No. 23. >> In my reading about Isaiah, there seems to be similar interests in Chapters 12 and 35. We've already spoken about 12. How does Chapter 35 fit within the book of Isaiah? And how does it function? >>DR. R. REED LESSING: Chapter 35 is much like Chapter 12. In that it enables readers of Isaiah to take a deep pause and to ask the question where have we been, where are we going? Remember in Chapter 12 we were able to look back and see how the prophets celebrated in Chapter 12. Because unlike unbelieving Ahaz, there is a king coming in Chapters 9 and 11 specifically who will trust in God's plan for the nation, for the world. And Chapter 12 also looks forward in terms of that exodus motif. Yahweh is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation Isaiah Chapter 12 says. Linking us back to Exodus Chapter 15 Verse 2 where we have the same identical words almost. Yahweh is my strength and my song. He's become my salvation. So in like manner, Chapter 35 is functioning for the reader of Isaiah. Looking back as well as looking forward. So this chapter will not only look forward through say Chapters 36 through 39. But in a marvelous Chapter 35 points forward to much of Chapters 40 through 66. So in any study of Isaiah in terms of an adult Bible class, you would certainly want to spend time in Chapters 12 and 35 to enable the participants of your class to step back and get this bigger picture of what Isaiah is trying to communicate. Having said that, let's look then more specifically at Chapter 35. Let me give you an overview of it. Much like Chapter 24 with its cosmic judgement followed by universal salvation. In Chapter 25:6 through 9, again, that's a sermon study we'll do, so the cosmic judgement of Chapter 34 is followed by salvation in Chapter 35. One way 34 and 35 are linked together is through the word vengeance. There's vengeance mentioned in 34:8. And again in 35:4. Throughout the book of Isaiah, the Lord's plan is to have the nations stream to Zion. A goal that you are very familiar with now. And in 35 this mountain is where people finally go, Verse 10 of Isaiah 35, where sorrow and sighing will flee away. Let's look at this then in some detail, though not looking at it verse by verse. As we look at Chapter 35, Verse 1 says: The desert and the parched land will be glad. The wilderness will rejoice and blossom like the crocus. Verse 2, it will burst into bloom. It will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. For the glory of Lebanon will be given to it. The splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the Lord. The splendor of our God. Why all of this talk about renewed creation? Well, in Chapter 34, creation is undone. Creation is judged. Pools of water become polluted. Streams of water dry up. Cities become the haunt of jackals. Trees and shrubbery are dried up, as well. And languish and wither and die. A very prominent theme in the Bible actually. Already in Genesis Chapter 3 the result of sin is not only that Adam and Eve are somehow hiding from each other and hiding from God and the relationship between humanity and the Lord is fractured. But also the relationship with creation is fractured. You may remember in Genesis 3 it says that thorns and thistles now will be a part of the created order. So one result of sin is that the creation is undone. We see that all over in our world today with any number of pollutants entering streams of water in the world, in the air. That's the result of sin. So just as Isaiah in Chapter 34 sees all of creation under God's judgement, so he begins then with the renewal of creation in Chapter 35 Verses 1 and 2. And this points us to the ultimate renewal of creation. You see, God's plan of redemption doesn't just include people. It doesn't just include animals. We saw that in Chapter 11 of Isaiah. It includes the whole created order. John says, as we've already noted in this course, in Chapter 21 of Revelation, there's a new heaven and a new earth. Not just new people. Not just a new church. But God is after the whole cosmos. And so this is a major theme in the Bible that Isaiah would pick up for us in Chapter 35. Well, as we go on here in Verses 5 and 6, we have these words in Isaiah 35: The eyes of the blind will be opened. And the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer. And the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. This is a verse Jesus quotes in Matthew Chapter 11. When John is in prison, he sends some messengers. And they ask Jesus: Are you the one who was to come or should we look for someone else? And Jesus says: Go and tell John what you see and hear. And then Jesus quotes from this section of Isaiah Chapter 35. Jesus is this person, this harbinger of the renewed creation. Jesus came not only to change hearts but to give sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. And to actually restore people's fallen bodies due to sin. So a great promise of restoration that we have here in Matthew 11:5. And again, reiterated in Luke 7 Verse 22. Let's now spend a little bit more time in Verses 8, 9 and 10. A highway will be there. A highway. It will be called the way of holiness. The unclean will not journey on it. It will be for those who walk in that way. Wicked fools will not go about on it. Within Isaiah the theme of a highway is prominent. It already occurs in Chapter 11 Verse 12 and 16. You may remember some introductory comments I had concerning the unity of the two halves of Isaiah. 1 to 39. 40 to 66. And this highway theme would be a connecting link that joins both sections of Isaiah together. Because we have it in Chapter 11. We have it here in this ***janis like chapter of 35 looking back and forward. And the highway also occurs in 51:9 and 52:11. Thus, fusing both sections of Isaiah together. You see, God is making a way for people to come home. We're looking now at Babylonian exile in 587 BC. And God is going to make a way for people to come home. You may remember Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The Yellow Brick Road is where you need to travel to get to the great city of Oz and the Wizard of Oz. And so God in a very real historical way says: I'm going to make a way for you so you can come home. A highway will be there. Jesus says in John 14 Verse 6: I am that way. I am the truth and the life. Jesus is the way. You see, home. He says at the beginning of John 14: I go to prepare a place for you. And that place prepared for us would be heaven itself. How do I get there? Where is the highway? Jesus is that way. The early Christians were called People of the Way as Luke reminds us in Acts Chapter 11. Well, let's continue then. This way is narrow. There's only one way Jesus says in Matthew 7 Verse 14. But Isaiah goes on. No lion will be there, Verse 9. Nor will any ferocious beast get up on it. They will not be found there. We had talked about this in passing in our discussion of Chapter 11 of Isaiah, specifically Verses 6, 7 and 8. Where Isaiah talks about the wolf dwelling with the lamb. And the lion and the kid together. There are no ferocious beasts there. We don't have to say: Lions and tigers and bears anymore. Well, what does all of this mean? It means that the presence of ferocious beasts would be a sign of God's curse. Leviticus 26 Verse 22. Remember we're saying how do I read prophetic literature. Make sure you locate the theology and the sinaitic covenant, specifically blessings and curses of Leviticus 26, Deuteronomy 28. So one of the curses is wild beasts. One of the blessings would be tame, tranquil and peaceful animals. So we're to read theologically on this highway God will bless the people. There's no ferocious beasts there at all. The redeemed of the Lord will be there. Jesus redeems us, I Peter 1:18 and 19, with his very blood. Verse 10: The ransom of the Lord will return, Isaiah says. And of course. We're in Isaiah. Where else would you go? You go to Zion. Zion is where God dwells. I haven't referred to this verse yet in our discussion. But let me just make it clear. In Chapter 8 Verse 18, at the end of that verse in Isaiah, it says: General Yahweh dwells there on Mt. Zion. Mt. Zion is where God is. So of course Isaiah says that they will enter Zion with singing. Everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them. And sorrow and sighing will flee away. Unlike the highway that Isaiah mentions in Chapter 40 Verse 3 upon which the Lord travels leading the way for the redeemed, upon this highway people will travel. Upon it they will be able to return, see, from exile. And once again dwell in Jerusalem. This verse is actually quoted in Isaiah 51 Verse 11. So there you have it. You have a beautiful chapter of renewed creation. Of a new exodus, if you will, for the people coming back from Babylon as we move into Chapters 40 through 55 in Isaiah. And traveling on the way that God provides, the way of the highway. The way of Zion. The way of Jesus, who is the way and the truth and the life. We have this same idea mentioned, as we've already said, in Chapter 43:16 and following in Isaiah concerning a way home, a new exodus. Leaving Babylon and going to Jerusalem and Mt. Zion.