The Highway of Holiness

Alan Riley

"A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Isaiah 35:8-10 (NKJV)

There was an interesting story recently on CNN that profiled a small group of believers who supposedly think that passage in Isaiah refers to an interstate highway in the United States. The passage comes from Isaiah chapter 35, so, according to CNN, these folks believe that the prophet, writing thousands of years earlier was referring to I-35, which runs from Texas to Minnesota. In the story, they pointed out several significant and tragic historical events that have happened on or near that road. In 1963, President John Kennedy was assassinated in downtown Dallas just off of I-35. Last year, a bridge on I-35 in Minneapolis collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring over 100.

The story in CNN certainly led you to believe these people literally believed Isaiah foresaw I-35. But, as is sometimes the case, the story was embellished in the media to play to stereotypes of Christians as gullible and prone to believe anything. The truth is, these folks see the connection between I-35 and Isaiah 35 as a coincidence that can be effectively used as a call to prayer for God's people.

Their website (www.lightthehighway.org) contains the following statement:

"We do not believe that Isaiah actually saw this Interstate, nor do we believe that I35 is spoken of literally in this scripture, but we do believe that we can use this text in a symbolic way as a catalyst to begin praying, just like those who live in Interstate 40 can use Isaiah 40:3, "The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God", and those on Interstate 10 could use John 10:10, "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

This is a wonderful idea to remind us to pray for and reach out to our culture.

The passage in Isaiah 35 doesn't speak about a literal road, but figurative one. This contains passages that clearly refer to the coming of the Messiah. The highway of holiness was paved for us by Jesus' death on the cross. Isaiah says that the unclean will not journey on this highway. We have no righteousness or holiness in and of ourselves that would qualify us to travel this road, but God has imparted to us the righteouness of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corintians 5:21 - "...He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Tonight, when I get on an interstate highway to drive home, I will be reminded of the One who paid my toll so I could travel on the highway of holiness. The next time I travel on I-35, I will remember this beautiful passage in Isaiah, and I will remember to pray for those who travel and those who live along this highway.

I encourage you to find creative ways to pray for your community and to remember what God has done for you!


Alan Riley is Vice President for Ministry and Media Development for 316 Networks (www.316Networks.com), Streaming Faith's sister media property. From 2006-2009 he served as Director of Web Operations and Managing Editor for Streaming Faith. An ordained Baptist Minister, Alan is a frequent contributor to the Streaming Faith Daily Devotional. He can sometimes be found blogging at www.alansblog.com or more often opining in 140 characters or less at www.Twitter.com/AlanRiley.

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