Although this week's Old Testament text is found in that portion of Isaiah usually attributed to the First Isaiah author, its focus and theme suggest that it is actually the work of Second Isaiah and has been transplanted into the earlier portion of this book. Note the recurring theme of the wilderness and desert becoming enriched fertile land (cf. Isaiah 40:3-4, 41:17-20, 42:16b, 43:19ff, 44:3, 48:20-21, 49:9ff, 51:3, 55:12ff). This motif is characteristic of Second Isaiah's use of the traditional creation theme in a new way. Yahweh is transforming the wilderness into fertile land, creating a new land of almost Utopian richness. In verse 2 of this text, Sharon, along with Carmel and Lebanon, are identified as the proverbial examples of rich, sumptuous land. In Yahweh's new action of creat…