Is.35 (Second Cut) Contrary to the older view, many see this chapter as postdating 1st Isaiah and that it serves as a sort of bridge to ch.40, after the material in 36-39. fro instance, the theme is exilic in the end, but yes, maybe it alone was tacked on.

 

1) Verses.3,4 hit me hard this year. What puts us in these postures.  What changes our posture?

2)The desert looks like a garden, but without irrigation.

3)the abundance of nature then becomes healing in vv.5.6. One could say that the glory/presence of the temple radiates outward to heal. Jesus may be referring to this passage in Mt. 11:15.

 4) I would think that streams in the desert makes at least some allusion to Ex.15,17's water. What does it mean to you to say that nature will rejoice?

5) Notice the movement verbs at the end of the passage. Instead of a king's highway,we have a holy highway.

6) Anticipating his discussions with Renowned Theologian of Rush County Mick Saunders, Breuggemann looks at the alternative world of this passage (TOT,209) and speaks of ordered life, v. deathly chaos, possibility of a new future, v. despair,dancing freedom v. oppression,viable community v.absolutizing autonomy,nourishment and care v.wretched abandonment.