Isaiah 35
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Wednesday April 15, 2009
Isaiah 35
Police chase - suspect turns onto a dead end street – no outlet. When you run from Jesus Christ, life eventually comes not just to an end, but to a dead end. I34 ends in a dead end – w/ those under judgment in a cul-de-sac – no outlet - picture of an eternal prison. I34 describes the destiny of the wicked/I35 describes destiny of the righteous – not a dead end, but a living end.
I35 describes conditions in the Millennium. The M is the 1,000 year reign of Christ described in Rev. 20 which follows the 2nd coming of Jesus at the end of the tribulation. Jesus is coming to our neighborhood for a 1,000 years. When you are set to move into a new home what is one of the first things you do? Redecorate. This is what the Lord does – extreme makeover.
In preparation for I35 – Zech. 14:3-11 - changes to topography of Jerusalem; Eze. 47:1-12 - Israel’s eco-systems; Rom. 8:19-22 - freedom of the children of God – all creation set free! Opposite of a dead-end.
1-2 Curse on earth reversed
Wilderness/desert – howling winds, burning heat, freezing cold, scarce water – uninviting/largely uninhabited – a place of danger/ discomfort/death. Once you get east of the Sierras – wide open desert w/ little habitation – harsh conditions. It can’t sustain life.
Three reasons the wilderness is blossoming –
#1 The glory of Lebanon/majesty of Carmel & Sharon given her.
What is the glory of Lebanon given to the desert? The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together…. Is. 60:13
Lumber from Lebanon was considered to be the best. Even as God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve w/ animal skins, even as God has covered us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, so the nakedness of the wilderness will be covered w/ the glory of forests of Lebanon.
Carmel/Sharon were famous for their pasturage – quite a contrast to the barrenness of the desert. Majesty – Hebrew: used to describe the honor youth are to give to the elderly. People will esteem the desert like Carmel/Sharon. People won’t avoid the desert for now it is life giving. Let’s move to Mojave!
There are some people you avoid because they are not life giving (and people that avoid you!). They are like a desert - they take and take – it’s all about them. Paul was a desert until he got saved. Then he was clothed in the righteousness/salvation of Christ and he was transformed. What he could not accomplish on his own was given to him. Even as the glory of Lebanon/majesty of Carmel given to desert, so the glory and majesty of Christ is given to you.
#2 They will see the glory of the Lord 2 Cf. Rom. 8:18-21
#3 Life giving waters flowing from presence of God 6b-7 cf. E47
The desert will blossom in a way it never has before. Crocus is a plant that needs more water than the desert can provide. The fact that it is here indicates that water is being made available to the desert. People will see what they’ve never seen before – beauty in the place of barrenness. “Behold how they love one another.”
Fort Carson – coyote grabbed little girl on bike/really messed up her leg. The rising water brings life and flushes out the jackal/wolf – picture of the flesh – carnivore/omnivore. The rising water of God’s Word in a life will bring life and fruitfulness and flush out the flesh.
God is flowing into your life now. Word/Spirit are both likened to water in the Scriptures. God is watering you as He watered the garden of Eden. Though you are in a desert place, your life can be wonderfully watered by the Word/Spirit. Things never before seen can be seen in you. Saul to Paul. When my mother received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she said: 1st thing is that I loved Aunt ….
3-6a Curse on man reversed
Three ways that sin has affected us -
Exhausted – ‘slack hands’ - hands that can’t bear the sword – can’t defend themselves
Feeble – ‘stumbling knees’ - knees that can no longer bear weight – can’t run away
Anxious – ‘swept away’ - a heart that can’t bear the pressure
- can’t find a refuge
These are those who are losing ground, bring pushed back, carrying more than they can bear, tomorrow holds no hope. God wants to reverse the desert in your soul.
God will come w/:
Vengeance – your enemy will be ruined – beast/armies/Satan
Salvation – you will be rescued – Zech. 12:10
Healing – your condition will be reversed: eye/ear/feet/tongue.
Sin has left us blind/deaf/lame/mute. Jesus: blind saw/deaf heard… We will see/hear and we will respond fully – feet/tongue!
8-10 HIGHWAY OF Holiness
Where does the highway go? To Zion v10. Cf. Is. 2:1-4 In the last days, all will be ascending to Zion.
This is a highway of holiness and not a highway of faith. Don’t forget, this is the M – faith will have become sight. Jesus will be on earth – gloriously, bodily, visibly. The challenge won’t be IS IT TRUE? The challenge will be AM I WILLING? No atheists in the M, only rebels. Today, by faith we come into the presence of the Lord. By holiness we open our lives to more and more of the Lord.
No unclean: careless/Fool: care less/Lion – enemy of God’s people.
Highway is a haven - no lion/fool. Satan bound 1,000 years.
34:17 They shall possess it forever
35:10 Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads
Dead end or living end?
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Isaiah 35
Police chase - suspect turns onto a dead end street – no outlet. When you run from Jesus Christ, life eventually comes not just to an end, but to a dead end. I34 ends in a dead end – w/ those under judgment in a cul-de-sac – no outlet - picture of an eternal prison. I34 describes the destiny of the wicked/I35 describes destiny of the righteous – not a dead end, but a living end.
I35 describes conditions in the Millennium. The M is the 1,000 year reign of Christ described in Rev. 20 which follows the 2nd coming of Jesus at the end of the tribulation. Jesus is coming to our neighborhood for a 1,000 years. When you are set to move into a new home what is one of the first things you do? Redecorate. This is what the Lord does – extreme makeover.
In preparation for I35 – Zech. 14:3-11 - changes to topography of Jerusalem; Eze. 47:1-12 - Israel’s eco-systems; Rom. 8:19-22 - freedom of the children of God – all creation set free! Opposite of a dead-end.
1-2 Curse on earth reversed
Wilderness/desert – howling winds, burning heat, freezing cold, scarce water – uninviting/largely uninhabited – a place of danger/ discomfort/death. Once you get east of the Sierras – wide open desert w/ little habitation – harsh conditions. It can’t sustain life.
Three reasons the wilderness is blossoming –
#1 The glory of Lebanon/majesty of Carmel & Sharon given her.
What is the glory of Lebanon given to the desert? The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together…. Is. 60:13
Lumber from Lebanon was considered to be the best. Even as God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve w/ animal skins, even as God has covered us in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, so the nakedness of the wilderness will be covered w/ the glory of forests of Lebanon.
Carmel/Sharon were famous for their pasturage – quite a contrast to the barrenness of the desert. Majesty – Hebrew: used to describe the honor youth are to give to the elderly. People will esteem the desert like Carmel/Sharon. People won’t avoid the desert for now it is life giving. Let’s move to Mojave!
There are some people you avoid because they are not life giving (and people that avoid you!). They are like a desert - they take and take – it’s all about them. Paul was a desert until he got saved. Then he was clothed in the righteousness/salvation of Christ and he was transformed. What he could not accomplish on his own was given to him. Even as the glory of Lebanon/majesty of Carmel given to desert, so the glory and majesty of Christ is given to you.
#2 They will see the glory of the Lord 2 Cf. Rom. 8:18-21
#3 Life giving waters flowing from presence of God 6b-7 cf. E47
The desert will blossom in a way it never has before. Crocus is a plant that needs more water than the desert can provide. The fact that it is here indicates that water is being made available to the desert. People will see what they’ve never seen before – beauty in the place of barrenness. “Behold how they love one another.”
Fort Carson – coyote grabbed little girl on bike/really messed up her leg. The rising water brings life and flushes out the jackal/wolf – picture of the flesh – carnivore/omnivore. The rising water of God’s Word in a life will bring life and fruitfulness and flush out the flesh.
God is flowing into your life now. Word/Spirit are both likened to water in the Scriptures. God is watering you as He watered the garden of Eden. Though you are in a desert place, your life can be wonderfully watered by the Word/Spirit. Things never before seen can be seen in you. Saul to Paul. When my mother received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she said: 1st thing is that I loved Aunt ….
3-6a Curse on man reversed
Three ways that sin has affected us -
Exhausted – ‘slack hands’ - hands that can’t bear the sword – can’t defend themselves
Feeble – ‘stumbling knees’ - knees that can no longer bear weight – can’t run away
Anxious – ‘swept away’ - a heart that can’t bear the pressure
- can’t find a refuge
These are those who are losing ground, bring pushed back, carrying more than they can bear, tomorrow holds no hope. God wants to reverse the desert in your soul.
God will come w/:
Vengeance – your enemy will be ruined – beast/armies/Satan
Salvation – you will be rescued – Zech. 12:10
Healing – your condition will be reversed: eye/ear/feet/tongue.
Sin has left us blind/deaf/lame/mute. Jesus: blind saw/deaf heard… We will see/hear and we will respond fully – feet/tongue!
8-10 HIGHWAY OF Holiness
Where does the highway go? To Zion v10. Cf. Is. 2:1-4 In the last days, all will be ascending to Zion.
This is a highway of holiness and not a highway of faith. Don’t forget, this is the M – faith will have become sight. Jesus will be on earth – gloriously, bodily, visibly. The challenge won’t be IS IT TRUE? The challenge will be AM I WILLING? No atheists in the M, only rebels. Today, by faith we come into the presence of the Lord. By holiness we open our lives to more and more of the Lord.
No unclean: careless/Fool: care less/Lion – enemy of God’s people.
Highway is a haven - no lion/fool. Satan bound 1,000 years.
34:17 They shall possess it forever
35:10 Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads
Dead end or living end?
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