Isaiah 41:19, commentary and pictures

God will plant noble and fruitful trees together in the wilderness and desert, opening rivers, fountains, pools and springs to turn barren heights and dry land fruitful. He does this by His own hand and creative power so that all may see and know and understand together that the Lord has done it, providing water and life where none seemed possible for the poor and needy. This promise belongs to a work in the last days to prepare the way for Christ's second appearing, giving assurance and encouragement to true believers amid afflicting judgments near the close of earth's history. It also describes the renewed and new earth, where these trees will grow together around the temple on Mount Zion to beautify and glorify it. The verse therefore calls for trusting the Lord alone rather than finite man, repenting and returning to Him in obedient keeping of His commandments, standing deeply rooted in Christ by faith, and answering His creative care with praise and thanksgiving.

Wilderness Made Fruitful

God will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, the myrtle and the oil tree, and will set in the desert the fir tree, the pine and the box tree together. This planting belongs with His opening of rivers on barren heights, fountains in the midst of valleys, and pools and springs of water in dry land, turning a dry place into a fruitful one. The wilderness is made to flourish by many kinds of trees growing together where growth seemed impossible, with abundant and varied life brought into waste places.

That transformation is a work of God's hand and creative power. It is done so that all may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this and the Holy One of Israel has created it. By this display people are led to recognize what God has done and to give Him praise.

The planting with its waters is His provision for the poor and needy. Where water and vegetation are lacking, He provides water and causes trees to grow, showing His power to provide where water and life seem absent. In this He restores and helps His needy people.

The verse stands in Isaiah 41-45, which very fully reveal God's purpose for His people and are to be prayerfully studied. The whole forty-first chapter is to be studied to grasp its full significance for hope and courage in God's work. There God reminds Jacob and Israel that they are His servants and shall not be forgotten, that He has blotted out their transgressions as a thick cloud and has redeemed them. He calls all the ends of the earth to look unto Him and be saved, for He is God and there is none else, with righteousness and strength and justification found in the Lord alone.

Promise for Latter Days

Isaiah 41 describes a work to be done in the last days to prepare the way for the second appearing of Christ. Its promise of life and growth springing up in the wilderness belongs to that preparatory work. It is a declaration from the Lord full of promises, encouragement, and assurance for the latter days. Its word will certainly be fulfilled, and those who meet its terms in these latter days place themselves where the Lord will surely do all He has promised.

It comforts true believers amid afflicting judgments coming upon the world near the close of this earth's history. Those judgments include earthquakes, storms on land and sea, and heavy calamities by sea and by railroad. At that time many who have greatly sinned perish physically, while sincere, humble, righteous followers also feel affliction from the judgments upon the rebellious. Lucifer then wars against God and deceives many away.

The planting in the wilderness also describes the renewed earth and the new earth. There the box tree, the pine, the fir, the oil tree, and the myrtle will grow together around the temple on Mount Zion to beautify the place and make it all over glorious. With them will stand the pomegranate and the fig tree bowed down with the weight of timely figs. Roses and lilies will grow on seven mountains about the temple in that better world.

Trust and Thankful Obedience

God does not direct His people to turn away from His wisdom to seek wisdom from finite man, and the chapters of Isaiah 41-45, which most fully reveal His purpose for His people and are to be prayerfully studied, make this plain. The Lord alone is to be trusted, men are not to trust in men or make flesh their arm, and the Lord will not be trifled with. There He reminds Jacob and Israel that they are His servants and shall not be forgotten, that He has blotted out their transgressions as a thick cloud and has redeemed them, and He calls all the ends of the earth to look unto Him and be saved, for He is God and there is none else, with righteousness and strength and justification found in the Lord alone.

The chapter calls His people to diligent work for repentance and to most earnest work, with the warning against trifling and with the promise of strength given to His own people. When God's people repent and return to Him as their Creator, He will bring life and flourishing to the wilderness and desert by His own planting of varied trees, so that people may recognize, consider, and understand that the Lord has done it. God can make a wilderness fruitful for those who keep His commandments.

The cedar and the other trees planted in the waste also teach that Christians, like the cedar, are to be deeply rooted in Christ and held firm by faith in their Redeemer. This bringing of life and fruitfulness to the wilderness by planting many kinds of trees there is a creative work that reveals His power. The renewal displays His care for His people and His help to them, giving evidence of His creative power in bringing abundant life and beauty to barren places. It is meant to lead people to recognize what God has done and to respond with praise and thanksgiving.