35:3
Because there is future glory Isaiah urges the faithful to strengthen their feeble hands and weak knees. When sin is triumphing and most are turning away from God, or have no interest in Him at all, it is so easy to believe that there is no point going on, that all is useless. This is the wrong reaction. The final outcome has not changed, and we have been told what the final outcome will be. So we should get on with the work, and do so with enthusiasm.
35:4
Given the situation that Judah was in it was not surprising that many had fearful hearts, and these words are directed towards the faithful. We too can be full of fear. In our own land it seems that secularism is increasingly dominant, in other lands there is much, much more cause to be fearful, with Christians facing very serious persecution. We are commanded not to be fearful, for our God will come. And He will come with vengeance. This doesn’t fit the liberal “Christian” picture of God, but it is the Biblical picture, so we should lay hold of it. Those who oppress will one day either repent, or be subject to God’s judgement. In the present we should pray and work for them to come to know Christ, but we do so knowing that if they do not, then fearsome judgement awaits them.
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