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ISAIAH 35: EXPOSITION and BIBLICA
byDr. Robert Asher
1
Introduction
Students often ignore Isaiah 35, but
understanding pre-millennial theology. Tbetween the Tribulation Period and the Mil
speaks vividly of the conditions that will existh Mill i Th t t l th t G d
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and
overturning the spiritual judgment. It alsohealing, because the curse has been partial
evident from New Testament verses in which with physical healing but also spiritual healin
out to Christ showed their faith in the Messthem physically. This signaled what would ta
accepted the Kingdom offer during the ministr
The renewal of the water in the desert isill thi l th d t t bl
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4 CTS Journal 8 (April–June 2002)
to Adam and Eve. Emphatic language inoverabundantly coming to life from a state o
language personifies nature’s restoration fromfull blessing of God. This chapter contrasts
grave judgment upon Edom in Isaiah 34.
The first verse depicts the happiness renewal. The wilderness and the desert wi
Arabah will rejoice and blossom (Isaiah 35:1)
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and
wilderness and desert, where little life thrivsustains limitless life and bears fruit abundantl
Isaiah 35:1b–2a uses emphatic language
happiness of nature because of the new statherself: Like the crocus, It will blossom profu
rejoicing and shout of joy.
These lines emphasize both the tremenA b h ill i d th fi ti j
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6 CTS Journal 8 (April–June 2002)
transformation of the Arabah from near stbeauty.
The desert will not only experience a ren
in history but also the direct presence of Goglory of the LORD, The majesty of our God
plural personal pronoun they is problematic idiffer widely concerning its relation to Israel.
1 Th ild d t d A b h t
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
Nature will see the glory of the Lord, the
just as when the pre-incarnate Christ walked inin His glory and majesty (Genesis 3:8) Natu
Him in His fullness and will again see Him w
The occasion of Genesis 3:8 was just before G
the time when death came upon mankind. Isaiafter the partial removal of the curse from
brought the curse of judgment, removal presence and death Isaiah 35 brings bless
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8 CTS Journal 8 (April–June 2002)
(with).”22
Creation longs to be free fromoppression (Romans 8:21). The curse pre
producing overabundantly as in the Garden of
Yet, the time is coming when all things a(Colossians 1:20). Then even the wilderne
Arabah, will produce lavishly just as before tnature will experience awesome joy, gladnes
rather than the groaning and sighing under tN t ill i d b
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and
Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen t
with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear n
will come with vengeance; The recompense He will save you” (Isaiah 35:3–4).
These verses give three commands to a cencourage, strengthen, and admonish a secon
the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble (Isaiand strengthen use a verb stem that mean
strengthen, encourage, support, and assist.”2
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10 CTS Journal 8 (April–June 2002)
them from peril. The first group admonishesgive them reason for hope.
Isaiah specifies the method for encoura
encouragement has definitive hope behind itknow that He is coming, and indeed, He is h
will come with vengeance; The recompense of Gwill save you (Isaiah 35:4b).
This half of the verse is problematic
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
enemies. The recompense of God will giveexactly what they deserve.
God will recompense His enemies for the
or will do to His people. Yet, He will also efpeople Israel. The word save is a hiphil jussiv
to save His people even though they do not Historically, He saved His people from the p
the future, He will save them from the power l i d j t A S i H h h
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12 CTS Journal 8 (April–June 2002)
time.29
It points to an event immediately folloHere (as well as in Isaiah 60:5 and Micah 3:4)
time with emphasis on the following event. Tof as having taken place before the complet
action.”31
In other words, eyes being opened hsaved .
Physical or Spiritual Healing?
T ibl i t t ti f fi
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
deliver them from their enemies who are athem.
Verse five speaks of the opening of the
the ears of the deaf. Verse six speaks (in partfollowed by a shout of joy (same word, differ
verse two). Unlike nature, a right relationshIsrael requires spiritual as well as physical ren
to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nationM ki d f i d h l i
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blindness. Isaiah 29:9 speaks of willfully refuconsequence, becoming blind and unable to
also discusses willful sin, divine judgment, anIsaiah 29:18, the people who are now blind an
with open ears and seeing eyes. Isaiah 32:3–messianic day when the future spiritual
accomplished.
Isaiah 42:7 also speaks of spiritual blinbli d I i h 56 10 d 59 10 l
h 3 d
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
physically blind, not spiritually blind. Their sMessiah led to receiving physical vision. The
their spiritual vision exceeded that of the Pindeed spiritually blind (Matthew 15:14; 23
prefigured Israel in recognizing and accepIsrael and were healed physically. They were
spiritual eyes led to healing of their physicrecognized her Messiah at this time and had
and His offer of the Kingdom, spiritual anld h h d th Si th t did t
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The spiritual or physical disqualifications Mosaic Law will no longer apply.
Results of Nature’s Renew
Verse 6b speaks about waters flowing
and Arabah. This will sustain the fruitfulnesthe Millennium. One of the most severe proble
today is the lack of fresh water. There will beF ill b k f h i h ild
I i h 35 E i i d B
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
The word pool (A&g^m ) is an Akka
agammu meaning “swamp, pool.”38
It may“troubled pool” or “reed pool.”
39The desert w
bountiful water. Isaiah 41:18 gives God’s diMillennium: I will make the wilderness a pool
land fountains of water (Isaiah 41:18).Today Israel draws water from tw
aquifers—one under the central north-south
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their limits. As much as 8 percent of food
that use groundwater faster than the aquife
many large rivers are so heavily diverted thsea for much of the year. As the number of
to five billion by 2025, farmers will have
aggressively with cities and industry for shri
The expanding population in the MilGod’s grace and sovereignty preplanned
thousands of years before the Second Comin
I i h 35 E iti d B
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
During the Tribulation Period, Israelwilderness (Revelation 12:6) where she will u
by the Messiah (Ezekiel 20:33–38) and spirit(Isaiah 35:5, 6). We do not know with certa
flee, but it is a “picture of desolation.”41
Fruthe probable location to be in Mt. Seir (Matthe
12:6, 14; Isaiah 33:13–16; Micah 2:12).42
Hias it is strongly defendable.
Th ti ill th d i ti
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gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing
35:8–10).
The word highway comes from the verb up, lift up, exalt.”
44The word highway (
road,”45
is possibly from the Akkadian word
The Akkadian word designates “the processioin Babylon.”
46The idea is a road that
surrounding terrain, similar perhaps to the frei i t t th l d ill b l k f t
I i h 35 E iti d B
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
Lord Jesus, the Righteous One, shall sit uponMessiah in Ezekiel’s Temple.”
47In the A
personal Presence of God, i.e., Christ, will pIsrael along the Highway of Holiness throu
land.
The apostates of Israel, who are uncleansince the Ezekiel 20 judgment already purged
not walk on it. Only those redeemed by the Lhi h (35 9 10) N ith t t
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“ransom, rescue, deliver.”50
It appears in all
except Aramaic. It has the basic meaning
ownership to another through payment of a prsubstitute. This word is parallel to G+AWl?m in
are redeemed/ransomed will return to Zion. Th
often refers to returning to the land. They wi
with joyful shouting. The joy is again due to Gin verses 2 and 6. They will find everlasting j
whole disposition, as this word is associa
(Exodus 4:14; Psalms 19:8; 104:15; 105:3
Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
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Effect and Removal of the C
Effects of the Curse Removal oOn Race Sense of guilt (Genesis 3:7)
Loss of fellowship with God
(Genesis 3:8 )
Removed for b
Gladness and j
• Everlast
• New Co
31:31–3
• Earth fu
(Isaiah
Not removed f
On Serpent Condemned to crawl
(Genesis 3:14)
Not removed,
Millennium (I
Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
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Isaiah 35: Exposition and B
Bob Asher received the B.S., M.S., and
Engineering from Oklahoma State University
then studied at Dallas Theological Seminary bMaster’s in Old Testament and Semitic L
Southwest University, Southwest Institute
Biblical History, Albuquerque, NM where
candidate and taught Old Testament and Semwent home to be with the Lord while this arti
process.