: 21 tells us that men and women will enjoy
the fruits of their labor. This has a message for our agriculture
and industry.
In India the agriculturist is the last person to
enjoy the fruit of his/her labor. The laborer who helps build
palatial buildings himself/herself lives in a slum. Isaiah also
speaks about houses and habitation, vineyards and fruits. `Like
the days of a tree' (v. 22) stands for durability and longevity.
The Hebrew mind was impressed by the life and long duration of trees
(Job. 14:7; Ps. 1:3, 92:12-13; Jer. 17:8; Ezek. 19:10). There is
no laboring in vain. The silence of God is now broken (Is. 61:7;
64:12). God answers us even before we call upon him and ask him
(v. 24). In v. 25, we are assured that in the new cosmos there
will be neither hurt nor destruction. The new cosmos will be like
a city of peace.
Read Rev. 21
2. The second passage also speaks about the New
Heaven and New Earth. Here I remember a story of a parish priest
who climbed up in the church's steeple to be nearer to God. He
wanted to hand down God's word to his parishioners, like Moses of
old. One day he thought he heard God say something. The
priest cried aloud from the steeple, "Where are you, Lord? I
can't seem to hear your voice clearly." The Lord replied, "I am
down here among my people. Where are you?"
Don't we also sometimes behave like this
priest? God is always with us, among us -- hungry, thirsty, naked
and in prison -- but we cannot see him or purposely ignore him!
Mt. 25:35-36.
The holy city, New Jerusalem, is coming down out of
heaven to stay on this earth. It has twelve gates- symbolizing
the twelve tribes of Israel who become one nation. But it says
that nations bring in their wealth (Rev. 21:24). Who creates the
wealth? The laborers, the farmers, the workers create the
wealth. But where and how do they live? They live outside
the gates, outside the village boundary. Here in Revelation,
nations bring in the wealth for the betterment of everyone who dwells
in the city.
The roads of this city are made of gold; whereas
here in our country we do not have proper roads made of mud to connect
our remote village to highways and to one another. The gates of
this city will be opened day and night and no one is forbidden from
entering the city. The standards set for admission into the city
are based entirely on a different set of values. Here in our
society we prevent people from entering into our homes, our
neighborhoods, our villages. We deny access to facilities that
are essential for the sustenance of life -- on the basis of caste,
class, gender and religion, whereas to enter God's city we have to be a
person who is honest and truly committed to God. Human made walls
and discrimination cannot prevent people from entering this new
city. God will be the one who chooses the people and writes their
names. Yes, God is the writer of the names. God made man
and woman in God’s own image and those who seek the reign of God will
enter into it. Justice, peace, and harmony are the values of the
kingdom, and those who seek these things will enter the city of peace,
joy and gladness. "Kingdom" doesn't mean God as king in the
traditional sense of reigning authority and power. If we read the
parables of the Kingdom of God, God is depicted in three parallel
passages as a waiting and loving father, a searching woman, a seeking
shepherd. In Luke 15, parables portray the Kingdom of God
in terms of peace, eternal and abundant life, etc.
Conclusion:
Lastly in this New Heaven and New Earth there are no
barriers of caste, creed, gender, and religion. Everybody is
equal. Christ brings liberation to everybody - slaves, women, not
only Christians but all those whom God has created. It is against
this background that we must visualize the New Community.
How do we visualize this new heaven and new earth in
our society that is fragmented by the barriers of caste, creed, gender
and religion? How do we demonstrate in our own lives and persuade
others that in order to bring in the reign of God - we need to accept
one another as equals, in a society that ruthlessly dehumanizes and
marginalizes the poor, the powerless and people whom it considers as
unequal because of the community in which they are born? This is
a challenge that we have to face in our everyday life situations.
How do we promote this new heaven and new earth
among the people who consider their life partners as unequal, where one
partner oppresses and dominates the other, on the basis of their
gender? Where one is denied the right to equality, where
preferential treatment is meted out to the members of the family based
on their sex? How can we claim to promote new heaven and new
earth when we ourselves dominate one another on the basis of our social
status, our superior positions and economic status? What kind of
equality do the poor enjoy, who for their livelihood work as helpers in
our homes?
How do we promote this new heaven and new earth
among our churches and faith communities where people are treated
differently based on affiliation to caste and class, some as superior
and some as inferiors? Where even at worship some are
discriminated against and required to sit at designated places.
The discrimination is not only for the living, it is also extended to
the dead, by allocating different places for burial in the cemetery,
based on your caste and class.
Only when we are able to accept each other as
equals, as God's children, and as people who all share the image of
God, can we participate in creating a community where all will live in
peace, enjoying good health, sharing all the resources equally, each
enjoying the fruit of their hard work, living in harmony with God and
nature, as envisioned in Isaiah 65.
Questions for Discussion:
1. How do we participate in creating New Community?
2. What are the problems or obstacles in creating a
New Community?
3. Can you picture or frame your ideas of a new
community in the form of a painting, poem, Bible
study, or any other creative form? Share it
with the rest of the group, perhaps in the context
of worship.
PRAYER
Dear God, give us vision
of what our nation might become,
Cleansed of all corruption,
greed and selfishness.
A just society where colour, creed and station
no longer divide people from each other
but all are united in the common good.
Give us visions
of what the world might be.
When hatred, greed and prejudice
no longer set people at each others’ throats
and bombs and guns
and all the appalling instruments of death
are transformed into tools
for the increase of prosperity and health.
God, we look for a world
in which pain, sorrow and despair
will always find compassion, joy and hope.
We look for a world
in which the weak
will always share the strength of the strong
in which the old will be supported
by the young.
A world free from greed,
war, hunger,
poverty and agony.
New Prayers for Worship