Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Opening Prayer
Tell Jesus how much you love him. Thank him for calling you to know him. Take a moment to worship him!
Read Isaiah 35:1-10
[1] The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, [2] it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. [3] Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; [4] say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” [5] Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. [6] Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. [7] The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. [8] And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. [9] No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, [10] and 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. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
How would you describe the dominant theme or tone here?As we have seen this week, vs. 5 and 6 are an accurate description of Jesus’ healing ministry. This passage had long been recognized by Jewish scholars as describing the Messianic age. Therefore, when Jesus started healing the blind, the deaf and the lame, people had to take notice. And if these prophecies were being fulfilled, all the others must be about to take place, too. Nobody really understood how they would be fulfilled. People were disappointed and confused when Jesus died because they had believed he would be their king. It was only after his resurrection that some began to understand the true meaning of the prophecies.
We, too, can look at these fulfilled prophecies and see them as a guarantee that others will be fulfilled, also. The same God who was faithful to fulfill his promises of old will not fail to fulfill all the promises he has made. Therefore we can be confident, after two thousand years, that Christ will surely come again. We can know without doubt that he will wipe away every tear and there will be no more pain (Rev. 21:4). He has promised.
Apply
Meditate on Christ’s return: not the details we can’t be sure of, but the certainty that he will come and we will be with him for eternity!
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, I trust Your promises completely and look forward to Your coming again and being with You forever.
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.