The burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water

Isaiah 35:7

If you’ve ever have visited the Permian Basin in western Texas, you would have experienced a very arid climate. It is so dry out there. Best way to describe what it was like there in the summer, the dry heat is like opening your hot oven. When that oven door opens, you feel that heat just blasting right at your face. That’s unlike humid climates where it is like stepping into a sauna.

When my family moved to the area in 2014, that summer was hot. The hot dry wind didn’t make things any better. Many of the trees lining the streets in our neighborhood were half dead due to the lack of water. Other trees, like mesquite were dwarfed. Grass was always brown. It was a very gloomy area. Even when the sun was shining every day.

In September, things changed. We finally got rain! Grass was greening up nicely. We had pools of water in the low points of the back yard. A near by lake that had been less than .01% of capacity (literally a little pound) was finally above 30% capacity for the first time in decades.

September ended up being a hinge on the door of summer that year. The door closes on the hot arid climate and opened on fresh, green, and life!

Isaiah chapters 33-35 function as the hinge of the door of this prophetic writing. The earlier part of the book presents a strong sense of doom and gloom for many people. The issue of sin and lack of faith in God lead to strong condemnation for not only Judah, but also for surrounding nations. Violence and judgment were in store. “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips,” lamented Isaiah when he stood in the throne room of God Almighty.

As these chapters swing the door on the first part of this prophecy, it reopens on hope, promises, and Good News: the redemption of God’s people and their return home. Just like September closed the door on a scorcher of a summer and opened up on lush green, Jesus is the hinge that swings the door closed on sin and death and reopens on the promises of life, salvation, and paradise.

In this life, we have many sorrows, worries, hardships that we face. It may seem like scorching heat. But take heart! In His death and resurrection, Jesus has swung the door shut on the sin and difficulties of this life. He has opened the door wide to the eternal bliss that awaits us in our Father’s kingdom that has no end.