Isaiah 35:1-10 Ransomed

Isaiah moves from the fate of the wicked to the rejoicing of the ransomed. Those who have been bought with a price, paid in blood; Jesus’ blood.

There are two directions possible from God’s judgment seat. The way of the wicked or the path of the righteous. There is ONE deciding factor for which path you will take. That deciding factor is faith in Christ Jesus. NOT believing God exists. NOT works that are good. But faith and acceptance of His redeeming work on the cross. At that moment before God, there are no ‘do overs’. There is no middle ground. There is no, ‘but I wasn’t ready’.

ALL sin will be paid for at that moment. Those who have rejected Him will pay with their own blood. Those who have been ransomed by Jesus’ work have already paid with His blood. We see today the beauty and safety that awaits those who chose to surrender their lives to Him and accept His ‘paid in full’ stamp on their lives.

We have been waiting a LONG time to see the beauty Isaiah describes for us. Isaiah only has human words to express the wonders he sees. He communicates what he sees in words the people can grasp and concepts they will understand. Words they can picture and cling to in times of trouble. For until that day comes, there WILL be trouble.

There will be illness. There will be pain. There will be disease. There will be birth defects. There will be poverty. There will be war. There will be oppression. There will be violence. And there will be sin. BUT there IS forgiveness from sin. There IS comfort in the midst of trouble. There IS victory over the enemy. There IS HOPE for tomorrow. There IS peace that no man can take away. There IS grace. There IS God’s amazing love. And NOTHING can snatch those whose trust is in Him from the hands of God.

The choice is ours. Who do you want paying for your sin? For sin DEMANDS payment in blood. It’s either yours or Jesus’. With payment comes all the ‘benefits’ associated with the quality of that sacrifice. Your own brings more destruction. His brings eternal and abundant life.

I’m curious about something. These two descriptions seem to occupy the same geographical space. Is the first on this current earth and the second on the new earth God will create? The new earth will not know sin so it has no place for danger. No hungry predators. No disease or infirmity of any kind. No deserts or wastelands either. I wouldn’t mind seeing a lion that has no desire to kill. One like what was in the garden with Adam.

“Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees/ Say to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you’” (verse 4). Hold fast to the promises of God. EVERY word He has spoken WILL come to pass. Be strong, and patient. No matter what comes, KNOW that you are secure in His hands. And no matter the physical outcome, the spirit of the one who trusts in the Lord will be safe in His hands.

Father God, thank You for Jesus! Lord Jesus, thank You for ransoming me. For paying for ALL of my sins. I am LOST without You. And I have NO hope apart from You. You paid my ransom with Your own blood! I’m looking forward to seeing the land Isaiah describes for me. I’m looking forward especially to seeing the place You have placed in my heart for SO LONG; our bench in a quiet grove by a stream.