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Overview

This present world is cursed by sin. It has thistles and thorns. Isaiah 35 tells us of a restored earth that is to come. The presence of the Messiah promises this revival. 

Isaiah 35:1-2

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 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.

The Wilderness. Dry land. These images invoke scenes of thirst, wild animals, desolation and death. There is minimal growth. Beauty is non-existent. It is a wasteland. But someday the flowers will blossom. The glory of the Lord will return to this place. When people see the restored beauty of the earth, they concurrently see the glory of the Lord. In some sense, whatever the Lord touches it will grow, it will blossom. He is the only One who can make the Wilderness beautiful again. 

Isaiah 35:5-6a

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. 

Though I have stated this multiple times, it needs to be repeated: the genre of prophecy is a bit slippery. The Jews expected the Messiah to come and accomplish these OT prophecies. And hear me—Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Messiah, He did fulfill every prophecy the Father wanted Him to fulfill. But the first coming of the Messiah was just a foretaste. It was an inaugurated kingdom, not a fully realized kingdom. So yes, didn’t Jesus heal the blind, the deaf, the lame and the mute during His earthly ministry? Absolutely. Therefore, in a sense, this prophecy was partly fulfilled in the first coming. But look around, are there still the blind, the deaf, the lame and the mute with us? Absolutely. But at the Second Coming of Jesus, with the establishment of an eternal, physical kingdom, the glory of God will come down and suffering will be no more. The holistic transformation of the world will be complete. 

Isaiah 35:8-9

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. 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.

This use of the word “highway” is a frequent term in the book of Isaiah. It is used 10 times, referencing a physical road. But here in verses 8-9, Isaiah attaches a spiritual dimension to it. He calls this road—the Way of Holiness. Only the righteous can walk on this road. The unclean are forbidden to use it. It will be a safe road. Remember in ancient times, roads were often dangerous. Robbers and thieves would ambush people all the time. This will not happen on the Way of Holiness. Sin will be eradicated. Fear of travel will vanish. It is truly the Old Testament premonition of the streets of gold. 

So which road are you on right now? The Way of the World or the Way of Holiness? In one sense, if you are a Christian, you are on the Way of Holiness. Before God—you are positionally holy because of the imputed righteousness of Christ. But in this realm, you can make detours. In this realm, you can slow down or even stop, being distracted by the allurements of the world. The better question is this: Where are your eyes fixed? On Jesus or yourself? On Jesus or the world and its philosophies? I pray you choose Jesus today.