Isaiah chapter 35
The light and joy of the new life. Four outreach ministries. Benefits of outreach ministry.
THE LIGHT AND JOY OF THE NEW LIFE
VERSE 1. The wilderness and the dry land will be glad. The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.
BBE translation. The waste land and the dry places will be glad; the lowland will have joy and be full of flowers.
glad … joy … full. These are symptoms of wholeness.
You can tell if the LORD God has restored you to wholeness when your life is marked by gladness and joy and fullness.
The desert will rejoice and blossom. Apparently the LORD God will bring about climatic changes that will make the desert regions more fruitful.
VERSE 2. It will blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing. Lebanon’s glory will be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the LORD’s glory, the excellence of our God.
BBE translation. It will be flowering like the rose; it will be full of delight and songs; the glory of Lebanon will be given to it; the pride of Carmel and Sharon: they will see the glory of the Lord, the power of our God.
they will see the glory of the Lord. The LORD God will display his glory, and people will see it.
That can happen in many ways. In our own lives, we display the LORD God’s glory when we exhibit the lifestyle he calls us to live: gladness, joy, singing.
FOUR OUTREACH MINISTRIES
VERSE 3. Strengthen the weak hands, and make the feeble knees firm.
Isaiah shares two ways for us to reach out to other people:
OUTREACH 1. Strengthen the weak hands. Help people who are weak.
OUTREACH 2. make the feeble knees firm. Help people who are feeble.
VERSE 4. Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong! Don’t be afraid! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution. He will come and save you.
NLT translation. Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”
Isaiah shares two more ways for us to reach out to other people:
OUTREACH 3. Tell those who have a fearful heart. Speak words of faith to people who are afraid.
OUTREACH 4. He will come and save you. Exercise the Ministry of Evangelism. Tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ.
BENEFITS OF OUTREACH MINISTRY
VERSE 5. Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
NLT translation. And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.
Isaiah shares two benefits when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 1. the eyes of the blind will be opened. People who are blind to the things of God will finally be able to see. They will see his presence in their lives.
BENEFIT 2. the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. People who are deaf to the things of God will finally be able to hear. They will hear his voice.
Isaiah 30:21. Whether you turn your ears to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it. (NIV 1984 translation)
VERSE 6. Then the lame man will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will sing; for waters will break out in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
NLT translation. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.
Isaiah shares three more benefits when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 3. the lame man will leap like a deer. People will no longer be “lame” in their “walk” with the LORD God.
BENEFIT 4. the tongue of the mute will sing. People will no longer be silent about God. Now they will shout aloud the praises of the LORD God.
BENEFIT 5. waters will break out in the wilderness. Streams of joy will burst forth in the desert.
VERSE 7. The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay.
BBE translation. And the burning sand will become a pool, and the dry earth springs of waters: the fields where the sheep take their food will become wet land, and water-plants will take the place of grass.
Isaiah shares four more benefits when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 6. burning sand will become a pool. For many people, life is dry and empty. However, their lives will become a pool brimming with life.
BENEFIT 7. the dry earth springs of waters. The dry soil of people’s existence will become moist and life-giving.
BENEFIT 8. fields where the sheep take their food will become wet land. Churches will once again be alive.
BENEFIT 9. water-plants will take the place of grass. People will bear fruit everywhere they go.
VERSE 8. A highway will be there, a road, and it will be called “The Holy Way”. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it will be for those who walk in the Way. Wicked fools shall not go there.
Isaiah shares one more benefit when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 10. a highway … The Holy Way. Isaiah is describing a whole new way of living.
So many people yearn for this new way of living that a highway will need to be constructed, just for them.
John the Baptist constructed that highway in the desert. He prepared the way for the Lord Jesus Christ and the multitudes of people who yearn for what he had to offer.
This “holy highway” sounds like the “grand entrance” spoken of by Peter:
2 Peter 1:11. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (NLT translation)
VERSE 9. No lion will be there, nor will any ravenous animal go up on it. They will not be found there; but the redeemed will walk there.
Isaiah shares two more benefits when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 11. No lion will be there. Evil people are prevented from walking the path of holiness. It isn’t that the LORD God banishes them from the highway. Rather, it’s their own wickedness that prevents them.
BENEFIT 12. the redeemed will walk there. The only people who will walk in this new land will be those whom the LORD God has redeemed. They were bought with the blood of the Lamb.
People cannot be redeemed with money. The ransom for a life is costly. No payment is ever enough. Read more »
VERSE 10. Then the LORD’s ransomed ones will return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
Isaiah shares one more benefit when we reach out to other people:
BENEFIT 13. with singing to Zion. The LORD God’s people sing with joy. And they will migrate to Jerusalem.
ISAIAH
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, True Fasting
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.