Isaiah 35:1-10 Scripture Study
By Pastor Chris Simmons – Trinity Lutheran Church, Paso Robles CA
A reinforcement/supplement study to our Sunday service meant for “Building up the body of Christ… the manifold Wisdom of God made known” (Ephesians 4+3)
For Sunday, January 4, 2026
About two weeks before Christmas I called my wife in delight. “I was able to drive to Target by memory!” While only just yesterday, on a much shorter trip, I drove past the coffee shop I was supposed to have a morning meeting at saying “I think I was supposed to turn there?”. If my middle name wasn’t Michael, it would be “directionally challenged”. I would say I have a good sense of direction but knowing how to get there however is a different story. Being able to punch something into a GPS has saved me a good deal of time. In my opinion, it’s because I concentrate a lot on my surroundings, the cars around me, and my own thoughts that I don’t want to be bothered by remembering directions (well, at least that’s my excuse). Dare I say, that is the same thing that detracts us from a good and holy life with God. Be it because of sin, temptation, or desire - we become “lost” in distraction at times on the path of following Christ. Thanks be to God, that in repentance we are reminded to look up, and that indeed God has granted us a GPS, a path to follow that even “no fool” could fall off of. Remember, we are constantly redirected by the forgiveness of God given to us through the gift of His Son Jesus.
Blessings as you study,
~Pastor Chris Simmons.
Discuss: What stories do you have about “getting lost”? Maybe while out driving? At a theme park? In a foreign country? How did you feel? How were you “found” or how did you find your way back?
Isaiah 35 :1-10 (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.”
Ironically, where chapter 35 is a section about the joy of those redeemed, 34 (the chapter prior) is one of complete and total judgement. It describes our condemnation without mercy.
Isaiah 34:1-3
Let the earth hear, and all that is in it,
the world, and all that comes out of it!
2 The Lord is angry with all nations;
his wrath is on all their armies.
He will totally destroy them,
he will give them over to slaughter.
3 Their slain will be thrown out,
their dead bodies will stink;
the mountains will be soaked with their blood
Yikes… that's a pretty intense sounding Judgement. So, we see a crocus displayed in the desert of this judgement. What’s interesting about that image is that crocus are among the very first flowers to bloom each spring. With Spring there is this metaphor of new life, a new season of growth. So, there is this town and change, where Judgement has come… but now there is a new season and rebirth. Unlike the confusion, rage, emptiness and slaughter (all words used in chapter 34) there will be abundance of joy and singing present in chapter 35. God is coming with a vengeance and recompense (meaning to make amends to for loss or harm suffered) to save us… so Fear not! “Strengthen your weak hands and feeble knees”. Although sin leads us to a path of condemnation, God also provides us a path of salvation.
Discuss: What pressures are “causing your hands and knees to tremble” now? How does Isaiah 35:4 bring you strength and hope?
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.
These verses are powerful and meaningful because they point to something outside of the Old Testament that had never been done before…
Take a moment to consider the miracles of the Old Testament. There are some amazing things that take place to reveal God’s presence and power. The Ten Plagues in Egypt (Let My People Go!)Parting of the Red Sea, Elijah calling down fire from heaven, Elisha making the axe head float, a few people being raised from the dead, leprosy healed, the collapse of the walls of Jericho, Balaam’s talking Donkey, Jonah and the Fish… again incredible things that point to God.
BUT there are miracles never performed in the Old Testament that only Jesus did… and these were 1. Opening the eyes of the blind, 2. The ears of the deaf being “unstopped” 3. Lame men walked 4. The tongues of the mute were unlocked (able to sing) . Only Jesus did these, not any of the OT prophets before Him (fascinating huh?). As all things are with God there must be a reason right? As we learn in Isaiah 34, God has provided a path for salvation and it is… you guessed it… the only one who can open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, unfreeze the tongue of the mute, and make the lame walk… a new path that has never been taken before… It is Jesus.
Discuss: Describe a long term problem that you’ve had that you finally found a solution to. What was it and how did you find a solution (or how did that solution find you)?
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.
Lots of great imagery here. What gives me the most hope here is this statement” It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” That means even fools like me won’t get lost…
Before we were called “Christians” disciples of Christ were known as “Followers of the ‘The Way’”. We follow Jesus, who is the way. Even though we are fools who still fall into sin, we will not be consumed by it.
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.
Like bumper lanes at the bowling alley, those who follow Christ are redirected back to Him. We feel like we hit a wall, but for those who belong to Jesus “not one shall be taken from my hand,” He says.
Discuss: Who has God placed in your life that has set you back onto the “right path”? When did that happen? When does it still happen?
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.
The ransomed of the Lord shall return with singing…
Read the following Gospel text, it’s a familiar one for you as we celebrate Epiphany, the coming of the Magi to bring gifts to Jesus.
As you read it, consider the following.
He will come and save you - The Magi saw the star when it rose… it was God who reached out to them.
The ransomed of the Lord shall return - the Gentile Magi being included in God’s redemptive plan.
even if they are fools, they shall not go astray - the Magi follow a star… a hard one to miss at that.
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy - When the Magi see the star they are… you guessed it… overjoyed!
and come to Zion with singing - when they find Jesus with his mother Mary, they bow down and worship Him.
Matthew 2:1-12
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Discuss: This text is often preached with the Magi acknowledging God and seeking after Him… considering the Isaiah text, how much of this is God reaching out to them instead?
Continued discussion: In what ways has God reached out to you (or into your heart) to follow Him? Maybe to follow Him more closely? To redirect you from going astray?
Prayer
Where in your life would you like to follow God more closely? What suggestions do you have to do that?
Where in your life have you felt lost? What can you ask of God to make your direction more obvious?
Who in your life needs direction? How has God placed you there to help them see the “star” to follow?
Lord God, we get lost often in this life. We pray for direction, we pray to follow “the way”, we pray to walk the path of redemption Your Son has laid for us. We pray that every step we take, we take in You Lord, and when we do stray, strengthen our hands and stop our knees from trembling… that we may repent and turn to you for Forgiveness. We pray this all in your name Jesus. Amen.