God's People Are To Prepare Themselves For Deliverance (Isaiah 35:3-7).
But those who would participate in the blessing must also prepare themselves, and Isaiah calls on the people to become strong in faith and in looking to God.
Analysis.
a ‘Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees (Isaiah 35:3).
b To those who are of fearful heart, “Be strong, do not be afraid” (Isaiah 35:4 a).
b “Behold your God will come with vengeance” (Isaiah 35:4 b).
a “With the recompense of God, He will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4 c).
In ‘a' they are called on to strengthen their hands and knees, ready in the parallel for the coming of the recompense and salvation of God. And in ‘b' they are to seek to encourage their own hearts and be strong and unafraid, recognising that in the parallel their God will come with vengeance.
‘Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees,
Say to those who are of fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not be afraid.
Behold your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God,
He will come and save you.”'
In the midst of their adversities all thoughts are to be turned on what God will do. The people are to encourage each other with thoughts of what is to happen. Those who are weak at the knees, and those whose hands are weak, are to be strengthened by those who are stronger. They are to make each other strong, looking forward in faith and encouraging the weak in faith to be strong and unafraid on the basis of the promises of God. For His promise is that He will come with vengeance on their enemies, recompensing them for their sinfulness, and with salvation for those who are His, because He will come and deliver them (compare the time of recompense and vengeance in Isaiah 34:8).
Note that these words are spoken to people still very much under constraint, for they require rescuing from oppressors. But in their oppression they are to endure in expectation of God's coming blessing.
This is ever to be true of God's people throughout history, for throughout that history, prior to the final fulfilment of the hope, there will be times of great distress for all His people (Acts 14:22), as there would be for ancient Israel. And in this they are to sustain each other. But in the end God's true people have this certainty, that after trial (assumed by the need to keep strong), the everlasting kingdom will one day be enjoyed in the revealed presence of God.