Desert Rebirth: After the days of vengeance, the glorious restoration of the planet will begin.
In the desert, we will see a dramatic resurgence of life. In chapter thirty-four we read about the unthinkable devastation that will take place around the world. The war against God will reach a stunning climax. The survival of life itself will hang in the balance. But in this chapter, Isaiah addresses the aftermath of one of the final stages in the war against God.
Here, we have another one of the beautiful chapters in Isaiah’s prophecy. We need good news because there is so much bad news. This portion of the visions of the prophet helps us to see the great ending to the story. In the desert, water is scarce so animal and plant life must fight hard to survive. During the time of restoration, the deserts around the world will begin to flourish. The topography and climate will change for the better. God will replenish the barren land. Water will flow freely where it once was scarce.
Streams through the Desert
Streams of life-restoring water will flow through the deserts. (Though it does appear that the land of Edom will remain under the curse for some time.)
Those streams in the desert will hasten the restoration of the deadlands. As we have seen in many of the previous chapters, the prophet foresaw the earth undergoing massive changes. Most of those changes will be progressively worse until we hit the mighty crescendo. Yes, I am being a little dramatic, but that’s because it will be drama like we have never seen before. It will be Satan’s last stand. The bad guy will try to take everyone down with him because he will know his time is finished.
The time before deserts
Do you remember what it was like before the destruction, before the thousands of years in which humanity lived under the curse? Does anyone? Of course not, it was too long ago.
We have a brief glimpse of that glorious time in the Bible. Adam and Eve lived in the midst of perfection. There were two perfect people, untainted by sin. But it was very long ago. LIfe on earth was very different then. Water flowed abundantly over the earth. It’s my guess that there weren’t any deserts. Before man’s heart turned dark, before the curse, beautiful gardens were the norm, not barren deserts.
After the days of God’s vengeance upon the rebellious Satan and his followers, the time of the glorious rebuilding will begin.
In the previous chapter, we saw the writer’s graphic descriptions of the utter destruction caused during the days of God’s vengeance. In what follows we see that things get remarkably better.
Isaiah 35:1 We will see the desert dry-lands restored
“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus.”
Every year, the world experiences a restoration of life. In early springtime, the lands begin to warm, breaking off the frozen chill of winter. The seasons change at different times in the Northern Hemisphere than they do in the Southern Hemisphere. But still, we are all familiar with the changes that take place in spring. The regrowth or new life of the land begins in spring after a long winter. Isaiah describes in this chapter the long springtime that will ensue after Satan’s rebellion is broken.
Psalm 96:12
Let the fields exult, and all that is in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Isaiah 35:2 If desert dunes could sing they will.
“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.”
Lebanon was renowned for its beautiful mountains and thick forests. Carmel is a mountaintop with views of the Mediterranean Sea and many beautiful valleys in the surrounding regions. The glory of those lands will be fully restored to the lush landscape that the Lord had intended. Today, especially in Lebanon, the once beautiful regions are darkened by the threat of war. A final series of wars are coming. But the restoration will erase the dark memories.
Isaiah 25:9
And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
Isaiah 35:3 Strength for the weak and feeble
“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”
Darwin’s theory of evolution describes a world in chaos in which only the strong survive. It’s a dog-eat-dog world. If you are weak and feeble, you will lose. In God’s kingdom, the weak survive. The strong oppressors will suffer retribution for how they treated the weak.
Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
Isaiah 35:4 God will comfort the anxious heart
“Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”
Anxiety levels in our modern societies are very high. There appears to be no slowing down of the increasing levels of tension and stress. Add to that the political firestorms constantly churning in The United States. People are literally screaming at the skies because they cannot handle the stress. Well, putting political issues aside, these prophecies deal more specifically with spiritual issues. Through the centuries, Satan’s plan has been to get mankind to stray from God’s truth. He hasn’t needed to try very hard to accomplish that. Those who still follow the Lord exist in decreasing numbers and face great persecution in various places around the world. God will take vengeance on the oppressors. In the last days, many will fear for their loved ones. God will answer the prayers of the many anxious hearts who feared the wrath of the oppressors.
1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
Isaiah 35:5 The blind and deaf will be healed
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped”
Jesus healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, and restored hearing to the deaf. What the Lord did nearly two thousand years ago was a small dress rehearsal for the coming restoration of humanity and the earth. This is truly the greatest story ever told. But we have yet to get to the good part. The big ugly is coming, but hang on for the remarkable closing. It’s better than anyone can imagine.
Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
Isaiah 35:6 Streams in the desert will be met with joy
“Then shall the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”
The brokenness of humanity will be healed. We will leap, run, and rejoice with rebuilt bodies and spirits. The darkness of the past millennia will fade quickly when the lame begin to leap on legs and bones that were previously useless.
Matthew 15:30
Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them.
Isaiah 35:7 God will restore the burning desert
“The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.”
Scientists know what the existence of water means. It means life. There is no life without water. They have searched through the hills, valleys, and rocks of the Moon and Mars for traces of water. When they believe they have scant evidence of precious water, tens of millions of dollars are spent on further research. The scientists believe if they find water on distant planets it will prove their theory that life sprung up randomly without the help of God.
Nice idea, but anyway, the Lord will restore the Mars-like landscapes of the earth by pouring water over the thirsty ground.
Psalm 107:35
He turns a desert into pools of water, and dry land into flowing springs.
Isaiah 35:8 The way of Holiness will be there
“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.”
In this verse, we have poetic imagery that has sparked many sermons over the centuries. Numerous times, preachers have asked the question. Do you walk the highway of holiness? That highway isn’t built yet. That’s in the future. The highway of holiness is where only God’s people will be privileged to walk on a rebuilt earth. In the once-barren deserts, an easy way of passage will be found for God’s people. In the eternity-future, there won’t be a lot of time spent strumming harps when there will be so much restored beauty to enjoy.
I’m looking forward to a lot of nice hikes.
Matthew 7:13
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
Isaiah 35:9 The redeemed shall walk on the holy path
“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.”
The redeemed shall walk there. God’s people, those who followed him when it was difficult, will enjoy the fruit of their hard labor. When it’s hard to walk with God, many people turn away. But the reward for staying faithful will far surpass the momentary hardships. The lion or beast that once made life so difficult will never threaten again. For many followers of God, the beasts they feared most were humans.
That fear will leave, never to return.
Isaiah 30:21
And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
Isaiah 35:10 The ransomed of the Lord will return
“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
The redeemed is one of the words I like to refer to as a “big fancy Bible word.” I have spoken in front of and taught a lot of children and youth. And I still do. As Christians, we tend to use the big Bible words too often. The idea of redemption is simple, so we should try to teach it as such. God made us, then He freed us to choose our own destiny. We sold ourselves to the devil’s devices. God bought us back. It was a transaction. That’s the meaning of redemption. God paid a ransom. The cost was high, the blood of Jesus. The Father didn’t hesitate because his love was strong.
New fools are born
We are foolish if we reject that love. We only hurt ourselves. The Lord has done all the work and will finish cleaning up the mess. The end will be much better than the beginning. Who is foolish enough to pass on that? As it happens, there are more fools born every day. That’s not intended as a mockery toward those who reject God.
When these future days unfold, people will agonize over their foolishness when they see the truth. They will gnash their teeth at their own stupidity, and the choices they made with their lives. There has been ample warning for all.
It’s your choice. Don’t give in to the pressure from others. Be brave. Stand apart from the crowd.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.”
Let me know what you think.