Isaiah 35 is a striking and wonderful contrast to the judgment of Isaiah 34. Where chapter 34 describes desolation, death, and the judgment of rebellious nations, chapter 35 reveals restoration, healing, and the joy of redemption. Together they are a prophetic pairing: judgment on the wicked and salvation for the remnant. Isaiah 35 is not just a great hope, it is a prophetic view into the Kingdom of Messiah, fulfilled in part at His first coming and ultimately in His return.
V 1-2 “The wilderness and the desert will be glad… the Arabah will rejoice and blossom like the crocus.” Isaiah begins with creation rejoicing. The desert, a symbol of curse, barrenness, and judgment, becomes fertile and alive. The Arabah refers to the dry Jordan Rift Valley south of the Dead Sea, one of the most barren places in Israel. While Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon were areas near the sea noted for their agricultural fertility. The imagery of blossoming like a crocus suggests sudden, vibrant life. This is a reversal of the curse on the earth following the fall. What was desolate becomes fruitful.
The Kingdom of Messiah restores not only people, but creation itself (Romans 8:19–22). For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
This anticipates the Millennial Kingdom where the land of Israel flourishes under Messiah’s reign. God specializes in bringing life out of barrenness—both spiritually and physically.
V 3-4 “Encourage the exhausted… say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not.’” Isaiah turns from creation to people especially the who are weak, fearful, and discouraged. The command speaks to God’s people who are called to strengthen one another. This is why fellowship and being a part of a congregation is so important. The reason for courage: “Your God will come… with recompense… He will save you.” Hope is grounded not in circumstances, but in the coming of God Himself to render judgment. The coming of God points directly to Messiah. God visiting His people in Yeshua. He brings both judgment (vengeance) and salvation, the two sides of God’s great involvement. Encouragement is an important ministry. We are called to speak hope rooted in God’s promises found in His word and revealed throughout history.
V 35:5–6 “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened… the lame will leap like a deer.” This is one of the clearest signs of the credentials of the Messiah and His Kingdom in Isaiah. Four conditions are reversed: The Blind see, the deaf hear, the lame leap and the mute shout/speak. These exact signs were performed by Yeshua in Matthew 11:4–5 where Yeshua points to these miracles as evidence that He is Israel’s promised Messiah. Luke 7:22 which points back to this chapter. These miracles are not merely acts of compassion but signs of the coming King and His Kingdom. They demonstrate that the curse is being reversed and authenticate the identity of the Messiah. Where Messiah reigns, restoration begins, physically, spiritually, and ultimately eternally.
V 35:6–7 “Waters will break forth in the wilderness… the scorched land will become a pool.” Once again Isaiah speaks of a renewed earth with the images of water as a picture of life. The dry ground becomes springs and pools. Even the dwellings of jackals (unclean, desolate places) becomes fertile. Water in Scripture symbolizes, life, cleansing and The Spirit of God. John 7:37–38 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “ If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” Yeshua was speaking of spiritual renewal now and physical renewal in the coming Kingdom.
V 8-9 One of my favorite verses in Isaiah speaks of “The Highway of Holiness” Isaiah 35:8–9 A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way, And fools will not wander on it. This speaks of ease in the journey, direction, and purpose. It’s the way of remnant not those who reject the Lord and His ways. No danger will be there, no lions or other threats. Other Scriptures in Isaiah that express this essential truth:
11:16: And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant of His people who will be left, Just as there was for Israel In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.
19:23: In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.”
40:3: A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. 4 “Let every valley be lifted up, And every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; 5 Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
62:10-12 Go through, go through the gates, Clear the way for the people; Build up, build up the highway, Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples. Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth, Say to the daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.” And they will call them, “The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord”;And you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.”
The Highway speaks of salvation and sanctification in that it is holy (set apart), secure (free from threat) and exclusive (not for the unclean). Yeshua is both the path and the means of holiness. This highway is not man-made it is provided, by our Messiah and abiding in Him.
V 10 “The ransomed of the Lord will return… with joyful shouting… everlasting joy will be upon their heads.” The chapter ends in worship and joy. “Ransomed” implies a price paid, kinsman redemption. They return to Zion, the place of God’s presence. The joy is described as everlasting, overwhelming and replacing sorrow and sighing. This is the final state of God’s people are restored and rejoicing. This anticipates the regathering of Israel and the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21).
This chapter encourages us that God will reverse what sin Has ruined whether in creation or in our life, God’s redemptive power restores what seems beyond hope. It also reminds us that we are called to strengthen the weak with the promise: “Your God will come.” The miracles of Yeshua are not just history; they are proof that the Kingdom has come and is coming. That salvation is not just a rescue from hell and reconciliation with God, but that we are called to a walk in holiness on a path marked out by Him. Eph. 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Sorrow is temporary. Joy is eternal for the redeemed.
