Destiny’s Child
Therefore in that day the Lord God of hosts called you to weeping, to wailing, to shaving the head and to wearing sackcloth. Instead, there is gaiety and gladness, killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.” But the Lord of hosts revealed Himself to me, “Surely this iniquity shall not be forgiven you until you die,” says the Lord God of hosts. Isaiah 22:12-14 NASB
Not be forgiven – Several chapters of Isaiah are prophecies about the destruction that is coming to Israel’s enemies. The list of terrible things goes on and on, recounting the woes upon land and people. What is their reaction? “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we may die.” When they should have wept, put on sackcloth and begged for mercy, they chose to have one last big party. They concluded that God’s word was final, that there was no hope—and so there was nothing left to do but live it up as much as possible before the end. They completely misunderstood the purpose of prophecy.
Jacob Neusner wrote, “The purpose of Hebrew prophecy is to never come true.” God gives the prophets messages of doom so that men will change direction. The purpose of the message is not to spell out the inevitable fate of a nation beforehand. It is to call the nation to repentance. God loves to change His mind, and He is quite willing to do so when human beings demonstrate their desire to alter the circumstances. Prophecy is not prediction. It is petition.
Of course, ignoring God’s petition has consequences. In this case, the consequence is death without forgiveness. But that’s not what God wanted. It’s the destiny men controlled.
Translators offer “shall not be forgiven” for the Hebrew expression ʾim ye-kuppar. Robert Alter suggests “The crime shall not be atoned for you . . .” pointing to the fact that the verb really doesn’t mean forgiveness. Kāpar is about atonement and reconciliation. Forgive is usually the verb nāśāʾ (“to lift off”). What God says through Isaiah is that these people who reject His petition to repent won’t find atonement before they die. They have chosen a path that seals their fate, a fate which did not have to occur but has now been fixed, not because God said so but because they said so. When the translators offer “shall not be forgiven,” we imagine a hard-hearted God, demanding submission and doling out capital punishment for lack of compliance. But now you can see that it’s all contingent. God isn’t the taskmaster, moral policeman. He’s the pleading father, anxious to have His children change direction. We might even suggest that God is distressed over the decision to accept this prophecy as if it were destiny. There is no destiny. There are only the consequences of choice.
Does this give you hope? Consolation? Perhaps a twinge of remorse? How many times have we thought that we are on some predetermined path, marching in tune with our fate? How many times have we ignored the pleadings of the Father, feeling like there’s nothing left for us but to live out our days according to the divine plan (whatever that is)? How often have we felt as if we had no choice but to be pushed along? And God grieved over the hearts of men, that they were so obtuse to His tears.
Topical Index: forgiven, atone, prophecy, petition, Isaiah 22:12-14
