Jackals and Ostriches Will Honor the Creator of Israel: The Praise of Creation in Isaiah’s Eschatology

Description

According to Isaiah 43:21, the creation of Israel is not an end in itself but is directed toward the praise of the Holy One. His praise is a recurring theme in the Book of Isaiah. Strikingly, creation often appears to participate in it (cf. Isa. 35:1-2: 40:10-12; 44:23; 49:13; 55:12). In Isaiah 43:20, even jackals and ostriches, which usually represent chaos and destruction (cf. Isa. 13:22; 34:13; Jer. 50:39), and symbolize lament (cf. Mic. 1:8; Job 30:29), are mentioned among the wild animals that will honor the Creator. What is the essence of their praise, and how is it to be understood in relation to Israel’s praise? In his Isaiah commentary, John Oswalt states that "whatever the jackals and ostriches, and all the rest of creation, might desire, only humans have the ability to glorify God as he deserves." The question is whether this anthropocentric view does justice to the place of creation in the Book of Isaiah. How should the contribution of jackals and ostriches to the praise of creation be evaluated? And, living in a time of huge ecological challenges, how can we deal with the tension between the present and future of this praise when the seraphs proclaim that the fullness of the earth in itself already is the glory of the Lord of hosts (Isa. 6:3)?

Period	22 Nov 2024
Event title	SBL Annual Meetings 2024
Event type	Conference
Location	San Diego, United States, CaliforniaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International