SIGNS OF MESSIAH AND THE AGE OF THE SPIRIT.
Isaiah 35:4-7.
For those who are afflicted, who have waited, who have prayed and longed for deliverance: take heart, God will avenge, God will recompense, God will save you (Isaiah 35:4). The restoration of sight and hearing (Isaiah 35:5) is Messiah’s work (cf. Isaiah 42:18; Isaiah 43:8), and identifies Jesus as the Christ (Luke 7:22).
The lame leaping (Isaiah 35:6) also sees the continuing work of Jesus through the Apostles (Acts 3:6-8). As for the dumb singing – this is best illustrated by the plight of the man whose tongue was quite literally tied up in knots (Mark 7:32 uses the same rare word for ‘dumb’ as the Greek translation of Isaiah 35:6). Jesus touched Him, spoke words over him, and healed him (Mark 7:33-35).
All these physical healings anticipate a spiritual reality, also relating to Messiah’s reign (cf. Isaiah 32:3-4).
Waters breaking out in the wilderness (Isaiah 35:6-7) remind us of the water from the Rock of the earlier journey of Israel (Psalm 78:15-16). ‘That Rock was Christ,’ tells Paul (1 Corinthians 10:4). It also points forward to the abundance of the age of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:3-4; John 4:14; John 7:37-39).
