The Highway to Heaven
Isa. 35:8-10
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
You’ve probably heard of the Appian Way.
-350 miles long
-24 feet wide
-either side of the road was a path for foot passngrs.
-made out of rocks cut in hexagonal shape and
fitted together
-What a road that was… and so smooth.
-No wonder that in the construction of it, the
treasures of a whole empire were exhausted.
-but because of invaders, elements and time, there
is nothing left of it but ruins.
But church, there is another road built long before the Appian Way… and yet it is as good as when it was first constructed.
Millions of souls have gone over it and millions more will come.
Songwriter said:
The prophets and apostles, too
Pursued this road while here below
We therefore will, without dismay
Still walk in Christ, the good old way
What is this road? It is the King’s Highway!
It spans all the chasms of human wretchedness
It tunnels through all the mountains of earthly difficulty.
It’s wide enough and strong enough to hold the entire human race should they choose to travel that way
It was blasted out the rock of ages
And cemented with the blood of the cross
It was built with the shouting of Angels
while demons trembled in fear.
The King sent his son to build that road. He put his head and hand and heart to it, and after the road was completed, he waived his blistered hand over the way crying,
IT IS FINISHED
Napoleon paid 15 million francs for the building of the Simplon Road, to transport his cannon for the devastation of Italy…
But this King’s highway I’m preaching about this morning, cost much more than all the treasures of this world.
And the purpose of this highway was not for devastation, but for salvation
It wasn’t for annihilation, but rather for regeneration
This highway is the King’s Highway!
1. It’s a CLEAN Highway
Many fine roads have become ugly and desecrated because they have not been properly cared for.
But our text says.. .the unclean shall not walk on this one.
There’s no place on this road for the blackness of sin.
This highway is only for those who have had their sin cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and have had them cast into the sea of forgetfulness!
This is a clean highway… there’s no littering on this road. It’s the highway of Holiness
There’s no foul mouths to have to plug our
ears from
There’s no chewing tobacco wads we’ll have to
sidestep
There’s no pornographic billboards on this road
brother…
There’s no signs telling you Abortion is Right
No men holding hands on this road
No women kissing on each other on this highway
There’s no Jezebels, Ahabs or the likes on this
road either.
This is a clean highway!
There’s no hypocrites or self righteous bigots on
this road.
There’s no place for greedy, selfish, proud
travelers on this highway…
It’s a clean highway!
2. It’s a PLAIN highway
but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
That is, if a man is ¾ an idiot, he can find this road just as well as if he were a philosopher.
The imbecile boy has only just to knock once at the gate of Heaven, and it swings open wide.
You don’t have to have 13 degrees and 12 masters to find this road.
Even some Christians get into debates about pre-trib and mid-trib and post-trib;
-they debate over predestination and election
-they argue about entire or progressive sanctific.
The great thing about this road though is this:
You don’t even have to know any of those words to find this road.
This road is a PLAIN highway!
Even a CHILD can find this road!!!
And if they can find it, ANYONE who searches diligently for it can also find it.
3. It’s a SAFE highway
On those ancient highways, travelers would think themselves safe, not knowing that there was a lion waiting to spring upon them.
9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon,
It’s a safe highway.
Many an individual has had serious accidents upon life’s highways…deers jumping out… drunkards veering into wrong lanes…
Not this highway… it’s a safe highway.
4. It’s a PLEASANT highway
end of vs. 9 but the redeemed shall walk there:
10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion
When you take a trip, you start off at one point and have a final destination.
I don’t want to get on a road and drive just to see where it goes… I want to know where it goes. I don’t want to waste my gas and time.
Many years ago when my wife and I lived in London, KY, we took a drive through the country not knowing where we would end up… After driving for some time, we finally arrived at a small town’s outskirts, and the sign proclaimed “Welcome to the Gates of Hell”
Listen, the reason this highway is a pleasant highway is because we know where we are going!
WE know where we came from…
Came from Egypt’s bondage.
Came out of the devil’s territory
Were loosed from satan’s chains
Guilt and condemnation were left behind
The old nature was buried many miles ago.
We know where we came from, and now we know
Where we are going! And that’s the reason for the pleasant trip! We’re going to a pleasant place!
Songwriter said: We’re marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion,
We’re marching upward to Zion, that beautiful city of God
Vs. 4 Then let our songs abound,
and every tear be dry;
we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground,
we’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground,
to fairer worlds on high,
to fairer worlds on high.
There’ll be no tear drops on that highway…
No grave yards will litter the hills
No wheelchairs or walkers will be needed on that road
Everybody will be happy over there!
Oh I wished I could swing open one of those 12 gates this morning so you could hear the shouting on the other side.
I wished I could open it far enough that you could catch a glimpse of the splendor of heaven.
Oh yes… John did just that didn’t he?
Under the anointing of God, he wrote about that vision he saw…
Listen:
Rev. 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
Our text today: vs.10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Are you ready for that great trip on the Highway of Holiness?
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
