Restoration

Isaiah 35: 1-10 (December 12, 2010)

1) The Text

35The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus 2it 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. 3Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.”

5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 9No 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. 10And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

2) The Context

In its canonical context, Isaiah 35 serves as a thematic bridge between Chapters 1–39 and 40–55. Chapter 35 follows a series of judgments on the nations, especially Edom in Chapter 34; and, hence, the redemptive effects of the LORD's "recompense" in Isaiah 35 provide a contrast with the devastating result of God's judgment on the nations. The themes of a highway in the wilderness and the return of God's people point forward to the opening vision of Deutero Isaiah in Chapter 40. Thus, Isaiah 35 both brings Isaiah 1–39 to a thematic conclusion and serves as an introduction to the oracles of hope that begin in Isaiah 40.

In the chapters immediately prior to Isaiah 35, Isa 30-31 pick up on a theme which was present in the earlier chapters, that is, the call for Israel to trust God and not to make alliances with foreign nations. Promises based on a king who will be righteous and warnings against those who would be complacent are next in Isa 32. This chapter is almost like a summary of Isa 1-39. The issues of righteousness and justice dominate the verses and the consequence is this idyllic picture of harmony and peace within communities, and the natural world (32:16-20). Isa 33 contains many forms which are present in worship liturgies: prayer (vv.1-6), lament (vv.7-9), divine oracle (vv.10-16), and promise of salvation (vv.17-24). Isa 34-35 completes the first section of the Book of Isaiah with prophecies concerning Edom and Zion. The nations will be judged and punished because of the way they have treated Zion. It is interesting to note the particular focus on Edom and wonder why Edom is not mentioned in the oracles against the nations in Isa 13-23, but is singled out here for a very severe punishment. Juxtaposed with this oracle of disaster for Edom (Isa 34) is the oracle of salvation for Zion (Isa 35) and naturally leads into the oracles of salvation found in Isa 40-55. However, Isa 36-39 form an historical bridge between Isa 35 and Isa 40, and appears to have been taken from 2 Kgs 18:13-20:19. Isa 34-35 is framed by 28-33 and 36-39: the former chapters centered on Jerusalem and its problems with Assyria, and the latter chapters finishing with the prophecy that Judah will be carried into exile by Babylon.

3) Interpretation

In resounding poetic vision, Isaiah 34-35 express the two paths humanity may tread in their relationship with God. Chapter 34 documents the profound destruction of Edom because of its collaboration with Babylon in the devastation of Judah leading up to the exile. The destruction is utterly comprehensive and final. God has spoken; there will be no resurrection for Edom.

Isaiah 35 represents the other side of the coin. Again it describes the intervention of God, but this time as restorer and deliverer. Verses 1-2 use mythic language to describe God’s action. They tell of the restoration of the very land through which the exiles will return to Zion. The fertility and beauty of the land itself are restored. The joy is expressed in the blooming of tree and flower where there had been dry and lifeless desert. The wilderness itself sings and rejoices as its fruitfulness returns. This is God’s doing as God prepares the appropriate ‘holy way’ along which the faithful people will return.

But in verse 3 the mood changes. Before they can make the return journey, the prophet must convince the fearful and weakened remnant of Judah that God will lead them back to Zion. There is reassurance that God ‘will come and save you’ (v. 4). After this time, the people will celebrate. Verses 5-6a detail the classic signs of restoration. The blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the lame will be made strong. They will witness the rebirth of the parched and exhausted land (v. 7).

The ‘holy way’ of v. 8 leads to the holy place, to Zion. Only the righteous can travel on it, the ‘unclean’ (or unrighteous) being disqualified. No one who sets out on the road will get lost, and the travellers will be protected from danger. God has redeemed the righteous exiles from their misery and captivity, and they will return to Zion, singing songs of joy. Matthew 11:2-5 makes a very strong link with these verses from Isaiah. The gospel writer explicitly associates the same signs of redemption with the coming of Jesus as Messiah: ‘the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.’ (v. 5) John the Baptist asks if Jesus is the ‘one who is to come’ (v. 3). In reply, Matthew’s Jesus does not answer the question specifically; he merely points to the restoration of the people in the Isaian manner (vv. 4-5).

The connection between the Matthew passage and Isaiah 35 reminds us once again that the hope we have in Jesus, which is embodied in our Advent hope, is one that looks not just for someone to ease our individual troubles. What is envisaged is nothing less than the transformation of society and nature itself. Such transformation will ultimately depend on the Lord who restores. In the meantime, through our own participation in activities to ‘help the blind to see and the lame to walk’, we can and do embody that Advent hope in our daily lives. Advent is more than a time of tinsel and planning presents. It is a time which embodies that calling to hope expressed in our daily lives – a hope for each of us, for all of us together and for creation as a whole.

4) Thought Exercise

What signs of restoration are there during this Advent season?

What do you look to restore in the new year?