Page 72 - Isaiah Student Worktext
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V. 16-17 Study the word of God to find further evidence of the truth that is spoken here. Matthew 24:
29-31; Revelation 6: 12-17, Revelation 17: 13-14; Revelation 19: 11-21.
Everyone must be warned to flee the wrath to come by trusting in Christ. Although that was not an
option for the people of Isaiah’s time, obedience and trust in God was an option. Just as the Pharisees
of Jesus’ time saw the many wonders and miracles and overlooked them due to their hatred of Jesus,
nations around Israel saw the wonders and miracles of God and overlooked them.
Chapter 35 - Main Idea: God restores the cursed universe and suffering
humanity to the original purposes by the redemption plan achieved in
Christ.
Just as Chapter 34 gave us a picture of hell, Chapter 35 gives us a picture of
heaven.
We live in a world that is constantly groaning under the weight of human sin. Romans 8: 19-23 When
Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God cursed the garden and by extension, the world.
Have we ever considered how much beauty God allowed to remain in the cursed world? How much
more beautiful heaven must be!
God gave the children of Israel the Promised Land, which was described as a land flowing with ‘milk and
honey’. But their entrance into the Promised Land was accompanied by a warning: keep His covenant
or He would curse this land as well.
V. 1-2 These verses show God’s plan to restore the ‘desert’ to the grand glory that it was originally
intended to have. Stripped of its glory because of sin, it will be restored, all to the glory of God.
V. 3-4 What an encouragement this is. Weak hands, feeble knees will be strengthened. The infirmities
of aging and disease will no longer be a part of any of our lives when God restores His kingdom. ‘Behold
your God WILL come’ and He will save you. This is a glorious promise to all believers. Of course, this
goes beyond any contemporary fulfillment and speaks of the coming of the Messiah.
Just as there is no way to determine a date for the end times, there was no way for people of Isaiah’s
time to know when the Messiah would come. In fact, so very much of the Book of Isaiah points to signs
of His coming. Signs that tell you how far it is to the next city don’t mean that you are already there.
We watch for more signs, more indications that we are getting closer.
This strengthening and firming and saving will take place on the other side of heaven.
V. 5-7 In heaven, there no one will be blind, deaf or lame, there will be no inability to speak. Parched
ground will not exist, and the jackals ‘habitation’ will not exist because, unlike the last chapter, there will
be no uncleanness in heaven.
V. 8-10 The ‘Highway of Holiness is a road that the unclean may not travel. Only those who have been
cleansed of all sin, and we know that can come only through Jesus.
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