Chapter Overview
Summary
Isaiah 35 is the WILDERNESS-BLOSSOMS prophecy — the Christological-payoff after Edom's-judgment. Verses 5–6 — 'the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame man shall leap like a deer' — are CITED at Matthew 11:5 / Luke 7:22 as Jesus' answer-to-John-the-Baptist. The Messianic-miracles directly-fulfill this-prophecy.
Notable Variants
35:3 'strengthen the weak hands' → Hebrews 12:12; 35:5–6 'eyes of blind … ears of deaf … lame leap' → Matthew 11:5 / Luke 7:22 Messianic-fulfillment; 35:8 'highway, the Way of Holiness'; 35:10 'sorrow and sighing shall flee away' → Rev 21:4.
Structural Notes
MT Isaiah 35 = LXX Isaiah 35. 10 verses. WILDERNESS-BLOSSOMS Christological-prophecy.
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom — blossom like the crocus!
'The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus' tracks MT. WILDERNESS-BLOSSOMS. Eschatological-fertility.
It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.
'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' tracks MT. SEE-THE-GLORY-OF-THE-LORD. John 1:14 ('we have seen his glory') Christologically-fulfills.
Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the faltering knees.
'Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees' tracks MT. WEAK-HANDS / FEEBLE-KNEES. Hebrews 12:12 ('lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees') directly-cites this-verse — Christian-perseverance ethics.
Say to those with anxious hearts, "Be strong; do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."
'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' tracks MT. HE-WILL-COME-AND-SAVE. Luke 19:10 ('the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost') Christologically-fulfills.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
'Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped' tracks MT. EYES-OF-BLIND / EARS-OF-DEAF. Matthew 11:5 / Luke 7:22 cite this-verse VERBATIM as Jesus' answer-to-John-the-Baptist's-question: 'are you the one who is to come?' — Jesus enumerates-the-fulfillments: 'the BLIND RECEIVE THEIR SIGHT and the LAME WALK, lepers are cleansed and the DEAF HEAR, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.' Each phrase corresponds-to-an-Isaiah-prophecy (35:5–6, 26:19, 29:18–19, 61:1).
Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.
'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' tracks MT. LAME-LEAP / MUTE-SING. Matt 11:5 fulfillment. Acts 3:8 (Peter heals lame-man at Beautiful Gate; he 'leaped up') Christologically-extends.
The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. In the haunt of jackals where they once lay, grass shall grow with reeds and rushes.
'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' tracks MT.
And a highway shall be there — a road — and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not travel on it; it shall belong to those who walk the way. No fool shall wander onto it.
'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' tracks MT. WAY-OF-HOLINESS. The 'WAY' (hodos) — early-Christian self-designation (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 24:14: followers of THE WAY). John 14:6's 'I AM THE WAY' Christologically-fulfills.
No lion shall be there, no ravenous beast shall go up on it — they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there.
'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' tracks MT. NO-LION / NO-RAVENOUS-BEAST — eschatological-safety. Revelation 21:27 ('nothing unclean will ever enter it') extends.
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy crowning their heads. Gladness and joy shall overtake them, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
'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' tracks MT. SORROW-AND-SIGHING-FLEE-AWAY. Revelation 21:4 ('he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore') Christologically-completes.