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The Highway Of
Holiness
What is the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8)?
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The specific phrase highway of
holiness is found only once in Scripture, in Isaiah
35.
In this chapter, God
promises that, in the future, the land of Israel will be blessed with fertility
and “the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose” (verse 2).
Isaiah’s prophecy of the messianic kingdom also encourages the
weak and fearful to be strong, for God will come with vengeance to save the
long-oppressed people of Israel (verses 3–4).
There will be gladness and shouts of joy when
the new, restored Zion will see God’s glory, experience His presence, and be
guided and protected by Him.
At the time the kingdom is
established, “a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of
Holiness” (Isaiah
35:8).
The highway of holiness
does not need to be a literal highway; the point of the prophecy is that God
will remove all obstacles and “smooth the way” for His people, enabling
them to access the blessings of the kingdom.
Some point to the fulfillment of this
prophecy as the Jews’ return from captivity in Babylon and Persia.
But the language of Isaiah
35 gives
it a broader context, including physical healing and environmental blessings (verses 5–7).
The highway of holiness could also be seen to
refer to the Way that is Christ (see John 14:6), the way of sovereign grace
that redeems us from sin.
The highway of holiness has three important
characteristics.
The first is found in Isaiah
35:8: “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.”
The highway of holiness is a place of
holiness. It is reserved for those who are righteous in God’s sight. No one
entering the kingdom will be foolish or sinful.
Christ alone provides the way of holiness,
having exchanged His perfect righteousness for our sin (2
Corinthians 5:21).
His righteousness is imputed to us, enabling
us to be holy, even as He is holy. The highway is reserved for His people
alone.
Second, the highway of
holiness is a place of safety, reserved for the redeemed of the Lord. “No
lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But
only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return”
(Isaiah 35:9–10).
This is indicative of the safety and security
God’s people will experience on the highway.
No wicked persons, symbolized by lions and
ravenous beasts, will be allowed on the highway. The redeemed of the Lord will
walk there in peace and safety.
Third, the highway of
holiness will be a place of joy: “They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).
Just as the ransomed captives would return
joyfully from Babylon, all the redeemed of the Lord will enter the millennial kingdom rejoicing.
Isaiah’s mention of a “highway”
occurs again in Isaiah 40:3, referring to the first
advent of the Messiah: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”
This prophecy was fulfilled by John the Baptist (see Matthew
3:3).
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