Unsettling Advent 2024, Day 5
“For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders, and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Great will be his authority, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7)
Peaceful transitions of power are a hallmark of modern democracies. Following the example of George Washington, in the U.S. not only the peaceful, but the frequent transition of power is held up as an ideal that is part and parcel of our particular democratic tradition. However, the Bible often presents a different vision — one that lifts lifelong, dynastic, and even eternal rule as the ideal.
This is certainly the case in Isaiah 9. It’s easy to dismiss the idealization of perpetual power holding as a facet of a bygone and less socially advanced era. More commonly, however, we don’t dismiss the idea of good perpetual rule out of hand, only question its feasibility. If a leader embodies qualities like wisdom, peace, and compassion, why shouldn’t they rule forever, or at least as long as they’re physically able? After all, if a leader were truly a “Wonderful Counselor” and “Prince of Peace,” why wouldn’t their perpetual reign be the solution to all our social problems?
But even the best leaders, those persons of the best character, should not hold onto power indefinitely.
The key to understanding leadership and leadership transition, biblically, is to take the focus away from the qualities of the ruler altogether. Not that personal character doesn’t matter at all, but it’s not what justifies a ruler staying in power. Rather than a leader’s qualities, it is the condition of the people that seems to be Isaiah’s major consideration.
Thanks to the popularity of Handel’s “Messiah,” we often focus on Isaiah 9:6 at Advent time. But the chapter does not begin with qualities of the ruler. It begins with a description of the condition of the people, and not just any people or the nation as a whole, but rather has particular concern for the poor and marginalized and the way that leadership affects those who are often the most at risk.
The person upon whose shoulders the government shall rest is described as bringing light to those “walking in darkness,” relief to those “bearing the yoke of their burden,” a breaking of those bars that weigh down the “shoulders of the oppressed.” The measure of a ruler’s worth is in their ability to bring justice, peace, and healing to a hurting people. The titles that come later are acclamations given for the things the ruler has done.
It’s about the “fit” that the leader’s ideas and experience have with what is needed at any given moment and the ability to respond well and bring a mix of innovation and stability to the people they are meant to serve. In the spirit of Isaiah, we should remember that leaders must adapt to the times and perhaps even choose to step aside in consideration of the condition and needs of the people they serve.
John Marc Sianghio assistant director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict at Arizona State University. His scholarship focuses on the intersection of religion, war, and human rights.