Dearly loved by God in Christ Jesus,
When we lived in Arizona, we often travelled the desert highway between Casa Grande where we lived, and Phoenix, about 45 miles. I served a second congregation on the south side of the city and we did our major shopping there. In the midst of the worst summer heat, the desert was “the parched land” to say the least. It always was a “wilderness,” a long expanse of nothing but sagebrush, cacti and Palo Verde trees.
In late summer and early fall, the Monsoon season brings heavy rains, and the desert blooms. It was still a desert but here and there, dotting the landscape, beautiful wildflowers suddenly appear. Where the previously dry washes now ran with water, a green snake of vegetation wound through the brown. There is unique beauty in the desert in full bloom.
Isaiah paints this picture of the day the Savior comes into the world. It is a fine picture for us to look at as we prepare the way for him. God Comes and Builds a Highway to Zion. It passes through the blooming desert. Only the redeemed will travel on it and enter the city.
The desert is the Old Testament church. It was parched by idolatry. It was a veritable wilderness void of love for God and trust in his promise of the coming Savior. God in his mercy would water it with his patience. He would send the fresh, clean water of his blessings just as he had done for the 40 years of the Exodus.
The LORD would transform the desert into fruitfulness previously unknown. He would fill the desert with the glory and splendor of the nearby mountains. People associated Mt. Carmel and Mt. Sharon with their verdant beauty. The blooming desert is the New Testament church. The church would see “the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.” God’s glory and splendor are his saving forgiveness and life. His glory and splendor is Jesus Christ.
The Messiah was theirs in promise. The Christ is ours is fulfilment. The church still is a desert in the sense that the world does not look at believers with much appreciation. Luther said that the church is “discerned by the Spirit, not by the wisdom of the flesh.” The glory and splendor of Christ’s church never were to be any outward ornament or adornment. The glory and splendor of the church is the Word of God. Spiritual wealth and the riches of God’s grace make us “like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; will rejoice greatly and shout for joy.”
Through this blooming desert of the New Testament church, God comes and builds a highway to Zion. That highway, “the Way of holiness,” is Jesus Christ. It is the gospel of salvation. Only the redeemed will travel on it and enter the city.
The Holy Spirit describes the redeemed who travel on the Way of holiness in terms of the miracles Jesus performed during his ministry. Jesus did his healing miracles as visible evidence of his power to forgive sins. Jesus pointed to his miracles as we heard in our gospel lesson by saying to John’s disciples, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear…”
The Holy Spirit of Christ has given us sight when we were blind to God and his grace. He has opened our ears to hear the truth of God’s Word. He has enabled us to walk in the Way of holiness rather than stumble around in our own lame efforts to save ourselves. The Spirit has loosened our mute tongues so that we “declare the praises of him who has called us out of the darkness and into his marvelous light.” [1 Peter 2:9]
The unclean, the impenitent and unbeliever, do not walk on this road. They continue to try to cut their own path to Zion. Zion is the church here on earth and eternal life. The picture is about the returning exiles who would come home from captivity. Only believers in Christ who travel on the Way of his holiness will come out of captivity and go home to the church as a foretaste of heaven and into heaven itself.
Along this road, we are safe from all enemies that lurk along the way. The LORD will displace the jackals. “No lion will be there nor will any other ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there.” This is another way of saying that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church. The LORD has spared the redeemed from any ravenous beasts. Jesus put it this way in John 16:33, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Here in prophecy Isaiah points forward to the saving work of the Servant of the Lord. Behind all the beauty and the glory and the joy that rest on us as the redeemed, is the suffering and death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. As God and Man Jesus lived perfect holiness. Jesus offered up his holiness on the cross as perfect payment for our sins. That holiness is the Way for us to travel to Zion. It is the Way we travel that keeps us safe from all enemies and harm.
It is this message both then and now that gives us strength and removes fear. The LORD gave Isaiah this revelation to do what he commanded the prophet to do. “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come , he will come vengeance, with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
We make a straight path for that highway God builds to Zion, and level the hills and fill in the valleys by daily repentance. We acknowledge our sins to God and put our trust on in Christ for forgiveness. We forgive and love even our enemies as we leave room for God’s future vengeance and recompense on all who do not believe in him.
As we prepare to enter Bethlehem to welcome that Savior, the Spirit reminds us of our even more joyful entrance that God has come to give us:
“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.” Amen. <SDG>