Isa 35:5-6 | KingComments | STEP | The extermination of the anti-Christian powers by Christ at His second coming, described in the previous chapter, will be followed by what is described in this chapter: the realm of peace. After the storms of judgment now follows the invigorating calmness of blessing, yes, its full joy ( ). Isaiah’s heart will have been beating faster as in spirit he looks ahead and describes this time. The New Testament calls it the time when creation will be freed from its slavery to corruption ( ). Unlike the desolation of Edom, the land of Israel will blossom like a crocus ( ). As desolate and empty as Edom shall be, so glorious is what the LORD brings about in the land of promise. As the land of Edom becomes a desert, the desert of Israel turns into a blossoming garden. The glory of the LORD and the majesty of God will be revealed in the fertility of the land as a result of the ruling righteousness ( ). Slack hands will be strengthened, buckling knees will become firm ( ). The writer of the letter to the Hebrews encourages the Hebrews with this verse, and also us, when things sometimes seem to get too much for us, when we are in danger of losing courage and giving up hope that the Lord and His kingdom will come ( ). If in faith we turn our gaze again to what has been promised to us, our limp hands will start again to work for the Lord and our knees will become firm again, determined to go the way of following the Lord Jesus. Fear will be banished ( ). The vengeance of their God over their enemies will be followed by final salvation. “Behold, your God” applies to the Messiah. The Messiah Who comes is God ( ). He will both judge the enemies and bless the remnant. The blind and deaf will be healed ( ). The lame will leap and the mute will sing ( ). Although they will not have glorified bodies, they will have recovered, healthy bodies, for sickness must give way in the realm of peace. That does not only concern physical healing. Also spiritually, Israel, the blind and deaf servant of the LORD ( ), will be healed by the Messiah, Who is the perfect Servant of the LORD ( ). At His first coming, during His life on earth, the Lord Jesus shows the foreshadowing of this, when He opens the eyes of the blind and makes the deaf hear. These wonders are proof that He is the promised Messiah ( ). He is the Messiah, even though He does not yet assume world domination because the people reject Him. The wonders He does are “the powers of the age to come” ( ), that is the millennial realm of peace, in which those powers belong. The wonders that the Lord does refer to that. They are a foretaste of that time. That is what Isaiah describes here. He uses the word “then”, which refers to that time. These wonders are not characteristic for the church. The terrible situations of sorrow in the great tribulation will give way to the glory of God in the happiness of His redeemed. The wilderness, the scorched land, the thirsty ground, it will all and entirely become fruitful ( ). Nature will reap the benefits of the disappearance of the spiritual and human hostile powers and of the presence of the glory of the LORD and His earthly and heavenly people.

‏ Isaiah 35:5-6

Israel Will Blossoms

The extermination of the anti-Christian powers by Christ at His second coming, described in the previous chapter, will be followed by what is described in this chapter: the realm of peace. After the storms of judgment now follows the invigorating calmness of blessing, yes, its full joy (Isa 35:10). Isaiah’s heart will have been beating faster as in spirit he looks ahead and describes this time. The New Testament calls it the time when creation will be freed from its slavery to corruption (Rom 8:21).

Unlike the desolation of Edom, the land of Israel will blossom like a crocus (Isa 35:1). As desolate and empty as Edom shall be, so glorious is what the LORD brings about in the land of promise. As the land of Edom becomes a desert, the desert of Israel turns into a blossoming garden. The glory of the LORD and the majesty of God will be revealed in the fertility of the land as a result of the ruling righteousness (Isa 35:2).

Slack hands will be strengthened, buckling knees will become firm (Isa 35:3). The writer of the letter to the Hebrews encourages the Hebrews with this verse, and also us, when things sometimes seem to get too much for us, when we are in danger of losing courage and giving up hope that the Lord and His kingdom will come (Heb 12:12). If in faith we turn our gaze again to what has been promised to us, our limp hands will start again to work for the Lord and our knees will become firm again, determined to go the way of following the Lord Jesus.

Fear will be banished (Isa 35:4). The vengeance of their God over their enemies will be followed by final salvation. “Behold, your God” applies to the Messiah. The Messiah Who comes is God (Isa 40:9). He will both judge the enemies and bless the remnant. The blind and deaf will be healed (Isa 35:5). The lame will leap and the mute will sing (Isa 35:6).

Although they will not have glorified bodies, they will have recovered, healthy bodies, for sickness must give way in the realm of peace. That does not only concern physical healing. Also spiritually, Israel, the blind and deaf servant of the LORD (Isa 42:19), will be healed by the Messiah, Who is the perfect Servant of the LORD (Mt 12:17-21).

At His first coming, during His life on earth, the Lord Jesus shows the foreshadowing of this, when He opens the eyes of the blind and makes the deaf hear. These wonders are proof that He is the promised Messiah (Mt 11:4-6). He is the Messiah, even though He does not yet assume world domination because the people reject Him. The wonders He does are “the powers of the age to come” (Heb 6:5), that is the millennial realm of peace, in which those powers belong. The wonders that the Lord does refer to that. They are a foretaste of that time. That is what Isaiah describes here. He uses the word “then”, which refers to that time. These wonders are not characteristic for the church.

The terrible situations of sorrow in the great tribulation will give way to the glory of God in the happiness of His redeemed. The wilderness, the scorched land, the thirsty ground, it will all and entirely become fruitful (Isa 35:7). Nature will reap the benefits of the disappearance of the spiritual and human hostile powers and of the presence of the glory of the LORD and His earthly and heavenly people.