The Joy of Redemption

Isaiah 35 ESV

1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Big Idea:

When the Messiah comes, He brings transform barren places into gardens.

INTRODUCTION

I think it is interesting that even in curse of creation God still allowed much beauty to remain on the earth. The transformation of the earth into a cursed desert is just a part of the result of the fall. Romans 8:19-23 makes it clear what this groaning looks like.

Romans 8:19–23 ESV

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

All of creation is groaning under this curse every single moment, locked in “bondage to decay.” This corruption is depicted often in the book of Isaiah as a fertile field that has been turned into a wasteland.

Sadly the drama of the cursing of Eden played itself out once again to a smaller degree in the promised land. When Israel entered the promised land under Joshua, it was described in magnificently lush terms, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Deut 11:9). But God went on to warn Israel that if they failed to keep his covenant, he would curse the land by commanding the clouds not to rain on it. This came about because of the sinfulness of Israel, as God had warned them before they entered the promised land.

Look at this video footage from national geographic of what happened to one of the driest places on earth in Chile.

Play the video:

Notice that all of these flowers were laying dormant underneath the earths service waiting for the rain to come and cause them to bloom and grow.

All of the souls of humanity have been waiting for the Messiah to come and germinate in their lives so that they could like the desert flowers begin to grow. There is something lying beneath the surface of all humanity, King Solomon wrote in Eccl. 3 that God had placed eternity on man’s heart.

More profound and painful is the cursing of the human race itself. Our bodies are racked with disease and pain that plague us every minute and second of every day we live on this earth.

Eyes that were created to see the glory of God’s light are blind; ears that were created with marvelous complexity to hear the various sounds of God’s creation are deaf; legs that were astonishingly crafted with strength and flexibility are paralyzed. Deeper than that, our minds are corrupted with constantly sinful thoughts, and our hearts delight in evil. Left to ourselves, both we and this world will continue to groan under corruption and become more and more distant from God’s plan and blessing.

But here is the good news, Isaiah 35 stands as a road marker in a dry and weary land that God intends to transform this cursed world through His Son Jesus Christ.

The chapter begins with an impossibility as the desert breaks forth in blooms and singing. Formerly stripped of God’s glory because of sin it is now being replenished and restored.

When I was stationed in 29 Palms California I would drive through what is called death valley. Now, this place was no joke, they posted signs before you entered death valley to make sure you had jugs of water with you in case your vehicle overheated because of the extreme heat coming off of the desert floor.

It is known as North America’s lowest, driest, and hottest places. Reaching temps upwards of 135 degrees during the hottest months of the year.

1. Joy Comes to the Desert of Our Lives

Isaiah 35 deliberately uses creation imagery to describe salvation, because God’s redemption always moves in two inseparable directions:

(1) The renewal of people.

(2) The renewal of the world they inhabit.

The desert becoming a garden is therefore both spiritual and cosmic.

The freedom that we will experience will be total and complete.

Blind eyes, deaf ears, lame legs, and mute tongues are all devastations brought on by human sin. Death itself is the ultimate curse, for in death every eye is blind, every ear deaf, every leg paralyzed, every tongue stilled. But a time is coming when all of this human degradation and cursed weakness will be radically transformed.

Note: Some have suggested that this might be referencing the desert that the exiles crossed on their way from Babylon back to the promised land.

I would suggest that this is unlikely since, a specific desert is not mentioned it should be taken more metaphorical in respect to the the place and current state of the world that the Messiah has come to redeem.

*The Desert is the Human Condition Apart from God

Spiritually, the desert represents:

Hearts cut off from God Eph 2:1

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Lives marked by fear, weakness, blindness, and muteness (Isa 35:3–6)

A world unable to produce true fruit apart from God’s presence

This mirrors the New Testament description of humanity before Christ—alive biologically, but spiritually dry.

The Hopelessness of the Desert

Dry ground is a biblical image of hopelessness. Picture begin stranded or stuck in the middle of the desert with no means of transportation, no water, and no food.

What are you going to do? You can try to call for help but no one can here you. You can try to look for water but you are day’s if not weeks away from any water source. You can try to start walking but, eventually dehydration will set in and your bodies organs will begin to shut down and cease to function.

a) Salvation does not depend on human potential but on divine intervention

THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF ISRAEL

The dry ground represents the condition of Israel at the time of Christ’s coming.

Why Israel’s Dry Ground?

Centuries of rebellion and idolatry.

Judgment and Exile.

Religious ritual without heart.

Expecting power not humility.

Looking for political glory not redemptive suffering.

THE HUMBLE ORIGINS OF THE MESSIAH

Also point to the obscurity from which Jesus was born. The root from the stump of Jesse the Messiah came. Born in obscurity, raised in Nazareth an not a grand palace. The Servant does not arise from fertile soil (human strength) but from barrenness (divine grace alone).

The Servant is the true Israel, emerging from Israel’s failure to accomplish what Israel could not.

Dry Ground in Scripture Represents

No Water

No Fertility

No Visible future

Yet this is what God does …

Brings Water from the rock

Brings Gardens in Desert places

Brings Resurrected Live from Death

b) Salvation does not depend on self-improvement but on resurrection rain from heaven.

This imagery prepares us for:

A suffering Savior, not a triumphant one (yet).

A Cross before a crown

A Kingdom that begins small and hidden

How are we today like the desert or wilderness mentioned in Isiah 53:1-2?

1). We are by nature spiritually dry

We are all born with a spiritually dry nature. Like a desert our hearts are naturally Barren apart from God.

Sin drains the spiritual life Romans 3:10–12 “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.””

We do not produce righteousness on our own John 15:5 “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

We can be active, religious, or busy, and still be dry.

2) We Are Exhausted by the Broken World

Our world resembles a wilderness:

Moral confusion

Relational fragmentation

Fear, Anxiety, grief and suffering.

Even believers often fell dry and distant from God.

We are Spiritually Weary Isaiah 40:29–31 “29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

We have become discouraged with persistent sin

Overwhelmed by suffering or unanswered prayers

Like desert travelers, we live with limited resources, always aware of our need for refreshment.

The Desert in Isaiah 35 is not destroyed it is waiting to be transformed. Like the flowers in the desert of Chile waiting for the rain to come and ignite them to grow.

WAITING FOR GOD’S INTERVENTION

We live between the promise and fulfillment.

We are already redeemed but not yet glorified.

We have tasted renewal but are still longing for fullness.

Already Beginning to Bloom

Through Jesus dry hearts have now received living water. John 7:37-39 (woman at the well)

The Spirit Brings new life now. Galatians 5:22-23 (the fruit of the spirit)

We begin to bear fruit even in our suffering. (yet the full bloom is still coming in the New Heaven and New Earth)

*God’s Purpose for His People concludes in a Supernatural Transformation

a) Transformation of the Environment

When the Desert begins to bloom no one praises the desert. They praise the rain.

Notice that creation rejoices with joy and singing.

The Greeks used to speak of the music of the spheres. In Job 38:7

Job 38:7 ESV

7 when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

God tells Job that at the Creation the morning stars sang together. In these verses nature burst not only into bloom but into song. The very environment of man reflects his own mood of joy at what God has done.

The whole face of the earth has now changed, probably has a similar picture the change of seasons as when winter ends and spring begins. So will it be with the desert. The entire environment will be reversed to before the curse of the fall.

b) Transformation of the Heart

Now we see a picture of the God of armies coming in vengeance and recompense to redeem and save His people. He say’s behold “Fear not your God comes,” Isaiah identifies the one coming as your God indicating a personal relationship with the Father.

Sign Posts of Ultimate Healing

Remember that all of Jesus miracles done here on earth would still eventually be undone at death. The physical healings were still temporary.

The miracles that Jesus performed were merely sign posts pointing people to himself the giver of lasting healing that would come through His death on the cross. When Jesus healed the physical issue that people were dealing with He would often command them to go and sin not more. How would it be possible to sin no more if they did not have a redeemer which was in Christ alone.

Cultural Problem: People like what Jesus can do for them right up to the point that they have to count the cost. Most people are not willing to count the cost of following Jesus. The call to Salvation that Jesus brings with Him is a call to be willing to give your life for the sake of the call.

C) Transformation of the Body

How many of you are glad that this body does not go with you into eternity?

When God said “let their be light” he also said “let there be sight.” God did not create the world to be empty and uninhabited. In the same way God did not create the eye to be blind or the ear to be deaf.

The marvelous intricacy of the eye must find its fulfillment in sight, and the goal is that the one who sees may give God glory for the magnificent beauty of creation. In the new order there will be no blind eyes, no deaf ears, no lame legs, no mute tongues. Every single human being will function as God intended in creation; joy will fill their hearts as they look on a universe similarly redeemed from the curse—water flowing where once was desert.

2. Joy Comes to the Holy Highway of Our Lives

“The Raised Road Through the Wild”

In the ancient world, a highway was not a smooth interstate. It was a raised road—built above dangerous terrain so travelers could pass safely.

Imagine a group of travelers moving through hostile land:

*Wild animals lurk in the brush

*The ground is uneven and dangerous

*One wrong step could be fatal

Now imagine that a king orders a highway built straight through the wilderness.

The road is:

*Elevated above danger

*Cleared of obstacles

*Wide enough for everyone to walk

*Clearly marked so travelers don’t get lost

You don’t survive the wilderness by being clever. You survive by staying on the road.

The road has now been prepared by Jesus coming :

The danger hasn’t disappeared— but the road rises above it.

The wilderness is still wild. The enemy still exists. But the way God provides is secure.

Notice what Isaiah does not say:

*He does not say that travelers tame the wilderness

*He does not say they defeat the beasts

*He does not say only the strong can walk the road.

The road exists because God made it, not because the travelers earned it.

Jesus later says:

“I am the way.” (John 14:6)

Christ is not merely a guide pointing to holiness— He is the raised road that carries us safely through a hostile world.

*The Holy Way is a Path not a Point

A highway implies movement, direction, and progress.

You are already redeemed (v. 9)

Yet you are still walking toward Zion (v. 10)

This mirrors Paul’s language in Romans 6:

“Present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” (Rom 6:19)

What is The Way of Holiness?

a) It’s a Way God Builds, Not One We Construct

Isaiah calls it a “highway”, echoing Isaiah 40:3.

This matters because:

God initiates salvation

God provides access

God makes the way passable

Christians do not find the Way of Holiness—we are placed on it by God.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

Jesus is not merely a guide on the road; He is the road.

b) It’s a Way Entered By Redemption, Not Moral Achievement

The Holy Highway has exclusive rights only held by Jesus as to who can travel on His Highway.

Isaiah is explicit:

“The redeemed shall walk there” (Isa 35:9)

Holiness begins with:

Justification, not self-improvement

Cleansing, not self-repair

Grace, not merit

The “unclean” cannot walk the road unless they are first made clean.

“You were washed… sanctified… justified” (1 Cor 6:11)

c) It’s a Way That Produces Holiness

Holy Highway implies the need for absolute purity from sin. The commands of holiness are absolutely foundational to the Christian walk going all the way back to Leviticus 11:44 “44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.”

We also read in 1 John 1:5 that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, so the highway we are on is characterized by people who walk in the light as He himself is light. People who love righteousness and hate wickedness.

The Way of Holiness does not merely require holiness—it creates it.

As believers walk:

Sin is progressively put to death (Rom 6:19)

Christ’s life is increasingly formed in us (Gal 2:20)

Obedience becomes the fruit, not the root

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” (1 Thess 4:3)

This is progressive sanctification—real growth, real struggle, real transformation.

d) It’s a Way Protected By God

The highway is a protected and secured highway. Even if people are occasionally foolish they will not wonder off of it. No lion will travel there or any other vicious beast, only the redeemed of the Lord.

Isaiah emphasizes safety:

“No lion shall be there… nor shall any ravenous beast” (Isa 35:9)

This does not mean:

No suffering

No opposition

No discipline

What It does mean:

No enemy can remove the redeemed from the road

No power can undo God’s saving work

The destination is secure

“No one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

3. Joy Comes To The Final Destination Of Our Lives

Now we pause to catch our breath at the end of the highway. Where do we find ourselves? We find ourselves at home. The place that our heart’s and souls have longed for all along. It is the only place we will find ourselves completely safe and at peace.

At home joyful and at rest with God. It is the only place that we will ever be totally content to stay.

Here is what Heavenly Joy looks like.

1) Heavenly Joy of the Redeemed (Identity based joy)

“The ransomed of the LORD”

Heavenly joy begins with who we are, not just what we feel.

We are no longer sinners awaiting judgment

We are redeemed people, bought at a cost

Our joy flows from knowing we belong to God forever

This joy is grounded in finished redemption, not fluctuating circumstances.

2) Heavenly Joy of Homecoming

“Shall return and come to Zion”

This is the joy of:

Arrival after a long journey

Safety after danger

Rest after pilgrimage

Heaven is not merely a destination—it is home.

This fulfills the longing believers feel now:

“Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” (Heb 13:14)

3) Heavenly Joy is Expressed, not Repressed

“With singing”

Heavenly joy is:

Audible

Expressive

Overflowing

It is not quiet relief but uncontainable praise.

This connects with Revelation’s vision:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!” (Rev 5:12)

Joy naturally turns into worship.

4) Heavenly Joy is Fully Possessed

“They shall obtain gladness and joy”

This is not borrowed joy or momentary joy.

They:

Receive it fully

Possess it permanently

Experience it completely

Nothing is withheld. Nothing is partial.

“In your presence there is fullness of joy.” (Ps 16:11)

5) Heavenly Joy is Joy Without Sorrow

“Sorrow and sighing shall flee away”

Heavenly joy includes the total absence of grief.

No sorrow lingering in the background

No quiet sighs of regret

No emotional heaviness

Sorrow doesn’t slowly fade—it flees.

This aligns perfectly with:

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Rev 21:4)

CONCLUSION

“The Last Stretch of the Road”

Imagine finishing a long journey on foot.

Your legs are sore. Your supplies are gone. The road has been hard—dusty, dangerous, and exhausting.

But then, just over the last rise, you see it.

Lights.

Music.

People waiting.

The journey isn’t just ending—it’s being celebrated.

No one asks how tired you are. No one questions whether the road was worth it. Because the sight of home answers everything.

That is the moment Isaiah 35 is describing.

This Christmas Jesus is calling you to come home, your Journey is not just a point it is to a destination. Are you destined for the Kingdom of God? Do you know your final destination when you leave this world?