I Shall Return!
Isaiah 40:1-11
December 8, 2024
Over 80 years ago, on February 22, 1942, General Douglas MacArthur gives a short speech to reporters. He’s just arrived in Australia after being forced out of the Philippines by the victorious Japanese troops. Does anyone remember the three most famous words of his speech?
I shall return.
June of 1941, negotiations between the Japanese government and American government broke down. President Roosevelt recalled MacArthur to active duty as a major general. MacArthur was given 10 million dollars and 100 B-17 Flying Fortresses to help defend the Philippines.
The Japanese Air Force attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on that day that will ‘live in infamy’ – December 7, 1941. (We remembered that day yesterday.) The next day, December 8th (83 years ago today) the Japanese carried out air strikes on the Philippines and destroyed half of MacArthur’s air force.
A few days later the Japanese Army invaded the Philippines. Over the next few months, they drove the American and Philippine forces to the Bataan peninsula and then to a place called Corregidor. Things looked desperate for the Philippine people.
Let’s go to our Scripture for today. We’re looking at passages from Isaiah on this Advent-Christmas journey this year. It all began in the early 600’s BC. This is a time when the Jewish kingdom of Judah had strayed far from God’s way. The people were worshipping idols. The poor were mistreated and those with wealth kept tight control.
In addition, the oppressive empire of Babylon was on the move. Babylonian troops were marching west, conquering nation after nation. The low point of Jewish Old Testament history came when the Babylonians conquered Judah and destroyed Jerusalem. They enslaved the best and brightest Jews and sent them in exile to Babylon. Things looked desperate for the Jewish people.
We go forward 600 years. It all began in the time of Herod. The Jewish people were anxious to be free again. The Romans ruled their land. In addition, the Jewish people were drifting away from their love of God. Ritual, routine, and legalism were more prominent than intimacy, trust and obedience. Things looked desperate for the people of God.
Let’s return to the 1940’s. February 22nd, 1942 MacArthur was ordered to escape from the Philippines and get to safety in Australia. When he arrived in Australia, he gave a short and simple statement to the reporters:
“The President of the United States ordered me to break through the Japanese lines and proceed from Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I understand it, of organizing the American offensive against Japan, a primary objective of which is the relief of the Philippines. I came through and…”
What were the last three words? Say it with me.
“I shall return.”
Let’s return to the time of the exile in Babylon. Many of the Jews were gathering together on a Friday night. There must have been thirty of them crowded in a little shack that evening. They’re talking about their hard life.
Someone says, “This past week, I was down by the river washing the clothes. One of our guards yells out, ‘Sing for us. ‘Sing one of your songs from Judah.’ I keep on working so he doesn’t think I hear him. How can we sing our songs of Zion in this foreign land?”
Another person looks up to heaven, “O God, where are you now? Why have you forgotten us? Why have you abandoned us?”
The prophet Isaiah stands up and speaks.
Isaiah concludes with this: “God: our Shepherd, says to us, ‘I shall return.’ The good news we can celebrate today is this: God’s coming back. Let’s prepare the way of the Lord. Let’s make a highway just like the Babylonians make for their kings. Let’s make the road for our king to return triumphantly. God’s coming back. God shall return. Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Six hundred years later, God spoke to John the Baptist, living in the desert. John went along the Jordan Valley shouting, “God’s coming back. God shall return. Prepare the way of the Lord. Turn back to God and be baptized. Then your sins will be forgiven.”
The gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke and John all commented on the ministry of John the Baptist saying, “Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said, ‘In the desert someone is shouting, get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him. Fill up every valley and level every mountain and hill. Straighten the crooked paths and smooth out the rough roads. Then everyone will see the saving power of God.’”
John was often asked if he was the Messiah. John would respond, “I baptize you with water so that you will give up your sins. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I’m not good enough even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
Then John would return to his main message: “God’s coming back. God shall return. Prepare the way of the Lord.”
Today, things look desperate for our world. War grips our world in Ukraine and the Middle East. Inequalities abound throughout our country between rich and poor, the powerful and the powerless. Many people are afraid for their safety and for their freedom. Things look desperate for our country and world.
Like the exiles in Babylon, we look up to heaven and cry out, “O God, where are you now? Why have you forgotten us? Why have you abandoned us? Are you still angry with us?”
Fortunately we too hear a note of good news, “Our God says, ‘Encourage my people. Give them comfort’”
God: our Shepherd, says to us, “I shall return.”
The good news we can celebrate today is: God’s coming back. So let’s prepare the way of the Lord. So let’s make the road for our God to return triumphantly. God shall return.
We return to the 1940’s. When he arrives in Australia, MacArthur is appointed Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area. He decides his first objective will be to establish and protect a line of communications across the South Pacific to Australia. This results in battles at Coral Sea and Midway. By the summer of 1942 fighting moves to the Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal. Over the next two years, MacArthur engages in a strategy called ‘island hopping.’ It is successful but takes a long time.
It is not until late in the year of 1944 that MacArthur and the American military are able to attack the Philippines. It takes almost three years, but MacArthur is true to his word. He gets off the boat and walks the last yards in the water to the beach. He is photographed as he takes his first steps on Philippine soil. Just as he promised, he returns.
The war rages through the Philippines for much of the next year, but eventually MacArthur leads the American forces to victory.
MacArthur’s successful return in might and power to the Philippines is similar to the type of return that Isaiah has in mind when he says, “Clear a path in the desert. Make a straight road for the Lord our God.” Isaiah is celebrating the return of the victorious warrior ruler.
Isaiah says, “Look! The powerful Lord God is coming to rule with his mighty arm. He brings with him what he has taken in war, and he rewards his people.”
MacArthur carried through on his commitment to return. In the same way, Isaiah reminds us that God is true to his word. He fulfills whatever promise he makes.
Isaiah says, “We humans are merely grass and we last no longer than wild flowers.” In other words, we can’t always carry through on our promises because we lack the time and the resources. On the other hand Isaiah says, “Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change.” Whatever God promises, he will do. We can count on it. And God promises to return.
Isaiah adds an odd footnote to this celebration of the victorious warrior ruler’s entrance. Isaiah says, “The Lord cares for his nation just as shepherds care for their flocks. He carries the lambs in his arms, while gently leading the mother sheep.”
God’s coming back! God shall return. But not just as the conquering warrior ruler. God shall also return as a shepherd. God’s coming back as a shepherd.
Let’s return to the time of John the Baptist. He is preaching: “God’s coming back. God shall return. Prepare the way of the Lord. Turn back to God and be baptized. Then your sins will be forgiven.”
One day John sees Jesus coming towards him. John says, “Here is the one. I need to be baptized by this man.” But Jesus insists that John baptize him instead.
We too recognize Jesus as God coming back to us. God returns to us as Jesus. Jesus comes as the conquering warrior ruler. But a different type of conquering warrior ruler than what most expected.
Three years after his baptism, Jesus is riding into Jerusalem while palm branches are being waved and spread before him. Matthew says, “So God’s promise came true just as the prophet said, ‘Announce to the people of Jerusalem: ‘Your ruler is coming to you.’”
The last part of the scripture from Matthew describes the twist: “Your ruler is humble and rides on a donkey.”
Yes, Jesus is the conquering warrior ruler, but his weapons are not the weapons of this world. He rides a donkey not a stallion.
Jesus also comes as the Good Shepherd. In the gospel of John, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father and I give up my life for my sheep.” Yes, Jesus is the shepherd, but not like most shepherds. Jesus is a shepherd who is willing to sacrifice his life for his sheep.
Today, I believe God’s coming back. God is returning even now as I speak. God in Christ is returning as conquering warrior ruler to overcome oppression in our world, and to destroy death and sin in all its forms.
Today, I believe God is coming back. God is returning even now as I speak. God in Christ is returning as the Good Shepherd to hold us through our rough times, and to gently guide us down the right path.
This Advent-Christmas we announce the good news: God’s coming back. God is returning as conquering warrior ruler bringing the Kindom of love and justice. God is returning as Good Shepherd touching our hearts with love.
Isaiah says, “There is good news in Zion. Shout it as loud as you can from the highest mountain. Don’t be afraid to shout to the towns of Judah, ‘Your God is here.’
I say, “There is good news in Coloma. Shout it as loud as you can from the highest mountain. Don’t be afraid to shout to the people around the world, ‘Your God is here.’
‘Your God is here!’
