7. What was to occur after the 70-year desolation?

⁷ That happened after the 70 years. With God’s blessing, conditions changed for the better. Picture this in your mind’s eye: “The wilderness and the waterless region will exult, and the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron. Without fail it will blossom, and it will really be joyful with joyousness and with glad crying out. . . . The lame one will climb up just as a stag does, and the tongue of the speechless one will cry out in gladness. For in the wilderness waters will have burst out, and torrents in the desert plain. And the heat-parched ground will have become as a reedy pool, and the thirsty ground as springs of water. In the abiding place of jackals, a resting-place for them, there will be green grass with reeds and papyrus plants.”​—Isaiah 35:1-7.

A People Restored and Transformed

8. How do we know that Isaiah chapter 35 focused on people?

⁸ What a transformation! From desolation to paradise. Yet, this and other reliable prophecies showed that there would also be a change in people, comparable to a desolate land becoming fruitful. Why can we say that? Well, Isaiah was focusing on “the very ones redeemed by Jehovah,” who would return to their land “with a joyful cry” and attain to “exultation and rejoicing.” (Isaiah 35:10) That applied, not to the literal soil, but to people. Furthermore, Isaiah elsewhere foretold about the people restored to Zion: “They must be called big trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah . . . For as the earth itself brings forth its sprout, . . . Jehovah will cause the sprouting of righteousness and of praise in front of all the nations.” Isaiah also said of God’s people: “Jehovah will be bound to lead you constantly . . . , and he will invigorate your very bones; and you must become like a well-watered garden.” (Isaiah 58:11; 61:3, 11; Jeremiah 31:10-12) Hence, just as environmental conditions of the literal land would improve, there would be changes in the restored Jewish people.

However, think of the spiritual paradise that we now enjoy. Compared with the sick condition that we once were in, we have been healed spiritually. And contrast our once-famished state with our present well-fed spiritual state. Rather than struggling as in an arid spiritual land, God’s people have his approval and a downpour of blessings. (Isaiah 35:1, 7) Rather than being blinded in dungeonlike spiritual darkness, we see the light of freedom and of God’s favor. Many who were as good as deaf to Bible prophecies have come to hear with understanding what the Scriptures say. (Isaiah 35:5) For example, millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the globe have studied Daniel’s prophecy, verse by verse. Then they considered in depth each chapter of the Bible book of Isaiah. Does not that refreshing spiritual food give evidence of our spiritual paradise?

18. How must Isaiah 35:2 have given exiled Israelites an idea of what the Promised Land would be like?

¹⁸ The Promised Land’s verdant beauty and fruitfulness was such that merely mentioning certain locales brought to mind paradiselike conditions. That is clear from the prophecy in Isaiah chapter 35, which had an initial fulfillment when the Israelites returned from Babylon. Isaiah foretold: “Without fail it will blossom, and it will really be joyful with joyousness and with glad crying out. The glory of Lebanon itself must be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and of Sharon. There will be those who will see the glory of Jehovah, the splendor of our God.” (Isaiah 35:2) The references to Lebanon, Carmel, and Sharon must have evoked a satisfying and lovely image to the Israelites.

19, 20. (a) Describe the area of ancient Sharon. (b) What is one way to strengthen our hope for Paradise?

¹⁹ Consider Sharon, a maritime plain between the hills of Samaria and the Great Sea, or the Mediterranean. (See photo on page 10.) It was noted for its beauty and productivity. Being well watered, it was fine for grazing, but it had forests of oak trees in the northern sections. (1 Chronicles 27:29; Song of Solomon 2:1, footnote; Isaiah 65:10) Thus Isaiah 35:2 was foretelling a restoration and a land blossoming with splendor, becoming like a paradise. That prophecy was also pointing to a delightful spiritual paradise, in line with what Paul later saw in vision. Finally, this prophecy, along with others, strengthens our hope for an earthly paradise for mankind.