Baptismal healing in Isaiah 35

Isaiah 35 is divided into six sections, which form a rough chiasm:

A. The desert blooms and rejoices, vv 1-2

B. Encourage the faint, vv 3-4

C. Bodies restored, vv 5-6a

C’. Water in the desert, vv 6b-7

B’. A highway of return, vv 8-9

A’. Joy of the returned exiles, v 10

This structure highlights a point that is evident on a surface reading of the text: The connection of healing with the gift of water in the desert. It is, according to verse 6, a causal connection: Eyes will be opened, ears unstopped, lame will leap and tongues will speak “for” waters break out in the wilderness. When Yahweh sends water into the wilderness, people will be healed. The parched land and the parched people will be restored to vitality and fruitfulness.

No wonder John got everyone excited when he came in the wilderness preaching a baptism.