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Pastor's Blog May 16, 2019
"The Way of Holiness"
{Scroll over scripture reference to read the scripture or reference.
As we have seen repeatedly, mention of God's holiness in the Bible has usually been a way to highlight the joy believers experience from receiving the salvation provided by the Lord. Isaiah 35:8 continues this pattern, but what is different is that this passage primarily addresses "the end times." Isaiah 35:8 says, "And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it" (NIV).
Isaiah 35 opens by stating a promise: desert lands will see the glory of God. Water will gush forth in the barren and arid wilderness, and the desert will be as glorious as Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon, due to the land seeing the splendor of God (vv. 1-2). The result of seeing this divine splendor is that the weak and fearful are encouraged with the knowledge that God is coming to rescue them, taking vengeance on their enemies and giving retribution to those who would do them harm (vv. 3-4). And the further result of divine vengeance and salvation is for the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to leap with joy, the mute to shout with praise, and for the desert to become a garden paradise (vv. 5-7) - most of which sound like the miracles Jesus performed, while the last part sounds like the future new heavens and new earth! All of this is to prepare the landscape for God's highway: a highway of holiness for those whom God has rescued and saved (vv. 8-10).
What is interesting about this highway is that it is made in the desert for those who are the recipients of God's salvation, not for those who are perfect and sinlessly righteous; God's highway is called "holiness" because God has saved those who walk on it. The wicked are said to not travel on it, not because of their lack of morality but because they did not trust God and did not want God to deliver them. Those who walk on God's highway of holiness are called "the redeemed" and "those the Lord has rescued" (v. 9). Isaiah 35:8 stresses that the holiness of God is less about us being righteous and more about God being our Savior.
As we worship God today and in the days ahead, let us take time to think about the fact that God's holiness is oriented to our salvation and joy both in the present and in the new creation that he will make for us.
God Bless.
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
