SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 35:1-10
OBSERVATION:
A vision of a better day, when God’s people will make it through the wilderness and reach the ultimate promised land.
Prophecy given when Israel was oppressed by the Assyrians. It was a time of brutality, poverty, fear and violence. In many ways it was like the Darfur region today!
Broader context of this is that Israel, God’s chosen people whom He appointed to be a blessing to the nations (Genesis 12:2-3, Matthew 28:18-20) was being punished for forgetting God’s covenant (Deuteronomy 28:15ff).
The desert is a symbol for all those going through a wilderness experience. They will be revived, refreshed, “they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.” (2)
Like their forefathers who went through the wilderness to the promised land, there will be a way through the desert. They will protected along the way (no fools, no lions, no beasts), and they will enter everlasting joy.
APPLICATION:
God is reminding the church of what happens when we forget our purpose.
Has the church in the west become worldly. We are not in the desperate place that Israel was at that time, but that is where things will lead.
God keeps the vision of the restored world before His people. Whenever we enter a wilderness, we can recall that ONE DAY “gladness and joy will overtake (us) and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
The Lord’s heart is with the poor, the weak, the oppressed. Throughout the Bible, the promise is made that the humble will be exalted and the proud will be brought down.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to remember that You are God and that You are good – no matter what happens. Help me to cling to Your promise of ultimate victory when I go through wilderness times. Amen.
Observation:
The writer really pinpoints who he is talking to … the exhausted, the feeble, those with anxious hearts, the blind, the deaf, the lame, the dumb of tongue. What an audience to address!
And here is the message …. “Take courage, fear not! Behold your God will come with vengenance. The recompense of God will come. But He will save you”
And then the author paints a beautiful scene of this “Highway of Holiness” where the redeemed will walk there freely in no fear of lion or vicious beast.
“The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will come with joyful shouting to Zion. Everlasting joy will be upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy and sorrow and sighing will flee away”
Application:
Who amongst us needs to be encouraged? Who needs to be strengthened? We need to say a “good word” amongst them to remind them that God is still in control and that they can take courage in Him.
By doing so, God can take that word of encouragement and give them hope.
“the eyes of the blind will be opened”
“the ears of the deaf will be unstopped”
“the lame will leap like a deer”
“the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy”
“waters will break forth in the wilderness”
Prayer:
Lord, help us to remember to take courage in You. To fear not. That you are still in control and that you can use us to bring that word of comfort and healing to those in need around us.