Isa 35:1 The
wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert
shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and
singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel
and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our
God.
solitary place — literally, “a dry place,” without springs of
water. A moral wilderness is meant. The very wilderness which holds us captive
is actually welcoming us as a place of transformation. As w fasting, this wilderness experience will
change who we are.
for them — namely, on account of the punishment inflicted
according to the preceding prophecy on the enemy; probably the blessings set
forth in this chapter are included in the causes for joy (Isa_55:12). Are you
one of those who have felt like you were wandering in the wilderness and cannot
find a way out? Then this reflection is
for you!
rose — rather, “the meadow-saffron,” an autumnal flower with
bulbous roots; so Syriac translation. These thick roots gather the water from
the parched soil to sustain itself in the wilderness. We have been chosen to be
a rose in the desert.
glory of Lebanon — its ornament, namely, its cedars
(Isa_10:34). From barren wilderness to a forest of mighty cedars. excellency
of Carmel — namely, its beauty. Sharon
— famed for its fertility. In 3
words: The majestic and fertile beauty…. Like a woman who is radiant but for
her husband alone… that they may bring forth life.
see ... glory of the Lord ... excellency —While the wilderness
which had neither “glory” nor “excellency” shall have both “given to it,” the
Lord shall have all the “glory” and “excellency” ascribed to Him, not to the
transformed wilderness [Mat 5:16 Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.]
Note also: Isa 40:5
And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it
together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Now what is our response to this Wilderness Call? What are we to do? Let’s continue this
passage.
Isa 35:3 Strengthen
ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful
heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God
will come with vengeance, even
God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Strengthen ... hands ... confirm ... knees — The Hebrew for
“strengthen” refers to the strength residing in the hand for grasping and
holding a thing manfully; “confirm,” to the firmness with which one keeps his
ground, so as not to be dislodged by any other [Maurer]. Encourage the Jews,
now desponding, by the assurance of the blessings promised. Hands are for
working and knees are for praying… two components of the ‘Body of Christ’ that
have become weakened and ineffective.
fearful — “hasty,” Margin; that is, with a heart fluttered with
agitation. So much stress you feel like you might have a heart attack.
with — the Hebrew is more forcible than the English Version:
“God will come, vengeance! even God, a recompense!” The sense is the same.
So if we are faithful to this call… to align ourselves w God’s
will for his people in the wilderness.
God’s ‘then’ for his people…
Isa 35:5 Then
the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be
unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an
hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters
break out, and streams in the desert. 7
And [then] the parched ground shall become a pool,
and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons,
where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
Jesus responded with compassion when a loved one needed a
touch of God’s healing hand. [see Luk 7:2; 2Jon 1:5, 2Jon 1:8; Act 3:2] and
this is our call, let us hear the heart of those coming to seek a touch from
God.
Spiritually we have deliverance from disease.. and emotionally
we feel an unquenchable JOY! We will leap and sing… and all of this in the
midst of our wilderness! leap — literally, “fulfilled” (Act
3:8; Act 14:10 two of those healed get up and leap for joy). sing
— joyful thanksgiving.
in ... wilderness ... waters — (Isa_41:18).
parched ground — rather, “the mirage (Hebrew, Sharab, ‘the
sun’s heat’) shall become a (real) lake.” The sun’s rays refracted on the
glowing sands at midday give the appearance of a lake of water and often
deceive the thirsty traveler (compare Jer_2:13; Isa_41:18).
dragons — rather, “jackals.”, that is, scavengers of the
wilderness. grass — rather, “a place
for reeds,” (which only grow where there is water, Job_8:11). Where once there
was no water, water shall abound.
This is the spiritual environment that
revival will bring. The wilderness in
which we find ourselves will be transformed.
Now let us come to the verse that we all know….
Isa 35:8 And an
highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the
unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools,
shall not err therein. 9 No
lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it
shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
highway — such a causeway or raised way, from a Hebrew root, “to cast up”) as was used for the
march of armies; valleys being filled up, hills and other obstructions removed
(Isa_62:10; compare Isa_40:3, Isa_40:4).
way of holiness — Hebraism for “the holy way.” Horsley
translates, “the way of the Holy One;” but the words that follow, and
Isa_35:10, show it is the way leading the
redeemed back to Jerusalem, both the literal and the heavenly (Isa_52:1;
Joe_3:17; Rev_21:27); still Christ at His coming again shall be the Leader
on the way, for which reason it is called, “The way of the Lord” (Isa_40:3;
Mal_3:1).
it shall be for those: the wayfaring men — rather, “He (the
Holy One) shall be with them, walking in the way” [Horsley].
though fools — rather, “And (even) fools,” that is, the
simple shall not go astray, namely, because “He shall be with them” (Mat_11:25;
1Co_1:26-28).
No lion — such as might be feared on the way through the
wilderness which abounded in wild beasts, back to Judea. Every danger shall be
warded off the returning people (Isa_11:6-9; Eze_34:25; Hos_2:18). Compare
spiritually, Pro_3:17. None of the ‘beasts of society’ will disturb distract or
discourage you.
