It’s such a visual, image laden passage that we might easily miss the profound spiritual truth that is being conveyed.  Isaiah is striving to capture the incredible transformation that will overtake the whole of creation when Jesus returns in glory and splendour (35:2).  Some of this week’s family worship can simply be about allowing the power of the imagery to take hold; and to connect it with the idea that this is what Jesus comes to do. 

Print out the passage (see below) and have some coloured pens ready.  Pick any different colour for each of the following activities relating to Is.35:1-10:

Highlight every image that describes this passing fallen age.

Highlight every image that captures something about the New Creation.

What are these collections of images trying to help us to see and understand.

Highlight what causes such an amazing change throughout all of creation.

Highlight the bits of the passage where Isaiah tells us how we should respond to our New Creation hope.

Highlight any parts of this passage that you think you’ve heard before.  Can you remember where?

Can you draw the picture that you think Isaiah is seeing as he writes this chapter? Mark will be giving out a small prize on Christmas Day to anyone who brings their picture with them (if your kids are planning to bring a picture, let me know – to avoid disappointment!).

You could plant up a pot of crocuses … and write Is.35:1-2 on the pot!!

10 days before Christmas (when we celebrate Jesus’ first coming) is a ‘gift’ of an opportunity to talk about the excitement we can feel when we are looking forward to something special. 

What is there about this age that makes us sad? … angry? …disappointed?

What are we looking forward to about the New Creation?

How does this passage encourage us as we think about:

…things that go wrong with people’s bodies?

…things that go wrong with the environment?

…things that go wrong with our own discipleship?

Why do you think Jesus doesn’t come back right now to make the world this amazing?

When Isaac Watts wrote his song: Joy to the world, it wasn’t originally designed for Christmas, but for the second coming of Jesus when creation would be renewed. 

You can hear a contemporary version of Joy to the World here

…a ‘kids version’ here

…and a more traditional version here

Heavenly Father

thank you that you have a great plan to fix everything that is wrong with the world.

thank you that Jesus is that plan

help me to look forward to the new creation

help to live as if I was already there!

Amen.

a bit of a trickier puzzle for older kids:

About 700 years after Isaiah wrote these words, John the Baptist was in prison (you can read about it in Matt.11:1-15).  He was asking some hard questions about his relationship with Jesus, and about whether Jesus was who He said He was.  This gives us a chance to talk and pray with our child(ren) about times when we’re not sure about being a Christian, or about what we believe about Jesus. 

How do we deal with those kinds of questions?  John sent two of his disciples to Jesus to ask the question straight out.  Jesus sent John back to think about Is.35.  Can you work out why?