Isaiah 35 - Outline of Isaiah (Book Notes menu page)

F. Vengeance and Blessing in the Day of the Lord...
  1. Vengeance: destruction of the nations at Armageddon, 34:1-17
  2. Blessing: restoration of the people and the Land of Israel, 35:1-10
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. {Isa 40:5}
  Chapters 34 and 35 form one prophecy. But the contrast between these two chapters is profound.
    In chapter 34, judgment is poured out upon Edom (the fleshly man, the ungodly children of Adam, their humanistic system of governance, and the earth which they corrupted with ungodly rebellion and perversion).
    In chapter 35, blessing is poured out upon God's people (Israel) and their land, which He has brought back from ruin and restored to fruitfulness. cp. Eze 36:1-15
  Read v.1 without the words 'for them' (which are absent in the HB text).
  In v.2, 'they' are "the happy inhabitants of that happy land." [GWms]-
    However, they (the people of Israel) were not always so, for they were the weak, the persecuted, and the downtrodden in the earth, when the ungodly children of Adam ruled. But eventually, recognizing that they have no strength in themselves, they will look to the LORD (Isa 25:4).
3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. {cp. Heb 12:11,12}
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; {Isa 34:5,8}
he will come and save you. {cp. Isa 28:16; Heb 10:37,38}
5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
  When Israel receives their Messiah, their temporary blindness will be lifted.
    cp. Isa 29:18; 32:3,4; Rom 11:25-27; 2Cor 3:14-16
  The works, which accompanied Him at His first coming (Mat 11:3-6), provided a preview of the blessings of His future Kingdom.
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 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.
  cp. Isa 29:17; 44:3,4
  cf. the state of the unrepentant world of fleshly men, Isa 34:9-15
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 {ie., those who walk in the way},
though fools, shall not err [therein].
  a highway {ie., thoroughfare}... a way {ie., a road}... the way {the road} of holiness...-
    A 'highway' offers rapid and safe passage to the desired land, while the 'roads' within that land represent the daily activities of settled life in that place.
    Several 'highways' are mentioned in Scripture:
    - In Psa 84:5-7, the 'ways' {v.5, ie., 'highways') of God's people lead through the valley of Baca {ie., Tears} to the Kingdom of God.
    - In Isa 11:16; 19:23, during the Millennial Kingdom, a highway will be provided to facilitate the physical return of Israel's exiles, and the peaceful relationship with their neighbors.
    - In Mat 7:13,14, the Lord warned His hearers to avoid the broad easy way whichs leads to destruction and lures people from the narrow way of life.
    - In Isa 40:3-5, 'the voice' is that of John the Baptist, who prepared the highway for Christ's ministry at His first coming (Mat 3:1-3). At that time, Christ became 'the Way' for believers to approach God and also to walk with Him (Joh 14:6). When He returns, His glory will be revealed more fully.
    "The way {road} of holiness" is also "the way of the LORD,"
    in which only those, whose hearts have been prepared unto holiness, can walk. v.8; cp. Amos 3:3; Titus 2:11-14; 1Pet 1:14,15; 1Joh 1:5-7
    - In that future day, even the simplest believer will not stray from 'the straight and narrow way,' for the Lord will be present with them, guiding them into all truth and protecting from all error.
    - Today, the way of holiness is open to the believer, who walks in the Spirit (see Joh 14:6,15-23; 16:12,13; Rom 8:4). Yet, today, the believer must be watchful and prepared, for there are enemies and dangers (eg., Eph 6:10-18; 1Pet 5:8,9).
    - In that future day, there will be no enemy lying in wait, to distract or devour the pilgrim on the way.
9 No lion shall be there, nor [any] ravenous beast shall go up thereon,
it shall not be found there; {cp. Isa 11:6-9; Eze 34:25; Rev 19:20}
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.
  the ransomed of the LORD...- are those who were 'bought with a price' by the ever-living One.
    cp. Mat 20:28; 1Tim 2:6; 1Pet 1:18-21
  ...shall return... with... everlasting joy upon their heads...-
    "With such a Keeper on the way (v.8), and such an asylum at the close (v.10), it is not to be wondered at, that the ransomed of the Lord should be characterised by songs, by joy, and by gladness." [GWms]
  The promise of v.9,10 is repeated in Isa 51:10,11.
    In context, it applies first to the people of Israel, who will be restored to their land as a nation, in peace and prosperity, under the Great King (eg., v.1,2; Jer 31:11-14).
    Yet, through Israel's Redeemer, who is the Seed of Abraham and of David, a portion of Israel's blessing overflows to believers from every nation.

    > Puritan commentator, Richard Baxter, as quoted by JVMcGee:
    > "Hasten, O Saviour, the time of Thy return. Delay not, lest the living give up their hope. Delay not, lest earth shall grow like hell, and Thy Church shall be crumbled to dust. O hasten, that great resurrection day, when the graves that received but rottenness, and retain but dust shall return Thee glorious stars and suns. Thy desolate Bride saith, Come. The whole creation saith, Come, even so come, Lord Jesus. The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain, waiting for the revealing of the sons of God." (cp. Rom 8:18-23; Rev 7:9-17; 21:4)

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