Trees of the Field

 For you shall go out in joy, 

and be led back in peace; 

the mountains and the hills 

before you shall burst into song,

 and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Isaiah 55:12

Trees of The Field is one of my favorite songs. I like the tempo especially as it increases with each verse. I enjoy the rhythm and clapping hands as we sing. I can almost hear the mountains and hills bursting into song. And I really love the imagery of trees clapping their hands. For me its not just the spirit and imagery of the song, its the hope within it. The song and text are saying that signs of hope can be seen as God does the impossible with creation.

Isaiah is speaking to folks in desperate need of a word of hope. The trauma living through the Babylonian Exile was too much to bear. Some Israelites are questioning their beliefs in the God of their ancestors. Isaiah presents the doubters with a word of hope from a Lord who transforms broken lives. The prophet describes a world of thorn trees and briers transformed into green myrtles and cypresses. This radical transformation symbolizes a new life laying ahead after the devastation of the Babylonian exile. Isaiah contrasts two worlds: an exile world; a world of possibilities where all of creation is mended and restored and the exiles can live in peace.

Centuries later this is still valid. It seems to me that we are in desperate need of a word of hope as we make our way through the current wrenching times. Experiencing fear of Covid-19, social unrest and violence is deeply distressing.That's why a God of love  gives us a picture of a radically transformed and peaceful, world mended and restored.  God intends this to be a world of hope.