Isaiah- Chapter 26
Very strong significant messages are contained in these words of Isaiah.
We think of them in terms of Isaiah 1, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 20, etc and tend
to learn them as something imposed on us. The raw material however
of these words we are studying is very strong, very worthwhile, and at bottom
helpful and reassuring. This is our guidance.
[Isaiah 26:1] IN THAT DAY SHALL THIS SONG BE SUNG IN THE LAND OF JUDAH; WE
HAVE A STRONG CITY; SALVATION WILL GOD APPOINT FOR WALLS AND BULWARKS.
IN the day when the enemy falls (mentioned previously Isaiah 24;10 25;2 25;12)
shall this song be sung. “WE HAVE A STRONG CITY” in Hebrew ("ir oz
lonu") the expression literally means "the city is our strength". Through
dedication to Jerusalem God helps us. God wants us to rebuild and dedicate
ourselves to Jerusalem (Psalms 51;20-21). This message is to all of Israel
and Isaiah (as we shall) see is going out of his way to include the Lost
Ten Tribes in the people he is addressing and speaking about.
[Isaiah 26:2] OPEN YE THE GATES, THAT THE RIGHTEOUS NATION WHICH KEEPETH THE TRUTH MAY ENTER IN.
Speaks of the Last Days when God delivers the faithful remnant in Jerusalem.
"KEEPETH THE TRUTH" also translatable as "remains faithful".
[Isaiah 26:3] THOU WILT KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE: BECAUSE HE TRUSTETH IN THEE.
Isaiah was a Prophet. Moses the chief of the prophets prophesied under full
cognition of his Prophetic encounter. All the other prophets had visions
and flitted back and forth over different levels of consciousness. They
also expressed themselves according to their background. It appears
that: At that time vast amounts of oral tradition and traditional proverbs
and epic songs were committed to memory as a matter of course. The common
people had favorite themes and loved to hear the same long refrains repeated
over and over again. The children grew up with it and the repetition of such
refrains became part of common culture. Minor variations on these refrains
acquired significance in the understanding of those who heard them. The Prophets
when prophesying also used expressions and even parts of the popular verbal
heritage in their prophesies. Sometimes they repeated prophesies and sayings
made by others but often inserted subtle variations of their own. They did
this naturally and those who heard at the time would have appreciated the
connotations and verbal forms. Isaiah flits back and forth between moral
exhortations and prophetic predictions. He manages to merge the two so that
where one begins and the other stops is not always clear.
Isaiah is saying that someone who trusts in God will remain with HIM.
[Isaiah 26:4] TRUST YE IN THE LORD FOR EVER: FOR IN THE LORD JEHOVAH IS EVERLASTING STRENGTH:
God is our strength.
[Isaiah 26:5] FOR HE BRINGETH DOWN THEM THAT DWELL ON HIGH; THE LOFTY
CITY, HE LAYETH IT LOW; HE LAYETH IT LOW, EVEN TO THE GROUND; HE BRINGETH
IT EVEN TO THE DUST.
Raises the humble and downtrodden and debases the proud. Even today things
are not what they seem. Real wealth and happiness can be measured more in
the successful raising of children and in good health and intellectual accomplishments
than in other things. Even so some people do not achieve these or other things
through no fault of their own. The bottom line is that we must believe in
Divine justice and God being with us,
[Isaiah 26:6] THE FOOT SHALL TREAD IT DOWN, EVEN THE FEET OF THE POOR, AND THE STEPS OF THE NEEDY.
[Isaiah 26:7] THE WAY OF THE JUST IS UPRIGHTNESS: THOU, MOST UPRIGHT, DOST WEIGH THE PATH OF THE JUST.
[Isaiah 26:8] YEA, IN THE WAY OF THY JUDGMENTS, O LORD, HAVE WE WAITED
FOR THEE; THE DESIRE OF OUR SOUL IS TO THY NAME, AND TO THE REMEMBRANCE OF
THEE.
“THE DESIRE OF OUR SOUL IS TO THY NAME” Even when we sin there is a section of our subconscious that constantly yearns for God.
[Isaiah 26:9] WITH MY SOUL HAVE I DESIRED THEE IN THE NIGHT; YEA, WITH
MY SPIRIT WITHIN ME WILL I SEEK THEE EARLY: FOR WHEN THY JUDGMENTS ARE IN
THE EARTH, THE INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD WILL LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS.
“HAVE I DESIRED THEE IN THE NIGHT” : At nighttime our more hidden thoughts
come to the surface and we allow our imaginations to drift to areas we would
normally keep out of. We should transfer this source of energy into a yearning
after the God of Israel. Pray to Him and He will answer.
A religious Jew (Hasid) once came to his Rabbi and complained that “strange
thoughts” were plaguing him. The Rabbi replied: “Strange thoughts plague
someone who is always leaning the Torah and lives a good pure life. With
you however such thoughts are no longer ‘strangers’”.
[Isaiah 26:10] LET FAVOUR BE SHEWED TO THE WICKED, YET WILL HE NOT
LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS: IN THE LAND OF UPRIGHTNESS WILL HE DEAL UNJUSTLY, AND
WILL NOT BEHOLD THE MAJESTY OF THE LORD.
"YET WILL HE NOT LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS” Some people are just bad and
want to be bad even though they are quite aware that doing bad is bad for
them and even in the short run they probably will not gain very much (if
anything) from it.
[Isaiah 26:11] LORD, WHEN THY HAND IS LIFTED UP, THEY WILL NOT SEE:
BUT THEY SHALL SEE, AND BE ASHAMED FOR THEIR ENVY AT THE PEOPLE; YEA, THE
FIRE OF THINE ENEMIES SHALL DEVOUR THEM.
They envy the people of Israel and envy those who do good ( “ENVY AT THE PEOPLE”) Their own bad nature will burn them up.
[Isaiah 26:12] LORD, THOU WILT ORDAIN PEACE FOR US: FOR THOU ALSO HAST WROUGHT ALL OUR WORKS IN US
[Isaiah 26:13] O LORD OUR GOD, OTHER LORDS BESIDE THEE HAVE HAD DOMINION
OVER US: BUT BY THEE ONLY WILL WE MAKE MENTION OF THY NAME. It says “OTHER
LORDS” but the intention could be to one specifically. The word for “HAVE
HAD DOMINION” in Hebrew is derived from the same root as “Baal” indicating
the worship of Baal.
[Isaiah 26:14] THEY ARE DEAD, THEY SHALL NOT LIVE; THEY ARE DECEASED,
THEY SHALL NOT RISE: THEREFORE HAST THOU VISITED AND DESTROYED THEM, AND
MADE ALL THEIR MEMORY TO PERISH.
Baal died and was believed to have been resurrected. He was identified with
Tammuz and with other Middle East deities. Also in Celtic Britain the god
“Bel” (derived from baal) was worshipped and amongst the Anglo-Saxons
as “Baldor”.
Baldor was once (says Grimm) the chief god of the Anglo-Saxons. Hislop shows that the name Baldor means "seed of Baal".
Isaiah is saying that contrary to pagan belief Baal was a dead god who did not rise from the dead.
He is speaking to the LTTs prior to their return when they reject their former errors.
[Isaiah 26:15] THOU HAST INCREASED THE NATION, O LORD, THOU HAST INCREASED
THE NATION: THOU ART GLORIFIED: THOU HADST REMOVED IT FAR UNTO ALL THE ENDS
OF THE EARTH.
Despite its faults God has magnified the nation that he will return and claim
again. THE ENDS OF THE EARTH throughout Prophecy are linked with the LTTs.
It means geographical extremities when considered from the Land of Israel
like Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Scandinavia, Holland, West Europe,
Britain, North America.
[Isaiah 26:16] LORD, IN TROUBLE HAVE THEY VISITED THEE, THEY POURED
OUT A PRAYER WHEN THY CHASTENING WAS UPON THEM.
[Isaiah 26:17] LIKE AS A WOMAN WITH CHILD, THAT DRAWETH NEAR THE TIME
OF HER DELIVERY, IS IN PAIN, AND CRIETH OUT IN HER PANGS; SO HAVE WE BEEN
IN THY SIGHT, O LORD.
As a woman just before giving birth experiences acute pains and cries out
in her travailing so were we in times of our pain and trouble calling to
God. We were regarded to a degree in the same way: As type who when in pain
will promise anything but immediately upon alleviation of our pain return
to our bad ways.
On the other hand even though both God and we know of our own shallowness
God hears us because our sins in the first place were to some degree of the
same nature. We never really wanted to distance ourselves from the Almighty
nor to deny Him. We were just weaklings and weaklings should be pitied. We
have it in ourselves to better ourselves.
Prophesying that at some stage in the Latter Days calamites will come upon
Israel but Israel will repent and return to God and God will answer.
[Isaiah 26:18] WE HAVE BEEN WITH CHILD, WE HAVE BEEN IN PAIN, WE HAVE
AS IT WERE BROUGHT FORTH WIND; WE HAVE NOT WROUGHT ANY DELIVERANCE IN THE
EARTH; NEITHER HAVE THE INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD FALLEN.
[Isaiah 26:19] THY DEAD MEN SHALL LIVE, TOGETHER WITH MY DEAD BODY
SHALL THEY ARISE. AWAKE AND SING, YE THAT DWELL IN DUST: FOR THY DEW IS AS
THE DEW OF HERBS, AND THE EARTH SHALL CAST OUT THE DEAD.
Talking about the Resurrection of the Dead. The earth like the womb of a
woman giving birth to new life will bring forth the resurrected. We have
here the juxtaposition of themes: The resurrection of the god the pagan-worshipping
Israelites believed in did not happen. Their god cannot save. There will
however be a real Resurrection of the Dead in the Last Days. This will
entail the revival of the righteous and those whom God decides. This Resurrection
that will happen however is not the main purpose of the prophecy. It turns
out that the resurrection is used as a parable concerning the reliving of
the Israelite People. The Ancient Hebrews believed in the physical Resurrection
of the Dead. Isaiah uses this belief as an allegory for the Revival of the
People of Israel and the return of the Lost Ten Tribes and the Captives of
Judah. This is explained by the continuation of this Chapter 26 into Isaiah
Chapter 27 where it says:
“AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, THAT THE GREAT TRUMPET SHALL BE BLOWN,
AND THEY SHALL COME WHICH WERE READY TO PERISH (Hebrew: “Ovdim” also translatable
as they who were lost”) IN THE LAND OF ASSYRIA (i.e. LTTs), AND THE
OUTCASTS (i.e. Jewish Captives) IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND SHALL WORSHIP THE
LORD IN THE HOLY MOUNT AT JERUSALEM” [Isaiah 27:13].
[Isaiah 26:20] COME, MY PEOPLE, ENTER THOU INTO THY CHAMBERS, AND SHUT
THY DOORS ABOUT THEE: HIDE THYSELF AS IT WERE FOR A LITTLE MOMENT, UNTIL
THE INDIGNATION BE OVERPAST.
Exodus 12;22 tells how the Israelites had to hide themselves for a short
period while the Egyptians were being punished. Similarly in the last days
when the evildoers amongst the nations are punished the righteous remnant
of Israel may temporarily have to take refuge.
[Isaiah 26:21] FOR, BEHOLD, THE LORD COMETH OUT OF HIS PLACE TO PUNISH
THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH FOR THEIR INIQUITY: THE EARTH ALSO SHALL DISCLOSE
HER BLOOD, AND SHALL NO MORE COVER HER SLAIN.
Like giving birth, or resurrection of the dead, hidden things will be revealed.
Bloodshed especially will be punished. Those who helped kill Jews in the
Holocaust will be punished. Those who encouraged abortions will also be punished.
Murder will be no longer hidden from and passed over as if it did not exist.
This was a very powerful chapter with mixed messages all of which in the
perception of the Prophet were interlocked. The chapter is to be viewed in
the context of messages preceding it and those that follow it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
HOme