They Will See the Glory of God (Isaiah 35:1-10)

They Will See the Glory of God

 

Isaiah 35:1-10

 

The beginning of today’s text is describing a very dramatic transformation. Let me read verses 1 and 2.

      “The desert and the parched land will be glad;

            the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.

      Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;

            it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.

      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.”

Here is a useless land deserted. This is “a desert,” “a dry land,” and “a wilderness.” Then, the barren land blossoms and bursts into bloom. And it rejoices greatly and shouts for joy. The deserted land is given the glory of Lebanon, and the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. This glory and splendor is the “glory of the Lord” and the “splendor of God.” That is, the glory of the Lord and the splendor of God came upon the wilderness, the barren land, and the desert. This is the basic story of this dramatic transformation. We call this “salvation.” There are many different wisdoms in this world. The purpose of these wisdoms is leading people through the way to “success.” Of course, this success does not mean only “large wealth” or “a high position.” It includes anything that we want to gain and achieve in this world including healthy body and peaceful mind, noble life and good relationships, professional knowledge and skills, and so on. And there are many pieces of knowledge and wisdom that guide us to such a successful life. The Bible also teaches us wisdom. But the wisdom in the Bible is not for “success.” It is “the wisdom of salvation.” And this wisdom is about “the glory of the Lord God.”

 

There are many stories of successful people in the world. These stories are also somewhat dramatic. Oprah Winfrey was grown in a broken family, suffering from poverty and abuses, but she became one of the most influential persons in the U.S. and is a businesswoman leading a number of highly profitable businesses. JK Rowling, the author of best-seller Harry Porter, was an unemployed single mom who was raising a daughter with social benefits, but with the success of Harry Porter, she rose to one of the billionaires. There are numerous stories of success like these that people talk about and want to imitate. But the stories in the Bible are much different. They are not stories of success, but stories of salvation. They are not merely about a poor man who became wealthy or a low man who became high. The stories in the Bible are all like the transformation of a desert into a beautiful garden with beautiful flowers blooming and great joy overflowing. Abraham was an old man who didn’t have a son to inherit his house. But God turned Abraham, the old man as good as dead, into “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4). Hanna had to live a tearful life as God closed her womb and therefore she couldn’t have a child. Then, in reply to her earnest prayer, God opened her womb and gave her a son, who was Samuel, the prophet of prophets, and added more sons and daughters (1Samuel 1:20, 2:21). Peter was an unschooled fisherman in Galilee, but following Jesus, he became the First Pope of the Church. Paul was the enemy of Jesus’ church, but was transformed into the most committed preacher and teacher of Jesus’ gospel. These people’s lives were all like a desert. There was no joy, no beauty, and no hope. But when the glory of God came upon their lives, great dramas of salvation unfurled that had never been imagined by any human beings. All the stories in the Bible are about God’s salvation, and they are all about “the glory of the Lord God.”

 

The most suitable metaphor of our human life may be “a lost sheep in the wilderness.” How is the wilderness? There is no water to drink and no food to eat. There is no way to walk. And the land is crowded with ferocious beasts. With these features of the wilderness, a lost sheep in the wilderness is as good as dead. What is worse, if the sheep is a blind who cannot see, a deaf who cannot hear, a mute who cannot speak, and a cripple who cannot walk, its miseries are indescribable. Still there is the biggest problem. The inner soul of the lost sheep is full of fear and anxiety. The world is truly this wilderness, and our life in this world is truly like this fearful lost sheep that is disabled in many ways. What this sheep needs is not “success” but “salvation.” And the salvation is “seeing the glory of the Lord God.” There is a dramatic scene showing our spiritual existence like this. Under the leadership of Moses, the people of Israel came out of Egypt and they walked through the wilderness until their way was stopped by the sea. And the angry Egyptian army chased them behind in order to bring them back to Egypt. Seeing this, the people of Israel complained to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11). Then, Moses answered them, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the salvation the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again” (14:13). And the Lord said to Moses, “The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen” (14:18). God opened “the way” of dry land through the sea and saved his people from the Egyptian army. This is truly an amazing story. God himself is the director and the sole hero of this drama. Moses told to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the salvation the Lord will bring you today!” This is the life story of ours. Our life story is about God’s salvation, namely, the glory of God coming upon us who are like a lost sheep in the wilderness.

 

There is no water to drink and no food to eat in the wilderness. There is no way to walk in the wilderness. And ferocious beasts are haunting day and night in the wilderness. Today’s text depicts how such a dry and dangerous land is transformed when the glory of the Lord and the splendor of God comes upon. Water gushes forth in the wilderness and streams flow in the desert (6). Grass and reeds and papyrus grow (7). A highway is paved (8). And lions and ferocious beasts are forbidden (9). This is God’s salvation given to the sheep lost in the wilderness. How does God give this salvation? How does God show his glory and splendor to us? Isaiah 32:1-2 says, “See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.” And 32:15 says, “The Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.” There comes a king who reigns in righteousness, and the Spirit is poured upon us. That is, God’s salvation is given to us and God’s glory is shown to us through Jesus, the King of Righteousness, and His Spirit. When we are ruled by the righteous king and are full of the Spirit of God, God’s salvation comes upon us. Jesus the Savior is truly God’s glory and God’s beauty. Jesus is truly God’s salvation given to us who are like a lost sheep in the wilderness.

 

It is not that Jesus gives us water to drink and food to eat. Jesus himself is our water to drink and our food to eat. It is not that Jesus leads us into the right way. Jesus himself is the Way that we should walk and follow. It is not that Jesus brings us to a shelter. Jesus himself is our refuge. It is not that Jesus teaches us wisdom and knowledge. Jesus himself is our wisdom and knowledge. Jesus himself is our salvation, and Jesus himself is God’s glory and God’s splendor. When Jesus reigns in us as our king and His Spirit rules our souls, our eyes are brightened, our ears and mouth open, and our weak arms and legs are strengthened. Our souls are moved from the wilderness to the Garden of God with fresh water and green grass. In the garden, we walk the Way of Holiness (8), are protected from lions and ferocious beasts (9), and are crowned with everlasting joy (10). Considering this truth, we cannot think of “God’s glory” apart from the wilderness where we have been wandering. Rather, the desert, the parched land, and the wilderness is the stage to show God’s glory and the canvas to paint God’s beauty. Human success ends up with human glory. And it is still in the wilderness with no water to drink, and with no way to walk. But God’s salvation ends up with God’s glory. There are abundant fresh water and green pasture, and there is a highway, and there is everlasting joy. These are all God’s glory and God’s beauty that we see in Jesus the Christ our Lord.

 

Let me read verse 8. “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.” God opened a way through the wilderness. This way is “a highway” and is called “the Way of Holiness.” What is this highway and the Way of Holiness? Isaiah 32:8 says, “The noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.” And 33:5-6 says, “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” A highway is a righteous way that God approves and is pleased with. This is an honest way shone by God’s light and kept by God’s eyes. This is a noble way of God-fearing noble people. This is a precious way of wisdom leading us to peace and salvation. Walking the highway, we will not be lost and will not stumble. Even if we may stumble, we can stand up again and continue our journey. But this is not the case for the way of the wicked. Proverbs 4:19 says, “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.” Yes, it is. The way of the wicked may look like an easy and smart way to success, but in fact, it is not a way but deep darkness. There are many hidden obstacles that stumble people. Those who walk the way of the wicked keep falling without knowing what they stumble over until they reach the complete ruin. Only the way God paved through Jesus Christ is the highway and the Way of Holiness that we should walk. When we walk this highway in an honest and noble heart, the light of God shines upon our steps and protects us from all kinds of stumbling blocks.

 

Verse 8 says, “it (the highway) will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.” The original text for “those who walk on that Way” means “wayfarers” or “wayfaring men.” Other versions of English Bible translate this term “wayfaring men” (KJV) or “whoever walks the road” (NKJV). And these wayfaring men are called “the redeemed” in verse 9b, which says, “But only the redeemed will walk there.” That is, the redeemed are wayfaring men or “strangers who are walking the way to a destination.” Yes, they are. If we live in the wilderness like wild animals and we die and buried there, we don’t need a “way.” But when we are redeemed through Jesus Christ, we become “strangers who walk the way.” That is, we become strangers to this world and walk the way toward the Heavenly Kingdom every day. In The Pilgrim’s Progress written by John Bunyan, Christian and Faithful reach a town called “Vanity” after crossing the wilderness. This town opens year-round fairs in which all kinds of merchandise are traded, such as “houses, lands, trades, places, honors, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts.” So once a traveler steps into the town, he has to endure unbearable temptations and persecutions until he passes through the town. Only those who have a clear identity as “a stranger walking toward the Heavenly City” can get out of the town of Vanity, resisting the irresistible temptations and persecutions from the traders in the fairs. We redeemed Christians are “wayfarers.” We have a destination in heaven, and we have a way to walk toward the destination. This world is not our dwelling place, and we are not its citizens. Every day, we should withdraw our attention caught by worldly vanities and reset it to heaven, and keep walking the noble way laid by Jesus for us.

 

The last part of verse 8 says, “wicked fools will not go about on it.” Some versions of English Bible translate this part in the opposite way. KJV says, “Fools shall not err,” and ESV says, “even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” The original text of this part looks much closer to the translations of KJV and ESV. That is, the way shown to us by Jesus Christ is not vague or confusing, but it is wide and straight enough for even fools can distinguish very easily. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus says, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” 1Corinthians 1:27 also says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” Considering these words, the highway paved by God in the wilderness may be seen more clearly to simple and foolish ones like young children, who are without the wisdom and cleverness of this world. Sometimes we feel that our problems are too complex and are confused about what God’s will is and what I should and should not do. Many times, this is not because God’s will is too complicated or ambiguous. It is more because there are so many worldly ways to success intertwisted in our head. Repentance means that we give up the worldly ways to success, and follow Jesus. In order to discern Jesus’ way and walk the way, we may need to become far more foolish and stupid toward the world.

 

The glory of God is revealed only through his salvation of us who are like a lost sheep in the wilderness. And Jesus Christ is exactly the glory of God and our salvation shown to us. May God open our eyes so that we may see the splendor of our God in Jesus. To us who are lost sheep in the wilderness, Jesus, our Shepherd, is life-giving water and bread, our way, our protection, our redemption, and our fellow traveler who leads us to everlasting joy in heaven. May our lives in Jesus be truly beautiful and dramatic stories of salvation, which are incomparable to any great story of success in the world, and therefore, may they be glory to God!!!