Isaiah 35:1-10 The Wonders of Jesus Coming for His People

Isaiah 35:1-10 The Wonders of Jesus’ Coming for His People

Advent 2018

 

All of the glorious goodness of Isaiah 35 is a gift of the cross.

 

Jesus coming, dying, rising and ascending have purchased countless wonders for his people.

 

Every good thing, and every terrible thing God turns for our good was purchased for us in Jesus.

 

Jesus came, among countless other glories, to make Isaiah 35 a reality.

 

Isaiah 35 stands in stark contrast with Isaiah 34.

 

Isaiah 34 is God’s judgment on the nations (governments and individuals that make up those nations) that have warred against the people of God.

 

Edom is mentioned by name because they stood against Israel when they came out of Egypt by not letting them pass through although they are kinfolk. Edom stands opposed to God’s purposes.

 

Nationally, Edom stands for nations and people that stand against God and his people. Those are the ones who refuse to hear and obey him.

 

Chapter 34 shows us what becomes of every nation and every person who is in cahoots with the

dark kingdom.

 

Chapter 34 becomes a framework for the New Testament’s teaching on hell.

 

Parts of Revelation 6, 14, 18, 19 are taken from Isaiah 34.

 

God will deal out what is coming on those who have refused to follow him and have brutalized his people.

 

Chapter 35 shows us what becomes of folks who lean into Jesus.

 

Chapter 35 is what Jesus inaugurates at his Christmas coming.

 

Chapter 35 shows a glimpse into what the Kingdom of God looks like.

 

Jesus’ mission purchases all the good of Isaiah 35 for us now and its rising dominance forever.

 

C.S. Lewis captures the realization of this Isaiah 35 kingdom of Jesus nicely in “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” when Narnia begins to thaw upon Aslan’s entrance into Narnia.

 

Jesus came and broke the curse, secured its surety in his death, resurrection, and ascension.

 

We are now realizing the gradual destruction of the dark kingdom and the rise of the Kingdom of light.

We are in the thawing of the world where it was always winter and never Christmas

 

Observations

 

1. Hope, restoration and joy are found in God and his rule not the world system. 35:1-10

• This is seen in the contrast of chapters 34 and 35.

 

2. God brings life from death for created order, and created order responds rightly to God. 35:1-2

 

God commands his earth and created order to give life to his people who he will bring to himself in Ezekiel 36.

 

Romans 8:19 (ESV) For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

 

Isaiah 55:12-13 (ESV) For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress; instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; and it shall make a name for the Lord, an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

 

2A. God renews his people’s lives from a lifeless desert to a place of life and growth…from something not displaying glory to something glorious.

 

3. God’s people encourage one another to pursue God and hope in his rule (kingdom). 35:3-4

Strengthen – Restore to strength

Firm – Secure, make firm, assure

Anxious – Concerned to make something happen, worry, nervousness

Be strong – To become strong…action of gaining strength

 

4. God’s people will sing for joy because God puts in order what the curse has caused to be out of order. 35:5-7

 

5. God makes his glorious way obvious, and his way is good, and he will give gladness and joy. 35:8-10

“Gladness and joy will overtake them…” NIV

 

Applications

 

1. Fix your eyes firmly on Jesus. Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

 

2. Work for the redemption of created order in Jesus’ name through engaging your domain (vocation). Bring order where there is chaos.

 

2A. Receive the life Jesus gives in his kingdom.

 

3. Be a source of encouragement to each other.

 

4. Part of kingdom renewal is enjoyment of God’s power as he does signs and wonders. It’s ok to believe, see God do supernatural things and be excited about it.

 

Key? Faith.

 

In Mark 6:1-6 Jesus, because of a lack of trust in him, was limited in what he did in power.

 

If we do Matthew 6:33, Jesus promises to do all necessary to give us all that is needed by his power not our effort.

 

5. God has made his way clear, and his way is Jesus.

How do we see Jesus’ way?

• God’s word. It’s in the Manual.
• Local church covenant
• Acting on what we know and trusting the Lord to show us what we don’t as we walk in faith.

 

6. Live in a sober hope and supernatural joy.

I felt I had to state this application this way because some of us are either passing through or coming out of dark and hard seasons of life and perhaps read passages like this and wonder if any of that is ever going to be a reality for us.

 

Sober, not fanciful hope. John 16:33 (ESV) “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

 

Supernatural joy, not contrived silliness. Faithfully seeking God, not abandoning hope. Anticipating gladness and joy overtaking us in God’s gracious pursuit.

 

• How? Take time to marvel at the glories of What God has done for us in Christ.