In C.S. Lewis’ book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, it is suggested that Eustace is unable to grasp what is happening, in part because he has not read the right kind of books. This impairment is so bad that he initially does not even recognize a dragon when he sees one. Lewis describes Eustace’s taste in books thus:
He liked books if they were books of information and had pictures of grain elevators or of fat foreign children doing exercises in model schools.
One understands how unhelpful these books would be in identifying dragons.
The right kind of books are very helpful in understanding all manner of things. I was struck by this in reading from Isaiah 60:
Your gates shall be open continually;
day and night they shall not be shut,
that the people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession.
This is a remarkable statement. But who would know without having read the right kind of books? We might have an inkling if we lived in Jerusalem or perhaps Quebec City, where there are walls and gates. But without that we have only stories of knights and kings, castles and dragons to instruct us. And these are good instruction. They help us understand that amid lives of various dangers and trials, there are places of refuge. And that the king and his knights create that refuge.
As we read Isaiah 60, we perhaps understand, at least intuitively, that gates exist to keep people out and are opened only at certain times. But here Isaiah is speaking about gates to a city, which are open only when there is no threat to the inhabitants of the city. That usually meant during the day and in times of peace. Again, how would one know?
But if one does know, the remarkable nature of the statement becomes clear. City gates just aren't left open all the time.
But Isaiah is talking about a time when God (the King) will visit his people. “Arise, shine for your light has come,” is how the chapter opens. The presence of God upon the people does two things. First it makes them immensely attractive to others.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
All nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your dawning.
This city, with the presence of the king is a beacon. And it is attractive to all nations. Not just the people of Israel, but to the other nations - the outsiders, the Canaanite nations, the pagans, the secular humanists. The list goes on.
Second, His presence creates peace, security, safety. Your gates will be open continually. That means that the city will always be a place of refuge. There is no need to close the gates, the city is always open because in the presence of the King, there is safety.
The city is the Church. As God is present among us, we are attractive to others. We are a light in the darkness. And we become a place of refuge.
O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit come among us. Let your light, your presence rest upon us that we may be to your glory, a light in the world and a place of refuge.
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