Isaiah 35:1-10 Commentary

Lectionary Connection

On the third Sunday in Advent, we often hear John the Baptist’s story. A strange guy out in the wilderness, dressed in camel hair and eating honey-dipped locust. He arrives on the scene announcing (in the language of The Message translation) “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”People aren’t sure what to make of John the Baptist. But no matter. He is there to make sure the people are prepared for what is to come. “Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.” He tells them, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

John the Baptist’s message is, in one sense, unique. And, in another sense, he is only picking up the mantle of the Old Testament prophets. Folks like Isaiah who tell us a new day is coming.  “The desert and the parched land will be glad!”

Illustration

At a pivotal moment in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we find the White Witch pursuing three of the four Pevensie children, with the fourth—a captive Edmond, shaking hands, knocking knees, and pounding heart-dismally along for the ride.

“But soon Edmund noticed that the snow which splashed against them as they rushed through it was much wetter than it had been all last night. At the same time, he noticed that he was feeling much less cold. It was also becoming foggy. In fact, every minute it grew both foggier and warmer. And the sled was not running nearly as well as it had been running up till now.”

When the sled finally ran stuck, Edmund could hear a noise “A strange, sweet, rustling, chattering noise — and yet not so strange for he knew he’d heard it before — if only he could remember where! Then all at once he did remember. It was the noise of running water. All round them, though out of sight, there were streams chattering, murmuring, bubbling, splashing and even (in the distance) roaring. And his heart gave a great leap (though he hardly knew why) when he realized that the frost was over.”

As the snow shakes loose of the trees, slumping off to the ground and the ground itself begins to show green, Edmund “noticed a dozen crocuses growing round the foot of an old tree — gold and purple and white”. He heard a robin sing only to be drowned out by the White Witch’s lackey screaming, “What are we going to do? Your winter has been destroyed, I tell you! This is Aslan’s doing.”

Commentary:

This is Aslan’s Doing

In many ways, thaw in Narnia and streams in Isaiah’s desert are delightfully aligned. This, again, from Brueggemann, “God will not leave the world as it is, in bondage, drought and oppression, but will bring it right. Here that rehabilitative transformation, which pivots on the gospel, ‘here is your God’ is focused on the restoration of displaced (people).”

There are crocuses in Isaiah’s prophecy. “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.” In Narnia, his friends and his enemies see winter melt and spring bloom and they know, “This is Aslan’s doing!” In similar fashion, the recipients of Isaiah’s prophecy knew that this blossoming desert is God’s doing.  “They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.”

Isaiah 35 is, in some ways, a strange promise, as Brueggemann suggests: “The term ‘vengeance’ includes a quite negative connotation that we readily assign to it. But it also includes the positive dimensions that God will come to right wrong, to order chaos, to heal sickness, to restore life to its rightful order.”Isaiah references people with “fearful hearts” which is literally (and, in this case, perhaps more accurately) translated “quick hearts.” Like a rapid heartbeat. A shot of adrenaline. “Say to those who are panicking.” Say to them, “Be strong, do not fear.” Which, if any of you have suffered a panic attack, you would agree isn’t — in itself — helpful.

The good news we await this Advent season, is good news for individuals whose sins need forgiving, whose brokenness needs healing, whose alienation needs reconciling, whose loneliness needs loving, whose cause needs advocating. The baby we await grows up and does all of these things: forgives, heals, reconciles, loves, advocates. But the good news we await this Advent season isn’t only good news for individuals.

Isaiah 35 is clear. This is good news that reaches the whole creation. The excesses of our consumption will be forgiven. Scars of careless use will be healed. Drought-land will become lush, deserts made fruitful again. Every plant, animal, each creature reconciled to their purpose. The purpose of the Pevensie children at this very moment in Narnia is to bear witness to winter’s thaw and the very-soon coming of Aslan. Similarly, the purpose given to the people who received Isaiah’s prophecy was to wait with expectation the signs of winter’s thaw. And we are given this same purpose. Christian discipleship in this very moment is the lending of our ears to listen for truth’s song, our eyes to spot patches of justice. To lend our minds to discernment, our hearts to compassion, our imaginations turning toward a Kingdom.

Homecoming

And, as we wait in this active and eager way, the text of Isaiah ends with a promise, which Walter Brueggemann sums up with one word: “homecoming.” After the blossoming in the desert, the promise of a redeemed and restored creation. After spurring on to courage and preparation for God’s people who are waiting. Then there is this: “The ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

In Advent, we wait and we prepare for a world that we can come home to. We wait and prepare ourselves as people who will feel at home in the Kingdom Jesus will create. The same Jesus we await in baby form at Christmas becomes the Jesus we await in Kingly form all the time. When he arrives at last, we will marvel at the work of recreation around us, the blossoming of a desert, the coming of Spring and we will hear his precious, holy and loving words. “Welcome home.”

Note: In addition to our weekly sermon commentaries each Monday, check out our special Advent and Christmas Resource page for more sermon ideas and other Advent/Christmas resources.