The Future of The Ransomed is Glorious to Contemplate
35 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;
2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they 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 singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
The work of God (35:3–7). Isaiah urged those who were spiritually perceptive and understood the implications of the preceding prophecy to encourage the people who were discouraged and fearful. In the messianic age God would come to (1) execute vengeance on those who oppose him and his people; and (2) save his people (Isa 35:3f.). The latter receives the emphasis here.
The work of salvation would begin with a healing ministry. Blindness, deafness, dumbness and lameness would be corrected (Isa 35:5–6a). Jesus cited these verses when he responded to John’s question regarding his identity (Matt 11:4-5.). By so doing Jesus was claiming to be deity as well as Messiah for it is the coming of God which effects these physical transformations.
The work of salvation involved the provision of abundant water. In that day the dumb would shout for joy, not only because of their own healing, but for another reason as well. Waters would break forth in the wilderness bringing life to barren land (35:6b–7). Isaiah was using concrete imagery to depict the refreshment which Jesus, the Water of Life, would bring to a spiritual waste land (John 4:11–14).
The way of God (35:8–10). Isaiah depicted the life of the redeemed in the messianic age as a pilgrimage along a special way. This is a raised way — a maslul, i.e., something built up above the surface, obvious to all who are looking for it. This is a holy way restricted to those who have been cleansed and who desire to live a life of holiness. This is a plain way for “the simple will not stray from it” (NIV mar). It is a safe way, for no ferocious beast will harm those who stay on it. It is the freedom way, for those redeemed from bondage, ransomed by payment of a price, find deliverance from bondage here. It is a straight way, for it has as its sole destination Zion, the city of God. It is a sure way, for those who travel it will reach their destination. It is a joyous way, for they will enter Zion with singing. It is the glory way, for those who arrive in Zion will receive an everlasting crown of joy. Only the redeemed, those ransomed by the Lord, may walk in that way.[1]
References
Smith, James E., Old Testament Survey Series: The Major Prophets (1992)
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