“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10 ESV)

Having already prophesied God’s judgment on Israel, Isaiah spoke of the day of their return from Babylonian captivity. Yet, this prophecy was not completely fulfilled at that time. Indeed, they did return and surely there was singing, but their joy was not “everlasting,” and their “sorrow and sighing” did not cease. The complete fulfillment surely points to Christ’s “ransom” of those who have believed, buying them out of sin’s captivity and setting them free to live as citizens of “Zion,” which in this case points metaphorically to heaven. For in that Day the ransomed of the Lord will experience “everlasting joy” without any mixture of sorrow.