In chapter 34, we're given a short but highly descriptive review of God's wrath with the nations. This time the main image is the sword - and not a sword that's hung on the wall for decoration. This sword is blood-soaked and greasy with fat. After the people of the land and the domesticated animals are slaughtered, there's nothing left but the wild things, dangerous and perhaps even evil. Certainly nothing friendly to mankind.
The next chapter returns to deliverance though, and specifically mentions a highway where all the unclean cannot pass. No beasts of prey can prowl on it. Fools won't go astray on it. It is "for those with a journey to make." When people talk about being good, they often say you should take the high road. I've always seen this as a burden of sorts, since it generally means you shouldn't take the revenge you want to take or say the crushing thing you want to say. You have to show a little godly discipline and not act only for yourself. Looking at Isaiah though, the high way looks pretty good. No jackals, screech owls, marshes, thistles, or burning pitch on it. It's the holy way, and even fools won't err in it. This is great comfort to me, personally. Also of comfort is what comes just before, where God makes the feeble hands strong and the weak-kneed brave. Essentially, chapter 35 shows that God does all the work, from paving a highway to making his people strong enough to walk on it. So long as Israel (and us) does not turn away, it (we) will enter Zion singing.
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3 comments:
That part paving a highway and making us strong enough to walk on it! That is so powerful! It shows that we really are so weak. But God loves us so much that he does all the work. All we have to do is follow His lead :) I like that.
It does make one wonder why He bothers, but He's obviously not interested in giving up, so Merry Christmas!
This passage frustrates me; Isaiah makes it sound like the whole thing happens in the blink of an eye--the duality of barrenness and life, weakness and strength make their differences seem stark and clear when really it is not like that at all. God makes it so, but change to us is slow and we do not often know when we are blind or deaf or lame. Fools do not stray into this path, but then neither are we to judge the paths of others or call anyone a fool. GAH. Postmodernism rears its ugly head.
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