It's a Jungle

Isaiah 11:6-9 (NRSV)

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.

They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

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Hush my darling don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight
Hush my darling don't fear my darling
The lion sleeps tonight

From "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," originally recorded as "Mbube," a 1939 African popular music hit. This version by The Tokens

Everyone wonders what paradise will be like. The images from John's Revelation about the New Jerusalem are always popular. With the gold, and the jewels, and the high walls it seems almost like God's perfect gated community. As wonderful as the images John gives us are, when saying "God's perfect gated community," it all seems a little too elite.

I prefer the images from Isaiah. The Jews of Isaiah's time were a people who knew their oppression. The prophet knew poverty. He knew what it was to seek justice. He knew what oppression was all about. He knew this, and he was shown what a wonderful life under a perfect king looks like.

What's joyous about this vision is that the predatory animals, the wolves, leopards, lions, bears, asp, and adder are not massacred in the name of saftey for the lamb, kid, calf, fatling, cow, and child. In the new kingdom under the protection of the New King, there is no need. There is no need.

We don't need to harm, kill, or destroy the enemy because with the New King, the predator and prey relationship will no longer exist. Darwin's "survival of the fittest" will no longer apply because the fittest of us all will provide for every need. There is no more fear. All are fed. There is plenty for all.

In our age, this not only applies to the bears and the cows, it applies to the bears and the bulls. Safety and plenty is available for all God's children, even to the point that excess is no longer necessary.

In a socitey that is consumer oriented, the view of safety from what will do us harm can be far more peaceful than a view of wealth and walls. It is better to live alongside those who were our predators than to build walls hoping they will never be breached.

They say "it's a jungle out there." But the kingdom to come is not the same jungle we are used to living in. It is a place of wonder and safety through the King of kings. Let us thank God that the King has been born and will come again in glory.