Isaiah 35:1-10

Now chapter 35 is out of the darkness into the light. Out of the tribulation into the kingdom. The glorious day of the Lord to which we look forward to. In chapter 35, oh, what a glorious chapter as it speaks of the earth and its conditions when Jesus comes and establishes God's kingdom and He reigns upon the earth. For at that time

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God (Isaiah 35:1-2).

For the earth will be restored to its Edenic glory. And even in the desert and wilderness places, they will no longer exist upon the earth at that time. Buy up as much as you can in Death Valley--cheap prices now--because it's going to be glorious out there.

Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, don't be afraid: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; and he will save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a deer, and the tongue of the dumb will sing (Isaiah 35:3-6):

The glorious restoration of God. You see, you do not see the world as God intended it or created it. You see a world that is suffering as a result of man's rebellion and sin. You do not see man as God intended him. With his physical ailments and impairments. With the deafness, blindness, handicaps. God did not intend that. And in the Kingdom Age, these things will not be. How can a God of love allow a child to be born blind? How can a God of love allow a child to be born deaf or something? Hey, wait a minute. This world is presently under Satan's control who has rebelled against God. Jesus came to redeem the world back to God and the day is coming when He is going to take His purchased possession unto Himself. And when He does, you'll see the world that God intended and it will be a world without suffering. It will be a world without pain. It will be a world without physical weaknesses, impairments of any sort. For the lame will be leaping as a deer. The blind will see. The dumb will be singing the praises unto the Lord. And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and there will be streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, they will not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up there upon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there (Isaiah 35:6-9):

Men will live in safety. No longer will the beasts be ravenous. The lion will lie down with the lamb and a little child will lead them and lion will eat grass like the oxen.

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return (Isaiah 35:10),

Return with Jesus Christ.

and they'll come to Zion [to Jerusalem] with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah 35:10).

Oh, the glorious day of the Lord! How we long for it, and our prayer is, "O Lord, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth even as it is in heaven. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus." Oh, how I love this thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah.

The Lord gave me this chapter in a time of great need, personal need, in my own life. When my mother was with us and was dying, one day sitting there in the room I said, "God, I just can't take it." I was looking at those beautiful hands that had ministered so much to me. I could remember when I had a fever and those hands felt so cool on my forehead. That she would wipe the perspiration off. I thought of all of the neat rolls, pies, cookies, cakes that those hands had fixed. And my heart was just being wrung out within me and I said, "God, I can't take it. Can't stand to see my mother suffering like this. God, I need help. I need it now." And I grabbed the Bible and I opened it and it opened to Isaiah 35:1-10. And I read of this glorious day that is coming when the blind will see, the lame will leap as a deer, and the deaf will be hearing and the dumb will be singing. And the glorious day of the Lord. Gladness, the day of joy. Sorrow and sighing gone. And oh, how the Lord ministered to me. It was just glorious. God just ministered to me in such a beautiful way.

About a week later, we took her to the hospital and as she was lying there in a coma, again I just became sort of overcome with grief realizing that I was losing this woman who was so dear and precious to me. I was going to miss all of those prayers by which my life had been strengthened and helped. And there in the hospital I just said, "God, I can't take it. I need help, Lord. I'm desperate. I need help. Please help me." And I grabbed the Bible that was there in the hospital room. Not... if you grab the same Bible you say, "Well, your Bible just falls open to Isaiah 35:1-10," but it was a different Bible completely. One that was there in the hospital room. I grabbed it and I just opened it up- Isaiah 35:1-10. I read it and oh, how the Lord ministered to me again. Oh, thank You, Lord. Come quickly, Jesus.

And then when she was lying in the slumber room over at Flower Brothers in Santa Ana, and I went into the room and stood there. And I realized that this was it. My mom's gone. And I just... The rest of the family had gone out and I was there by myself. And again the memories in a time like that just come racing through your mind and the thoughts. Again, I just sort of became overcome and choked up and said, "God, I just need help. Please, Lord, I need help. Strengthen me, Lord, I just need Your touch. I need Your help." And I grabbed the Bible that they had set there in the room and I opened it up- Isaiah 35:1-10. I said, "I've got the message, Lord. I've got the message!"

And so Isaiah 35:1-10 is a special chapter to me. God has so ministered to me through that chapter. And that is the longing of my heart tonight is for the fulfillment of God's promise. The glorious Kingdom Age when the trials and the hardships and the afflictions and all of this present existence are over. When sin is put away and when the kingdom comes and the righteous King reigns. And we behold Him in His beauty and the earth is restored. O Lord, hasten that day. I can hardly wait.

Now may the Lord bless you and be with you and keep you in His love through the grace of Jesus Christ as we look forward to that glorious day of the Lord when He comes for us that we might be with Him in His eternal kingdom, world without end. God bless you and may the strength of the Lord be your portion this week. In Jesus' name. "