Summary6 min read

The Bible Recap – Day 205 (Isaiah 35–36) – Year 8

Host: Tara-Leigh Cobble
Release Date: July 24, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Tara-Leigh Cobble unpacks Isaiah chapters 35 and 36, focusing on the layered nature of biblical prophecy—how it often refers simultaneously to historical events and future fulfillments. She explores the themes of hope, restoration, and God's faithfulness, contrasting the temporary troubles faced by the Israelites with the promised everlasting joy. Tara-Leigh also highlights the ongoing application of these passages for listeners today, emphasizing God’s trustworthiness and generosity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Context and the Layered Nature of Prophecy

[00:01–03:30]

Tara-Leigh invites listeners to zoom out and look at the bigger picture behind Isaiah’s prophecies, drawing parallels between the “undoing of creation” in Edom's destruction and the Genesis account of "formless and void" (Hebrew: tohu and bohu).
Quote:

“Genesis 1 is the only other place where that combo exists in scripture. And in fact, the only other time the word bohu—void—is used in all of scripture is in Jeremiah 4:23, where he’s describing this same situation.” (01:09)
She notes how these prophecies can have both “low level” (near term, 7th century BC) and “high level” (future/end times) references:

“A popular opinion among scholars is that it's both judgment on the earth then, and judgment on the earth in the a day of the Lord and the Day of the Lord.” (02:23)
Tara-Leigh stresses the importance of holding yet-unfulfilled prophecies with “an open hand,” allowing space for differing interpretations while remaining rooted in scripture.

2. Isaiah 35: The Blooming Desert and Returning Captives

[03:30–06:45]

Fulfillment Already and Not Yet:
- The prophecy of the desert blooming finds clear fulfillment in modern Israel:
  
  “When it speaks of the desert blooming, it is. I’ve been to that desert, and it’s a wealth of agriculture. For instance, today Israel exports tulips to Holland, and there are streams in the desert.” (04:01)
- The return of Jewish exiles after Babylon is seen as a partial fulfillment; ultimate fulfillment is anticipated at the final restoration.
God’s Faithfulness:
- Tara-Leigh underscores that God kept His specific promise to a specific people—proof of His trustworthiness.
Hope for the Anxious:
- An especially powerful moment centers on Isaiah 35:4:
  
  “Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not. Why? Why shouldn’t they fear?...He will come and save you.” (05:10)
- Tara-Leigh relates this promise personally:
  
  “When my heart feels anxious, when I’m maybe headed for exile, I try to preach to it: Behold your God. Behold your God. Behold your God.” (05:26)
Eschatological Promise:
- The chapter ends with the recurring biblical hope of “no more tears, no more wickedness, no more threats to our peace, just everlasting joy.”

3. Isaiah 36: Assyrian Intimidation and Lessons in Trust

[06:45–09:15]

Historical Backdrop:
- The Assyrians confront the leaders under King Hezekiah, attempting to shake the people’s faith in God with public intimidation and mockery.
Mocking Judah and Egypt:
- The Assyrian’s taunting includes a challenge:
  
  “‘We'll even give you 2,000 horses, provided you can even find that many warriors to ride on them. That’s like saying, oh, you want to fight us? We'll give you the guns ourselves. But you probably wouldn’t know how to use them.’” (07:34)
- They also give a surprisingly accurate warning about trusting Egypt:
  
  “‘Behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.’ In other words, if they try to go to Egypt for help, it'll backfire. And that's true. The Assyrians are right here in this one tiny sentence. Even God Himself warned Judah against trusting Egypt. Idols may prop you up temporarily, but they'll wound you eventually.” (08:03)
Lessons in Discernment:
- Tara-Leigh observes that while the Assyrians' overall message is deceptive, this one insight about misplaced trust is biblically accurate.
Hezekiah’s Wisdom:
- Hezekiah’s directive not to respond to the enemy’s provocations demonstrates godly wisdom in the face of intimidation.

4. Personal “God Shot” and Application

[09:15–10:26]

Tara-Leigh’s personal “God shot”—the moment she saw God most clearly—was in Isaiah 35:

“I just kept reading it over and over again, picturing that desert, those streams, those flowers, and I was in awe at our promise making, promise keeping God...If God has brought about such great beauty in just this partial fulfillment, how much more beautiful will it be when he brings about the complete fulfillment of this prophecy in the future?” (09:28)
She expresses gratitude for the assurance that she will one day see this fulfillment firsthand:

“I’ve always wanted to live in Israel and he says it’s going to happen. What an abundantly generous God. He’s where the joy is.” (10:20)

5. Reading Plan and Community Engagement

[10:26–end]

For those who appreciate structure, Tara-Leigh encourages the use of the printable reading plan available on the Bible Recap website, celebrating the community’s creativity in tracking their progress.
Quote:

“If you download it at this point in the year, you’re going to feel so accomplished because you can check off more than half of the plan. I love seeing so many of you post on social media all the different ways you mark off the days.” (10:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Genesis Echo and Prophecy:

“Genesis 1 is the only other place where that combo exists in scripture...this seems to be a very intentional move.” (01:09)
The Already and Not Yet:

“Much of the partial fulfillment of these prophecies has already happened...God brought back the ransom captives among Judah...God can be trusted to keep his word.” (04:01)
Comfort for the Anxious:

“Say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not...He will come and save you.” (05:10)
Timeless Hope:

“No more tears, no more wickedness, no more threats to our peace, just everlasting joy.” (05:38)
Assyrian Metaphor for Misplaced Trust:

“You are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it.” (08:03)
Personal Reflection on God's Promises:

“He’s where the joy is.” (10:20)

Timestamps of Key Segments

00:01 – Introduction and reviewing prophecy context
01:09 – “Tohu and bohu”: Intentional echo of Genesis and Jeremiah
02:23 – The dual reference in prophecy: historical & eschatological
04:01 – Fulfillment of the desert blooming and return from exile
05:10 – Comfort to the anxious from Isaiah 35:4
05:38 – Eschatological hope: everlasting joy
06:45 – The Assyrians confront Judah in Isaiah 36
07:34 – The taunt about horses and warriors
08:03 – Assyrian metaphor about Egypt as a broken reed
09:15 – Tara-Leigh’s “God shot”: awe at God’s promises
10:26 – Encouragement to use the printable reading plan

Tone and Style

Tara-Leigh’s tone is casual, encouraging, and relatable. She weaves biblical insight with personal reflection, frequently connecting ancient promises to contemporary faith and personal application. Her enthusiastic and compassionate approach makes even complex prophecy approachable and meaningful for her audience.

Summary:
This episode encourages listeners to see biblical prophecy as both historically grounded and future-facing, to take comfort in God’s faithfulness, and to participate in the community of Bible readers journeying together toward a deeper understanding of God’s redemptive plan. Tara-Leigh’s engaging recap offers spiritual encouragement and practical tools for growing in trust and hope.

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Transcript1 lines

[00:02]
A
Hey, bible readers, I'm tara leigh cobble and I'm your host for the bible recap. Before we dig into our chapters today, let's zoom out a little on this situation to make sure we're addressing some of the possible nuances of these prophecies. Yesterday we left off with Edom being turned into a sticky, smelly wasteland covered in weeds and birds. It represented a kind of undoing of creation, much like the Flood when God destroyed Earth 1.0 and then opened Earth 2.0 for business. When God first made Earth 1.0, the words he used to describe it in Genesis 1:2 were without form and void, shapeless and empty. Basically, the Hebrew words used here are tohu and bohu. And in yesterday's description of that wasteland in 3411, both of those words are used again. This seems to be a very intentional move. Genesis 1 is the only other place where that combo exists in scripture. And in fact, the only other time the word bohu void is used in all of scripture is in Jeremiah 4. 23 where he's describing this same situation. So yesterday we read about the formless void Earth 2.0 after God's wrath was poured out over all the nations. And today we read about how the ransom captives are brought back to the land. So to understand this section well, we have to ask, does this refer to the time around 700 BC when this was written, or is this a future prophecy of the final days? And if you had a chance to watch the short video we linked to about the Day of the Lord, you may be wondering, is this a day of the Lord, or is this the day of the Lord? If you missed that video, we'll link to it again in today's show. Notes A popular opinion among scholars is that it's both judgment on the earth then, and judgment on the earth in the a day of the Lord and the Day of the Lord. We've talked about how prophecies can often speak to multiple things in a layered sort of way, and it's possible that's what's happening. A low level reference to the immediate scenario in the seventh century B.C. and a high level reference to the future scenario still yet to come. So when we read today about the ransom captives returning to the land, what about that? What does that point to again? Possibly both the already fulfilled return of the Israelites to the Promised Land and the not yet fulfilled return of all God's adopted children to the newly restored Earth 3.0. It bears repeating that I hold all as yet unfulfilled prophecies with an open hand. And if you happen to disagree with any of my interpretations of End Times prophecy, that's okay, as long as you do it biblically, of course, and we're still friends. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at what happens in chapter 35 today. Much of the partial fulfillment of these prophecies has already happened. When it speaks of the desert blooming, it is. I've been to that desert, and it's a wealth of agriculture. For instance, today Israel exports tulips to Holland, and there are streams in the desert. And God brought back the ransom captives among Judah. That happened about 70 years after they were exiled to Babylon. He made a specific promise to a specific people, and he fulfilled that promise. God can be trusted to keep his word. You guys, my favorite part of this chapter is in verse four, it says, say to those who have an anxious heart, be strong, fear not. Why? Why shouldn't they fear? How can they be strong? He continues by saying, behold, your God will come with vengeance. With the recompense of God, he will come and save you. Does this mean they won't go into exile? No, they do. It just means exile is not the end of the story. He's coming to get them. When my heart feels anxious, when I'm maybe headed for exile, I try to preach to it. Behold your God. Behold your God. Behold your God. This chapter ends with a promise we've seen before. No more tears, no more wickedness, no more threats to our peace, just everlasting joy. Then, in chapter 36, we revisit the story we first encountered on day 200, where the Assyrians come to confront the leaders who work for King Hezekiah. And they do it in front of the people of Judah. They try to use their best intimidation tactics to get the people to doubt God and follow them. Instead, they promise the people protection and provision, mocking God's ability to take care of his people. They also mock the people of Judah directly. They basically say, look, we'll even give you 2,000 horses, provided you can even find that many warriors to ride on them. That's like saying, oh, you want to fight us? We'll give you the guns ourselves. But you probably wouldn't know how to use them. The Assyrians make a lot of false statements, but I'll give them credit for one thing, though, they. They do come up with a profound metaphor that rings true in general. In verse six, they say, behold, you are trusting in Egypt, that broken reed of a staff which will pierce the hand of any man who leans on it. In other words, if they try to go to Egypt for help, it'll backfire. And that's true. The Assyrians are right here in this one tiny sentence. Even God Himself warned Judah against trusting Egypt. Idols may prop you up temporarily, but they'll wound you eventually. The rest of a serious speech is just a bunch of trash talk, intimidation tactics, and false promises. Fortunately, King Hezekiah was wise enough to tell his people not to respond. What was your God shot today? Mine was in chapter 35. I just kept reading it over and over again, picturing that desert, those streams, those flowers, and I was in awe at our promise making, promise keeping God. If God has brought about such great beauty in just this partial fulfillment, how much more beautiful will it be when he brings about the complete fulfillment of this prophecy in the future? I'm so glad I'll get to see it with my own eyes. I've always wanted to live in Israel and he says it's going to happen. What an abundantly generous God. He's where the joy is. If you're a list checker or a box maker or a type A organized planner like me, you're going to love having our principal reading plan. It's on our website and you can download it for free and check off all the boxes to see your progress as you move through. And if you download it at this point in the year, you're going to feel so accomplished because you can check off more than half of the plan. I love seeing so many of you post on social media all the different ways you mark off the days. I've seen different colored highlighting, blacked out squares, diagonal lines and star stickers. Even if you do the plan on the Bible app, this is a great tangible reminder that you can keep out in a visible space to help prompt you each day. You can find it on our website@thebiblerecap.com start or click the link in the show notes.