There will be a highwayThis phrase symbolizes a clear and direct path for God's people, indicating divine provision and guidance. In ancient times, highways were significant for trade and communication, often built by kings to connect their territories. Spiritually, this highway represents God's intervention to remove obstacles, ensuring safe passage for His people. It echoes the theme of God making a way where there seems to be none, as seen in
Isaiah 40:3, where a voice cries out to prepare the way of the Lord.
for the remnant of His people
The term "remnant" refers to a small, faithful group preserved by God through trials and judgment. Throughout the Bible, God consistently preserves a remnant to fulfill His promises, as seen in the stories of Noah, Elijah, and the return from Babylonian exile. This remnant is a testament to God's faithfulness and mercy, ensuring the continuation of His covenant people.
who remain from Assyria
Assyria was a dominant empire known for its military prowess and cruelty, often used by God as an instrument of judgment against Israel. The mention of Assyria highlights the historical context of Israel's captivity and the subsequent promise of deliverance. This deliverance from Assyria serves as a type of the ultimate deliverance from sin and oppression through Christ.
as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt
This phrase draws a parallel to the Exodus, the foundational event of Israel's history, where God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. The miraculous crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) is a powerful image of God's saving power and faithfulness. This comparison emphasizes that just as God provided a way for Israel in the past, He will do so again for His people, reinforcing the theme of redemption and hope.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
IsaiahA major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah's prophecies often focus on the coming Messiah and the restoration of Israel.
2.
Remnant of His PeopleRefers to the faithful Israelites who survive the judgment and exile, symbolizing hope and restoration.
3.
AssyriaA powerful empire during Isaiah's time, known for conquering the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
4.
IsraelThe chosen people of God, often depicted in the Bible as being delivered from oppression and exile.
5.
EgyptThe land from which God delivered the Israelites in the Exodus, symbolizing liberation and divine intervention.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness in DeliveranceJust as God provided a way for Israel out of Egypt, He promises to deliver His people from all forms of bondage.
The Remnant as a Symbol of HopeThe concept of a remnant assures believers that God always preserves a faithful group, even in times of widespread unfaithfulness.
The Highway as a Path of RighteousnessThe "highway" symbolizes a clear path to God, emphasizing the importance of walking in His ways.
Historical Fulfillment and Future PromiseWhile the prophecy had historical fulfillment, it also points to the ultimate deliverance through Christ.
Trust in God's SovereigntyBelievers are encouraged to trust in God's plan and timing, knowing He is sovereign over nations and history.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 11:16?
2.How does Isaiah 11:16 foreshadow Christ's role as a deliverer?
3.What historical event does "a highway for the remnant" in Isaiah 11:16 reference?
4.How can Isaiah 11:16 inspire hope in God's promises today?
5.Connect Isaiah 11:16 with Exodus 14:29. What similarities do you find?
6.How can we prepare our hearts for God's deliverance as in Isaiah 11:16?
7.What is the significance of the "highway" mentioned in Isaiah 11:16 for the Israelites' return?
8.How does Isaiah 11:16 relate to the historical context of the Assyrian exile?
9.What theological implications does Isaiah 11:16 have for understanding God's deliverance?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 11?
11.What is the purpose of the Highway of Holiness?
12.What evidence supports the historical occurrence of the Exodus?
13.Isaiah 57:1-2: How can the claim that righteous people are taken away to be spared from evil be reconciled with the historical suffering of the faithful throughout Israel's history?
14.Isaiah 10:7-11: Is there sufficient historical or archaeological evidence supporting the extensive conquests described here?What Does Isaiah 11:16 Mean
There will be a highway• God promises an open, prepared route of return and blessing. InIsaiah 35:8 “there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness,” andIsaiah 40:3 says, “Make straight in the desert a highway for our God”.
• Whenever the Lord speaks of a “highway,” He pictures unhindered access—no detours, no enemy checkpoints, no obstacles too great.
• This is not merely poetic; it anticipates a literal, future gathering in which God clears the path for His scattered people, just as tangibly as He once split the Red Sea.
for the remnant of His people• “In that day the remnant of Israel… will truly rely on the LORD” (Isaiah 10:20–22). A remnant is the faithful core that survives judgment.
• Scripture repeatedly highlights this preserved group—Micah 5:7–8,Romans 9:27—assuring us that even in widespread rebellion God keeps a believing nucleus alive.
• The highway serves this remnant: provision for those who have remained His despite exile, oppression, and distance.
who remain from Assyria• Assyria was the great empire that carried the northern tribes away (2 Kings 17). YetIsaiah 27:13 foresees “those who were perishing in Assyria” coming home.
• Mentioning Assyria shows the promise reaches the very place of Israel’s deepest national wound. No exile is too far.
• It also hints at a future, world-wide regathering (cf.Isaiah 11:11-12), demonstrating God’s commitment to geographic, historical, and ethnic reality.
as there was for Israel• The prophecy anchors its certainty in history: God has done this before. “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the waters on foot” (Psalm 66:6).
• Just as Pharaoh’s power could not hinder Israel, so modern powers cannot hinder the Lord’s end-time deliverance.
• The parallel invites us to view the coming salvation as an Exodus-level event—miraculous, public, unforgettable.
when they came up from the land of Egypt•Exodus 14:29 records, “But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground”. That journey formed Israel’s national identity.
• Isaiah taps into that memory to reassure: the God who once conquered water and wilderness will again conquer distance and dispersion.
• The phrase emphasizes upward movement—coming “up” into promise and destiny, leaving bondage behind.
summary•Isaiah 11:16 promises a literal, obstacle-free route home for a preserved remnant.
• The Lord Himself constructs the highway, echoing past deliverance and guaranteeing future fulfillment.
• Assyria symbolizes the farthest reaches of exile; even there God’s mercy finds His people.
• The verse calls us to trust the same faithful, miracle-working God who parted the sea—and who will, at the climax of history, gather His own with equal power and certainty.
(16)
And there shall be an highway for the remnant . . .--The "highway" is, as in
Isaiah 19:23;
Isaiah 49:11, and elsewhere, the raised embanked road, made by Eastern kings for the march of their armies. Such a road the prophet sees in his vision (here as in
Isaiah 40:3), stretching across the great plains of Mesopotamia for the return of Israel. It was to be for that "second time" of restoration what the passage of the Red Sea had been for the "first time" of the Exodus, for the exiles in Assyria what another passage of the Egyptian sea was to be for those in Egypt.
Verse 16. -There shall be an highway. This is the object in view - the free and unhindered passage of his people from the various regions where they are scattered (ver. 11) to their resting-place in Palestine.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
There will be
וְהָיְתָ֣ה(wə·hā·yə·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, be
a highway
מְסִלָּ֔ה(mə·sil·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4546:A thoroughfare, a viaduct, a staircase
for the remnant
לִשְׁאָ֣ר(liš·’ār)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7605:Rest, residue, remnant
of His people
עַמּ֔וֹ(‘am·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock
who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר(’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
remain
יִשָּׁאֵ֖ר(yiš·šā·’êr)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7604:To swell up, be, redundant
from Assyria,
מֵֽאַשּׁ֑וּר(mê·’aš·šūr)
Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 804:Ashshur
as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר(ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that
there was
הָֽיְתָה֙(hā·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961:To fall out, come to pass, become, be
for Israel
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל(lə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478:Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc
when
בְּי֥וֹם(bə·yō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3117:A day
they came up
עֲלֹת֖וֹ(‘ă·lō·ṯōw)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5927:To ascend, in, actively
from the land
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ(mê·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776:Earth, land
of Egypt.
מִצְרָֽיִם׃(miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714:Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa
Links
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 11:16 There will be a highway (Isa Isi Is)
