The Glad Desert

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom [Isaiah 35:1]

This Sunday, the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Year B), the Lectionary committee provides us with six readings. The OT reading is a curious one, Isaiah 35:4-7a, not so much because it lacks importance, but rather, due to its brevity. Why not include the entire chapter? It consists only of ten verses that form a cohesive poem. Not to travel too far down into the weeds, lest you think I’m an Isaiah expert—I’m not—but most modern Isaiah scholars see chapters 34 and 35 as a distinct, separate segment of the overall book. Here, we have two poems: the first (Chapter 34), a much longer oracle of doom concerning Edom, and the second (Chapter 35), promising salvation—or at least that possibility—for the descendants of Judah who are exiled in Babylon.

In Isaiah 35, we see that the formerly parched land will rejoice and blossom. Indeed, like the crocus, it will burst into bloom (35:1-2). Yahweh’s fullness and presence are seen everywhere. Precious, life-giving water springs from the desert floor. Even the human bodies of those near this changing desert mirror the landscape around them. Feeble hands become strong, as do unsteady knees. “Fearful” hearts (35:4) become strong; they are no longer afraid. Suddenly, based upon the inauguration of Yahweh’s blessing, the eyes of the blind are opened and the ears of the deaf are unstopped (35:5). The lame leap like deer, while the formerly mute now shout for joy (35:6). Through Yahweh’s power and grace, there has been a complete reversal of fortune. The captives are free; they may return home again.

Here, we have a prophetic vision that speaks of Jerusalem’s second birth—a rebirth that occurred some 2,500 years ago. To be sure, Isaiah 35 speaks of another time, another culture, another world, and yet, were it not for the return of Judah to Jerusalem, were it not for Judah’s “resurrection” from exile, you would not be reading these words. I would not be writing them. Were it not for the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision, we Christians would not be gathering on the first day of the week in our churches (with or without masks); there would be no Jewish people to gather for their own worship on the seventh day.

In many respects, Judah’s “resurrection” was the exception, not the rule. Other nations were overrun by powerful enemies. While its language survived, Aram did not. Edom, inhabited by the descendants of Esau, saw no resurrection of its kingdom. The same is true for Moab and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. None of those kingdoms could reestablish themselves after their initial collapse. And yet, Judah did, as was prophesied here by Isaiah. Reversals, it seems, are never assured; they are possible, through Yahweh, since all things are possible through Him.

2,500 years after the revival of Judah in and around Jerusalem, a young rabbi burst upon the scene. Born in Bethlehem, raised from childhood in Nazareth, He reminded some of Isaiah. Others thought he might be John the Baptizer, raised from the dead after his horrific execution. Still others saw Him as a successor to Moses. Although Peter got quite a few things wrong, he spoke with vision and clarity when he identified Jesus as the Messiah (Mark 8:29b, Matthew 16:13-16, Luke 9:18-20).

Living out the prophesies—the long view—of Isaiah, Jesus fed the hungry, healed the lame and crippled, gave sight to those whose eyes were closed, and hearing to those whose ears had been useless. He met with tax collectors and dined with sinners. He healed the distressed daughter of a Syrophoenician gentile (Mark 7:29), signaling that His blessings were not limited to the descendants of Abraham and Sarah. He taught through His parables.

Fulfilling the law, He gave a new commandment, that His disciples—that would include you and me—love one another and He loved us (John 13:34). Then he showed us all that His love has no limits. He was arrested, tried unjustly, and made to carry a cross to an ugly hill where He was willingly crucified. His death became, therefore, the ultimate parable: the innocent is killed, while the guilty (i.e., you and me) go free.

Judah’s “resurrection” was the exception. With His own resurrection, Jesus Christ established a new rule. As prophesied by Isaiah, Yahweh has intervened. The dry days of desert living are at an end. Ended also is the time of famine and fear. Christ has forged a way to communion with the Holy Trinity. It is a highway called the Way of Holiness; it is carefully crafted for those who walk on that Way (Isaiah 35:8).

I know, I know, danger and despair still abound. We’ve shared a sort of exile of our own through the past 18 months or so. But consider again the long view offered by Isaiah and know that Yahweh is here right now and is working to make things right. “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come with restorative power” (Isaiah 35:4b). The desert will soon be glad!