ISAIAH 35
ISAIAH 35 OPENS WITH...
The Highway of Holiness
Verses 1-2 tells us of the restoration of the land and of the people.
"The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God."
AFTER THE JUDGMENT ON THE NATIONS described in Isaiah 34, God will bring a beautiful restoration.
This was true in the immediate term, when Judah was restored after the invasion of the Assyrians was turned back.
It is true in the longer term, when modern day Israel has turned the wilderness and the wasteland into productive farms, and truly has made the desert … blossom as the rose.
BUT IT WILL BE ULTIMATELY TRUE fulfillment of this prophecy, when God restores the ecology of the world after the end of the great tribulation and the battle of Armageddon (Isaiah 11:6-9).
Romans 8:19-22 says: "The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Nature is waiting for the transformation that will come when the Messiah reigns and believers are glorified."
Verses 3-4 tells us the Weak people are strengthened.
"Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you."
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The coming judgment would be enough to make the hands of anyone weak, and knees of anyone feeble. But in light of the glorious restoration God will bring from that time, it is no time to have weak hands or feeble knees! Get strong and get going!
We use our hands to work with; those with weak hands are not working for the LORD as they should. We use our knees both to progress with and to pray with. Those with feeble knees are not progressing with the LORD and praying as they should.
AND REMEMBER Hebrews 12:12 quotes this verse from Isaiah to make the point that even in a time of chastening from the LORD, we should take strength and courage in the LORD, knowing that it is His Fatherly love and care that has allowed and directed the chastening. It's time to get strong in the LORD and move on!
But the passage both here in Isaiah and Hebrews 12 indicates that there are some among God's people who indeed have weak hands and feeble knees.
What is the cause of it?
If we are not making progress in our walk with Jesus, fault can surely be found with weak hands and feeble knees. AMEN?
Say to those who are fearful-hearted, "Be strong, do not fear … He will come and save you."
In our present trials, we NEED the strong hope of the LORD to overcome our fearful hearts.
Our fearful hearts are NOT hoped by a vain, vague optimism; BUT THEY ARE helped by the assured confidence that He will come and save.
Verses 5-6 tells us the sick and the diseased are healed.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing."
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
When God's salvation comes, miraculous power comes with it. It is a miracle for the blind to see, for the deaf to hear, for the lame to run, and for the mute to speak. But when He will come and save you, He does it with miraculous power!
AND REMEMBER ELISHA...praying for his FRIGHTENED & SPIRITUALLY BLIND servant...LORD...LET HIM SEE!
GOD IS PROMISING SPIRITUAL SIGHT, HEARING, AND VERBAL UNDERSTANDING...
AND REMEMBER TOO...
IN MATTHEW 11:4-6....when John the Baptist was in prison, he became discouraged, and to wonder if Jesus really was the Messiah he had proclaimed Him to be. When John's disciples brought this question to Jesus, He replied: Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.
Jesus REPEATED THE EXACT IDEA OF ISAIAH 35 TO JOHN THE BAPTIST. IN OTHER WORDS...Jesus, the Messiah, HAD come to bring God's salvation, and that would be accompanied with miraculous power, AMEN?
Verses 6-7 tells us Abundance replaces lack.
"For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes."
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
GOD PROMISES ISAIAH when God's salvation comes, miraculous provision comes with it. What was dry and useless before becomes well watered and fruitful.
AND REMEMBER Jesus said IN JOHN 7:38-39... He would bring this kind of beautiful provision in the lives of His people: "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive
There is NO reason for a Christian to endure a "dry time," not when the miraculous power of Jesus Christ to provide is present.
The parched ground shall become a pool...
DID YOU KNOW...The word translated "parched ground" actually means mirage, air reflection, an atmospheric phenomenon frequently seen in Eastern deserts which is caused by the reflection of the hot rays of the sun … Now the prophet brings the glad tiding that what used to be a mere semblance and an illusion will one day become a glorious reality.
Verse 8 tells us of A Highway of Holiness is made for God's people.
"A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray."
A Highway of Holiness...
WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THIS?
Today, we take good roads for granted. But in the ancient world, a good road - a highway -was an amazing blessing for travel, progress, and business. Isaiah announces that in the ministry of the Messiah, there will be a wonderful highway, a road, known as the Highway of Holiness.
AND DID YOU KNOW...The Hebrew word for "highway" indicates what our English word literally says: "a high-way." It speaks of a raised road, lifted above the ground. It is a high, glorious road to travel on!
The construction of this Highway of Holiness was the greatest engineering feat ever accomplished.
YOU KNOW HOW I ENJOY CHARLES SPURGEON, AND HE SAYS OF THIS VERSE...
"Engineering has done much to tunnel mountains, and bridge abysses; but the greatest triumph of engineering is that which made a way from sin to holiness, from death to life, from condemnation to perfection. Who could make a road over the mountains of our iniquities but Almighty God? None but the Lord of love would have wished it; none but the God of wisdom could have devised it; none but the God of power could have carried it out."
The unclean shall not pass over it...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This highway IS NOT for everyone. It has a "toll booth," but you can't make it on this highway by paying your way. You are only allowed on this highway if you are cleansed by the great work of the Messiah, JESUS CHRIST, AMEN?
Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT SOUNDS CONTRADICTORY DOES IT NOT?
When we stick on God's Highway of Holiness, even though His work in us IS NOT COMPLETE yet - we may still be in some ways a fool - yet we are safe because we are on His highway! There are guardrails on the dangerous curves, and He keeps us from falling off as He develops the wisdom and maturity in us that will also keep us on the highway, AMEN?
Verse 9 tells us also The safety of the Highway of Holiness.
"No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; it shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there."
No lion shall be there...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
As we stay on God's Highway of Holiness, we are PROTECTED from the attacks of the lion.
REMEMBER 1 PETER 5:8 which reminds us all..."Though your adversary the devil walks about LIKE a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
ALMIGHTY GOD IS PROMISING that lion has NEVER yet devoured anyone who stayed on the road. The promise is sure, no lion shall be there! It shall not be found there!
Verse 10 tells us about the travelers on the Highway of Holiness.
"And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing...
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
We use this Highway of Holiness to come to where God lives and reigns - Zion - and we come there with singing. God can put a song in our heart as we travel on His Highway of Holiness!
The RANSOMED of the LORD...
DID YOU KNOW...The word ransomed is related to the word "goel", and refers to the one who has been rescued by the goel -the kinsman-redeemer.
AND WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS OUR GOEL...HE IS OUR KINSMAN-REDEEMER AMEN?
With everlasting joy on their heads … and sorrow and sighing shall flee away...
REMEMBER REVELATION 21:4 CONFIRMS THIS....We can know some of this now, but we aren't at our destination on the Highway of Holiness yet. But when we arrive there, God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Using the pictures of this chapter, it is as if we, THOSE WHO REPENT, KIT THEIR KNEES, CALL ON THE NAME OF JESUS, AND ASK FOR AND ACCEPT HIS SALVATION GIFT...ALLLLLLL come to God barren, dry, blind, deaf, weak, and crippled.
Then the miraculous power of Jesus comes to change us, heal us, and provide for us.
BUT GOD IS TELLING ISAIAH & US....That IS NOT the end of God's work though.
He then goes on to make a Highway of Holiness that the transformed man can walk on.
The highway would be helpful to one who was barren, dry, blind, deaf, weak, and crippled; but when the highway is provided for the one who is healed and provided for as we are in Jesus, the blessing is even more amazing.
- Are you on that Highway?
- Are you making progress on it?
- Are you enjoying the travel?
- Are you inviting others to join you?
I DO NOT BELIEVE ANYONE GOES THROUGH THIS LIFE WITHOUT GETTING ON A LITERAL, MUCH LESS A SPIRITUAL HIGHWAY, TAKING A TRIP, AND GOING TO NEW, UNFAMILIAR PLACES.
ON ANY TRIP TAKEN ON A HIGHWAY, EVEN ONE THAT IS FAMILIAR TO US, HAS LANDMARKS THAT WE KNOW AND RECOGNIZE..THAT HIGHWAY, THAT TRIP CAN BE SUDDENLY IMPACTED BY WEATHER, ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, ACCIDENTS, OR UNKNOWABLE DANGERS, IN THE RISE AND FALL OF THE ROAD, THE TWISTS AND TURNS, THE HAIRPIN CURVES, THAT KEEP HIDDEN WHAT IS BEYOND AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
EVEN WITH ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES, SATELLITES ORBITING OVERHEAD, PATROL HELICOPTERS REPORTING THE CONDITIONS AHEAD, AND GPS TO GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO..IT IS ALL OF THE MOMENT, OR AFTER THE FACT WARNING...AFTER A LANDSLIDE, AFTER A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, AFTER ROAD IMPROVEMENTS BEGIN...ALWAYS OF THE MOMENT AND AFTER THE FACT...
BUT OUR JESUS HAS ALREADY GONE INTO OUR TODAY, TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK, AND NEXT YEAR...HE HAS ALREADY MADE A WAY OF ESCAPE, PROTECTION, PROVISION, DELIVERANCE, AND RESCUE FOR US.
NOTHING SURPRISES HIM...
NOTHING SNEAKS UP ON OUR JESUS.
NO PLOTS OR PLANS OF SATAN, MAN, AND WORLD GO UNSEEN, UNHEARD, AND UNPROTECTED.
SO RIGHT HERE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE LORD IS TELLING ISAIAH AND US, REGARDLESS THE ROAD YOU ARE ON...WHETHER IT HAS FLASHING RED LIGHTS (ATTACKS), YELLOW CAUTIONS (THREATS), OR INTIMIDATING GUARDRAILS (SLOW DOWNS)...DOES NOT MATTER....BECAUSE THE LORD IS OUR HIGHWAY. THE LORD CONTROLS THE HIGHWAY. THE LORD PROTECTS THE HIGHWAY WE ARE ON IN HIM.
AND AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE...IT APPLIES HERE....I MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IS AROUND THE CORNER, WHAT TODAY HOLDS FOR ME, WHAT TOMORROW WILL BRING, BUT NO WORRIES, I DO NOT NEED TO KNOW, I KNOW WHO HOLDS MY TODAYS, TOMORROWS, AND FOREVER.
SO JUST PRAY OUR DAY, OUR TRIP, OUR PLANS UP AND THEN GO...WITH JESUS AS YOUR PILOT, WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR.
SO SAY THANK YOU JESUS.