Like the brown California hills, Israel greens and blooms when it rains. The flourishing of grass, flowers, and crops revealed the presence of God for the ancient peoples of this arid area.
The prophetic poetry of Second Isaiah envisions God restoring the exiled people of Israel to life, just as rain restores the earth. The healing power of Israel’s God will strengthen the feeble and make whole the blind, deaf, dumb, and lame. Isaiah calls his own people to faith in God’s power to give life and heal—to ransom and restore the exiled people.
Here is your God.
The wilderness and the dry land
will exult; the desert will
rejoice and bloom.
Abundantly they will bloom
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon
will be given to them;
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They will see the glory of God,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm feeble knees;
say to those of fearful hearts:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
who comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
God comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind
be opened, the ears of the deaf
be unstopped;
then will the lame
leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb will sing.
Those God has ransomed will
return and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy.
They will have joy and gladness;
sorrow and mourning will flee.
Isaiah 35.1-6, 10
God’s actions in Babylon far from the exiled Israelites’ homeland teaches them their God resides throughout the earth. God’s holiness is justice and compassion. The splendor of God becomes visible in restoring life, acting justly, and healing the suffering, the poor, the forgotten. As messiah, Jesus reveals that he is the Holy One of God, the heart of God for the world’s people.
The deep compassion of the messiah stirs him into action for justice, especially for people who are poor and powerless. The messiah is water for the desert, food for those who hunger and thirst for justice, joy for those who are sorrowful, strength for the fearful, light for the blind.
- What broken people can you help mend?
- Who can you ransom from captivity and and help green and flourish?