The Coming Kingdom
Text: Isaiah 35
Chapter 35 serves as a contrast to the fading nations who are facing God's wrath in Isaiah 34.
The Desert Will Bloom - Isaiah 35:1-2
The desolate areas where God's people once dwelled will bloom in joy. The description goes from the deserts of the south to the mountains of the north and down the seacoast and plains of the west. All will see the majesty of God.
God Will Take Vengeance on Israel's Enemies - Isaiah 35:3-4
Those who are anxious should take courage. God is coming to take vengeance. The nations who have done evil will be paid back, but God's people will be saved.
God Will Heal His People - Isaiah 35:5-7
It is obviously talking about the time when Jesus walked on this earth. Jesus quotes this prophecy to John the Baptist when he was in prison in Matthew 11:3-5. The prior verses in Isaiah 35:3-4 become the answer to John's fears. Jesus was telling John to take courage and not to fall away because Jesus was not meeting John’s expectations.
Jesus fulfilled this prophecy in the physical world by healing the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the mute. However, there is a spiritual fulfillment as well (Luke 4:18-19). The spiritually handicapped are restored to full health through the gospel message.
The Highway of Holiness - Isaiah 35:8-10
Isaiah describes such an interesting roadway. The unclean, those tainted by sin, will not use it. The fool in his wandering will not stumble across it. The violent beasts will not be found near it. But the redeemed will walk there. Isaiah is not talking about a physical highway but describing the Way of the Lord (John 14:6). By Jesus' death, a new, living way was established.
Why Sinners Will Not Follow the Way
God said the way would be made accessible (Isaiah 42:16). Every obstacle would be removed (Isaiah 57:14). But even with a cleared path, the wicked will stumble on it (Hosea 14:9).
Jesus is described as the stone of stumbling (I Peter 2:7-8). To walk the way requires belief, acceptance, and obedience to Jesus, which many are unwilling to yield. They insisted on walking their own path (Romans 9:32-33). However, their path will not lead them to glory. Jesus forces people to choose their path (John 15:18-25), and sadly, people love wickedness too much to walk on a clean path (II Thessalonians 2:9-12).
Why the Fool Cannot Find the Path in His Wanderings
Jesus told us that the way is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14). God encouraged His people to use His way by putting up guideposts (Jeremiah 31:21-22), but they still wandered. God said He would be a voice guiding them (Isaiah 30:20-21). However, such guides only work if people pay attention to them.
The lazy would rather attempt to take a shortcut through the thorns (Proverbs 15:19). You see the fool doesn’t believe in God (Psalms 14:1). If there is no God, then there is no guidance. So man strikes out to find his own way. However, there are more wrong ways to a goal than right ones. Experiment after experiment fails. People see the failures but will not accept that the old paths of God are correct. They think we only need to “fix” our method, and it will work. "Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, 'He is the One who catches the wise in their craftiness'; and again, 'The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless'" (I Corinthians 3:18-20). The foolish, who see themselves as wise, will not be attracted by the gospel (I Corinthians 1:26-29).
Yet, the Saved Will Enjoy the Path
A highway is a way to reach a destination quickly and safely. God would do something new, creating a highway for his people through the desert (Isaiah 43:18-20). It would not only speed them on their way but also bring them along paths where water would sustain them. It would be made clear and well marked (Isaiah 62:10-12).
God's way avoids evil (Proverbs 16:17). It instructs its followers to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). To follow it requires faith (II Corinthians 5:5-9), love (Ephesians 5:1-2), and righteousness (I John 1:7).
At the end of God's way is everlasting joy as sorrows flee (Romans 14:17).
