#997 Isaiah 35 Crocus

 

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;

the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;

2 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.

3 Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

4 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.”

5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

6 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;

7 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.

8 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.

9 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.

10 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. Isaiah 35 ESV

Isaiah 35 The ransomed return

…19The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. 20For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.…

…22We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. 23Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see?… Romans 8: 19-24

1-2. The wilderness and dry land shall be glad - After the judgment of the previous chapter, we see the restoration of all things. 

Like the crocus - Different flowers have been called this, including the saffron, but I think the picture here is of the first signs of hope. It is like the first flower of spring pushing through the snow, or as here, the first signs of life coming up from what was dry, desert and lifeless land. 

They shall see the glory of the Lord - Lebanon, Carmel and Sharon will be fruitful again, but shall also perceive in truth that this is from the Lord. They will see all things and Him through Whom all things were created. 

3-4. Strengthen the weak hands - Why are you still drinking milk? 

Are there such here tonight? No doubt there are — weak at work, and weak at praying. The two things go together — weak hands and feeble knees. May they both be strengthened. - Spurgeon

…11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. 13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.… Hebrews 12: 11-13

He will come and save you - Be anxious for nothing. Know that all things will come at their appointed time. 

…6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.… Philippians 4: 6-8

5-7. Blind, deaf and lame - The spiritual ramifications of this are much weightier; it is a horrible thing to be blind to truth, to not hear it or recognize it when it comes. Christ will come and show His power over all these things by performing the physical miracles associated with these prophecies. The outward manifestations of sin, the physical ailments of it, ie blindness, lameness, deafness, the Messiah demonstrates in His power to remove these, that He can also cut out the root of sin, set us free. They bare testimony to Who He is.

…4Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The 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. 6Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of Me.”… Matthew 11: 4-6

21In His name the nations will put their hope.” 22Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed the man so that he could speak and see. 23The crowds were astounded and asked, “Could this be the Son of David?”… Matthew 12: 21-23

…20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask, ‘Are You the One who was to come, or should we look for someone else?’ ” 21At that very hour Jesus healed many people of their diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits, and He gave sight to many who were blind. 22So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: 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.… Luke 7: 20-22

The burning sand shall become a pool - Some translate this as parched land, but the meaning is deeper still. We see things dimly now, as afar off, or as reflections on polished metal, but we shall see Him as He is, at some time not so far off, face to face.

“The word translated parched ground actually means mirage, air reflection, an atmospheric phenomenon frequently seen in Eastern deserts which is caused by the reflection of the hot rays of the sun… Now the prophet brings the glad tiding that what used to be a mere semblance and an illusion will one day become a glorious reality.” (Bultema)

In the haunt of jackals - Places where only the most capable scavengers of the rocks, the best thieves among animals could ink out an existence. These deprived places, poor of nutrients and water, like the stone hearts of fallen, unregenerate man, God will cause water to spring up from these rocks, and the desert will flourish as Eden.

8-10. Way of Holiness - Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me." 

Even if they are fools, they shall not go astray - What a remarkable statement, and as a fool myself, it is an easement to my greatest concern. How will I not falter, what will keep me from error?

…7Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. 8For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.… Psalm 116: 7-9

…12Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render thank offerings to You. 13For You have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56: 12-13

…29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. 31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?… Romans 8: 29-31

…10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.… 1 Corinthians 6: 10-12

No lion shall be there - Fear is removed, predation is gone. The devil is locked up for a thousand years.

…7Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.… 1 Peter 5: 7-9

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return - He has purchased them with His blood, the Guiltless for the guilty, and those freed from every bondage of sin shall have a new song in their heart. 

…18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.… 1 Peter 1: 18-20

…19must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf. 20You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.21When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable.… Leviticus 22: 19-21

…13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God! 15Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.… Hebrews 9: 13-15