It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. Sermons
I. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD. The desert will rejoice "like the narcissus," the beautiful white flower found in abundance in spring-time in the Plain of Sharon. A ringing musical cry shall break out from those solitudes. The beauty of the most favored spots, of Carmel and Sharon, shall be diffused over the whole. In poetic pathos a feeling is lent to nature, which does not really exist in her. There is a deep truth, not of the reason, but of the heart, in this mood. Inanimate Nature is incapable either of joy or of sorrow, of exultation or depression. This our reason tells us. But we are all something more than cold rationalists in this matter. We take back from Nature impressions which we have first lent to her, and suppose we have borrowed them. This has been called the "pathetic fallacy," and there is a truth in the fallacy better than that of syllogistic reasoning. To the lover Nature looks love, and whispers of love; to the desponding temper her expression is a frown, her tones are inspirations of lament; she wears a nuptial robe for the happy bridegroom, and a pall for the mourner; silent and morose to the eyes of him who is cast down in the sense of Divine wrath, it breaks forth into jubilant song for the ears of him whose heart overflows with the sense of the redeeming mercy of God. "There is not the least flower but seems to hold up its head, and look pleasantly, in the secret sense of the goodness of its heavenly Maker. This silent rhetoric, though we cannot hear, but only see it, {s so full and expressive, that David thought he spoke neither impropriety nor nonsense, in a strong line, when he said,' even the valleys break forth into singing.'" It is a song of praise and thanksgiving, a song of joy and triumph in the "glory of Jehovah," the manifestations of his creative and renewing powers, the liberal effusions of his goodness, even upon the lowest parts of the creation. II. THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HUMAN WORLD. 1. Weakness made strong - under the figure of the nerving up of languid hands and of tottering knees. Languor, dullness, the privation of power, are symptomatic of the absence of vital energy, alike in the physical and the moral sphere. People may be seemingly weak and impotent, not because they want the organs for action, but because the inspiration to action is wanting. A life without defined activity is hardly worth the name. In the fixed light of the eye, the prompt hand, the willing foot, we see signs of the Divine afflatus upon a man. The sails have caught the favoring breeze, while others lie becalmed. But there is always some part for the will. To him that hath shall be given; and the paradox is true, power comes to those who exert it. 2. Despair exchanged for confidence. Despair unfits alike for human and Divine service. Men are moved to duty by the hope of good or by the fear of evil. These motives cannot avail one who does not believe that his state can be either bettered or worsened. The man becomes careless of his happiness, indifferent to salvation. The biblical medicine for despair is the firm insistence on the message of salvation. God is coming - is on the way, to requite, to redeem, to deliver. How careful should preachers be not to force men into a "preternatural melancholy," by an unskillful handling of the Word of truth, by indiscreet severity, by dwelling too much on the dark themes of human depravity and predestination! 3. The removal of human infirmities and limitations. Blindness, deafness, lameness, dumbness, are symbolic of all obstructions in the soul to the entrance of light, and music, and power, and fluency. One great outflow of the Spirit sweeps all these hindrances to enjoyment and to activity away. Near to us is a God of infinite fullness; all about us is a world of beauty, strength, and joy; but we are "straitened in ourselves." Life is full of illusions, which tempt us forward with all the power and promise of reality. These are like the mirage of the desert - a seeming sheet of water in the distance, with its offer of refreshment to the pilgrim; in fact, an optical deception. But these illusions bear a certain relation to truth. For we cannot believe that the Almighty has planted a spring of error in the very mechanism of our fancy. Our minds were made for truth and tend towards truth, even through hallucinations. "The mirage shall become a lake." III. THE REFORMATION OF RELIGION. There will be a "raised way," called "The Holy Way." It will be exempt from all that is unclean; it will be so clear and straight, that even the simple-minded cannot go astray; a secure and peaceful way, undisturbed by the furious beasts of ravening and destruction. Its every stage will be marked with joy, as singing pilgrims pass along it; and the sighs of sorrow will die away in the distance. It is a picture of true evangelical religion, as it is revived among the peoples, from epoch to epoch, and of its blessed effects. True religion is an elevating thing; nobility of manner and refinement of taste go hand-in-hand with it. It is a holy thing; and distinction of characters and classes, of tastes and pursuits, must appear wherever it comes. Its doctrine is simple, intelligible, yet sublime. "Justification by faith" can be understood and received by the humblest mind, while the most powerful intellect must exert itself to rise to the serene height of the truth. It is a way of gentleness and peace, unvexed by the furious storms of controversy, sheltering timid souls. It is a way of freedom and of joy, and it leads to a fixed destination - a celestial place, an eternal kingdom, a city that cannot be removed, whose Builder and Maker is God. - J.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return. My object will be to give the text its highest practical appropriation as setting forth in glowing language the return of God's spiritual Israel, His ransomed ones, from every land.I. WHO THEY ARE. 1. "The ransomed of the Lord." To ransom signifies to redeem or free from captivity or punishment by paying down an equivalent, to rescue from danger and death, to deliver from the possession of an enemy either by/exploits of warfare or purchase by gold. The Lord's ransomed people are, therefore, those who have been spiritually rescued, emancipated, delivered. They are the purchased property of God by the precious blood of Christ. 2. The ransomed of the Lord are the regenerate of the Holy Ghost. They have been quickened into new life as well as redeemed. 3. The ransomed of the Lord are the adopted into the family of God. What a unique and beautiful sequence we have here. Life purchased, life begotten, life ennobled. II. WHITHER ARE THEY JOURNEYING? "To Zion." The old-time Zion was typical of the "city which hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God." Let us glance at the parallelism. 1. Zion of old was the seat and scene of worship. The ransomed of the Lord in returning are going to Zion above, to join the immortal worshippers in the "temple not made with hands." We shall worship, but we shall also serve in multifold ministries of good. 2. Zion of old was the seat of royalty. "There were set," we are told, "thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David." Jerusalem was the metropolis of the nation — the centre of monarchy, authority, power, and splendour. Heaven is the city of the Great King. On its sapphire throne, belted as with a rainbow of mercy and grace, sits the Mediator-King of the New Covenant, crowned with many crowns, holding the sceptre of righteousness. To His ransomed ones He says, "Verily, I say unto you, that ye which follow Me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye shall also sit upon, thrones." "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me on My, throne. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." 3. Zion of old was the seat of rest. It was the terminus of the pilgrim-worshippers' journey. With the ransomed of the Lord it is now the pilgrimage; but daily they pitch their moving tents a day's march nearer home, heaven, rest. What a magic word is "rest." What volumes of meaning it holds! Rest from conflict, rest from sorrow, rest from suffering, rest from self and sin, rest from all the ills of the time-life! Rest in the Lord in holy contemplation, holy worship, holy service, holy visions, holy companionships, holy pleasures for evermore! III. WHAT IS THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THEY JOURNEY? "With songs and everlasting joy upon their heads." They march to music made in the sanctuary of the soul. Undoubtedly the allusion is to the Songs of Degrees or of the Ascents, which the rejoicing tribes sung on their way to the great festive celebrations at Jerusalem, or to the paeans of deliverance the emancipated exiles rang out as onward they pressed to the laud of their fathers and God. Thus the homeward-bound hosts of God on the highway of holiness are urging their way. They are like soldiers returning from the scene and spoils of a great victory, with heart and step keeping time to jubilant melody. But the ransomed not only sing on the way home, they also "Come to Zion with songs." It is a jubilant arrival. IV. WHAT DO THE RANSOMED OF THE LORD REALISE ON THEIR ARRIVAL HOME? "Joy and gladness" — i.e. outward and inward joy. The joy of holy retrospect; the gladness of present possession of glory; the joy of fulfilled hope, perfected manhood, satisfied life, prospective progression, intellectually and morally, for ever and ever. It is the "joy and gladness" — 1. Of heavenly reunions. 2. Of perfected knowledge. 3. Of the beatific vision.This "joy and gladness" will mean the exclusion of "sorrow and sighing." As light expels darkness, and day excludes the night, so the rapture of joy prevents the sighings of sorrow. (J. O. Keen, D. D.) 2. Need I remind you how the Gospel meets both these things and scatters them to the winds? That law of suffering and of death it hallows doubly by the revelation of the Cross, because, it overrules it to our own good, because it makes it a condition of our saving others. The Gospel deals still more decisively with the burden of sin. In it lies the very essence of redemption. But you will ask me, "Is that promise realised after all?" Remember, that by the very nature of the case the kingdom of Christ here is seen only in the first stages of its conflict against the power of evil. What it can offer us is only a true but an imperfect earnest of a perfect future. Has it given us, and does it give us now, that which it thus professes to give? I answer unhesitatingly, Yes. These things are no dream. They are a present and blessed reality, and we feel sometimes as if they were the only reality in a very fleeting and unsubstantial world. But the reality is yet imperfect. Joy and gladness may be ours, but sorrow and sighing have not yet fled away. There is a heaven hereafter in which alone all these promises shall be quite fulfilled. (A. Barry, D. D.) (R. Macculloch.) Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. I. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE STATEMENT that sorrow and sighing shall flee away? The susceptibility of sorrow and the power of expressing sorrow will not be destroyed; but there shall be no appeal to the susceptibility, and no use for the power of sorrowful expression.1. The sorrow of bodily disease shall pass away with the pain, the languor, the weakness which disease imposes, the nervous excitement which it often sets up, and the debility which it so frequently creates. Disease shall pass away, with all its interruptions of domestic and social intercourse, with all its power to mar our enjoyment, and to interfere with our work. It will flee before a new constitution, before the health and vigour and young rich life of a body, raised in incorruption — raised in glory — raised in power — raised in Christ-like spirituality. 2. The sorrow of dying will pass away. The fear of death — the pains of death — the separations of death — the material consequences of death — the abasement of death. 3. The sorrow of bereavement will pass away. And with it widowhood, orphanage, the loss of wife and children, and every painful farewell which death so often and so rigorously exacts. 4. The sorrow of poverty will flee away, with its hunger and thirst, its nakedness and cold, its homelessness and wretchedness, and all the neglect and contempt, the painful dependence, the degradation and dishonour, which it too often brings. 5. The sorrows caused by the sins of others will flee away. The wicked, whatever now may be their power, through relationship or through position, shall cease to trouble. Slavery, oppression, and persecution will utterly cease. The sorrows caused by the hell-fired tongue, by the fist of wickedness, by the feet swift in running to do mischief, shall flee away. Nothing shall enter the sorrowless world that defileth, that worketh abomination or maketh a lie. 6. The sorrows produced by the fear of evil, by dark imaginations, and by blighted hopes, shall flee away. The flat, "Peace, be still," shall be spoken to every soul. 7. The sorrows of this life's illusions and delusions shall pass away. Everything shall, by and by, far exceed your hopes. 8. The sorrows of sin will pass away. The smart of the conscience, remorse, dread, discord between the passions and the sanctified will, chastisement, even temporary Divine desertion. 9. Every "heart knoweth its own bitterness." The own bitterness of the heart shall flee away. Secret sorrow — sorrow that you hardly admit to yourselves — sorrow upon which you have never put the raiment of speech — the sorrow that you have never groaned out to the nearest friend you have — nameless sorrow, "my sorrow" — sorrow in all its roots, in all its branches, sorrow in all its blossomings and fruits, in all its depths, and in all its manifestations, shall flee away. And this fleeing away of sorrow will leave the channels of the emotions open only to the streams of enjoyment. What a mighty effect this will have upon the character and the entire life! The flight of sorrow will enlarge the love of the heart: for suffering often makes us self-enclosed and self-engrossed; it will help, moreover, to secure uninterrupted intercourse and unbroken activity; it will be the departure of correction no longer needed — the withdrawment of discipline not further required — it will be like the fleeing away of winter when the time of the singing of birds has come. II. WHEN SHALL THIS BE? The text points to Hezekiah's reign — to that portion of his reign through which God blessed the people whom he governed with remarkable prosperity. But does this exhaust the text? We think not. I you think it does, there are other words from the mouth of God on this subject (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17). When shall this be? It shall be to the individual saint when his earthly career terminates. To the saints as a body, this will be realised at the times of restitution of all things. III. BY WHAT SIGNS MAY WE BE ASSURED THAT OUR SORROWS WILL FLEE AWAY? There are five sure signs. 1. Personal faith — not in King Hezekiah, but in King Jesus. 2. Acknowledged and avowed citizenship in the kingdom of the Saviour. We lay stress upon avowal, because where there is no avowal there must always be reason for doubting and suspicion. 3. The fleeing away of sin — the being cleansed from sin. 4. The present effect of sorrow. If sorrow bends the will and subdues the affections, then it is sanctified, and herein is a sign that sorrow will flee away. 5. A living hope — hope born of faith — hope the child of God's promises — the hope which is the anchor of the soul. Write on your hearts this one sentence concerning your sorrows and sighs, they shall flee away. The love of God, like the sun upon the snow-drift, which melts the snow, raises it in vapour and then disperses it, shall make sorrow flee away. The power of God, like the north wind, which driveth away the rain, shall constrain sorrow to flee away. (S. Martin.) There is consolation in this very form of expression — "flee away." It shows an instability as characterising sorrow in the case we contemplate. Sorrow to the redeemed man is not the sea which is found in its appointed bed in summer and in winter; but it is the crested wave which is here to-day and gone to-morrow. It is not the mountain which stands in its place year after year, and century after century; but it is the clouds which rise rein the valley, and travel up the sides of the mountain, and sometimes cap and completely hide it, but which from their very nature must flee away. The sorrows of the saints are sorrows which from their very character must pass away.(S. Martin.). People IsaiahPlaces Carmel, Edom, Lebanon, Sharon, Way of Holiness, ZionTopics Abundantly, Beauty, Bloom, Blossom, Carmel, Delight, Excellence, Excellency, Flourish, Flourishing, Flowering, Full, Glory, Greatly, Honour, Joy, Lebanon, Lebanon's, Majesty, Power, Pride, Profusely, Rejoice, Rejoicing, Rose, Sharon, Shout, Shouting, Singing, Songs, Splendor, YeaOutline 1. The joyful flourishing of Christ's kingdom3. The weak are encouraged by the virtues and privileges of the Gospel Dictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 35:2 1045 God, glory of 2378 kingdom of God, characteristics 4209 land, spiritual aspects Library What Life's Journey May Be'The redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.'--ISAIAH XXXV 9,10. We have here the closing words of Isaiah's prophecy. It has been steadily rising, and now it has reached the summit. Men restored to all their powers, a supernatural communication of a new life, a pathway for our journey--these have been the visions of the preceding … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Miracles of Healing Mirage or Lake The King's Highway Effects of Messiah's Appearance Weak Hands and Feeble Knees The Pathway of the Holy The Highway of Holiness The Blessed Country Light and Sound Oil and Wine John's Doubts and Christ's Praise John's Doubts of Jesus, and Jesus' Praise of John The Hedge of Thorns and the Plain Way Healed by Divine Power Blind Bartimeus Last Journey and Death, 1858 --Concluding Remarks. Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober Reason, How Christ is to be Made Use of as Our Life, in Case of Heartlessness and Fainting through Discouragements. In Judaea Christian Behavior Isaiah Links Isaiah 35:2 NIVIsaiah 35:2 NLT Isaiah 35:2 ESV Isaiah 35:2 NASB Isaiah 35:2 KJV Isaiah 35:2 Bible Apps Isaiah 35:2 Parallel Isaiah 35:2 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 35:2 Chinese Bible Isaiah 35:2 French Bible Isaiah 35:2 German Bible Isaiah 35:2 Commentaries Bible Hub |
    |