Isaiah 26:1-6
This is the song of salvation sung on the heals of the worldwide judgment shown in the previous chapters. The judgment wasn't for judgments sake, but the culmination of salvation and redemption. It is the restoration of the remnant and establishment of God's Kingdom on earth was it is in heaven. Psalm 110:1 says:
1 The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."
This is the day when the enemies have been subdued and Christ will sit on the throne ruling in righteousness. The strong city is the millennial Jerusalem; a reversal of the destruction of 24:10 and 25:2. It is then that only a righteous nation enters the gates of God's holy city. He is longing for this time of perfect peace; the phrase 'perfect peace' is a doublet; shalom, shalom. It is a peace maintained by the Lord for those who are firmly established in Him.
The 'everlasting strength' in verse 4 is rendered 'rock eternal' in the NIV. We often sing of this 'Rock of ages'. The rock of ages was an overhanging cliff where someone could find shelter from danger if they trusted the rock. The Lord is the eternal rock or the NKJV translates it as everlasting strength. See Philippians 4:5-7.
We see that God consistently humbles those who dwell on high. He repeatedly promises that He will bring the prideful and arrogant down. He not only makes that promise but says that the feet of the poor and needy will tread them down. The oppressed with partake in the judgment of the oppressor.
Isaiah 26:7-11
The passage is similar to a proverb or wisdom Psalm teaching that suffering leads to character and then bringing about righteousness. As believers, we are those who trust in God and we live a life and walk a path that is a pursuit of the Lord. We wait on Him and the desire of our soul is for Him. He is continually in our thoughts, late at night in the dark and quiet we long for Him, early in the morning before the days troubles begin, we long for Him. God judges us and in His judgments He will move us to righteousness. The wicked are blind spiritually and can't see when God's hand is lifted against them in judgment. To those who reject God's judgments and turn from righteousness, God shows mercy. He shows mercy every day in that He holds back the wrath the world deserves. God shows grace to the wicked and they deal unjustly and ignore God. Do we not see this every day?
Isaiah 26:12-15
There is a deep longing in each believer for this time of peace and contentment in the Lord. It is a rest from the constant battles of sin. All the works worth noting in our life were done by Him, for Him. We've all served other masters; earthly kings, false gods and self. For some it is money, drugs, lusts, pride, anger and the list goes on and on. In some cases God put us under them for our good, in other cases we put our selves under them, but even that is redeemable and be used for our good by God. The only name that can, and should be, honored in the end is the name of Jesus. All the other lords are dead and gone and will not rise. You, Lord, are alive and did rise again.
Do we recognize that God establishes peace for us? Whether it is peace in the land in which you live or the inner peace you find regardless of circumstances, it comes from a sovereign and holy God. When we let God into every part of our life, those dark and evil things are pushed away. With the Lord truly being the Lord of our life, we have a peace given by the Holy Spirit. We can't have a peace like this when we pursue our ways, harbor pride, or continually allow sin to invade our life. Do we give him the glory and thanks for all we have accomplished? With Jesus the Lord of our life, we need to glorify Him in the works of our life.
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
Isaiah 26:16-18
The nation of Israel only called out to the Lord when they were in trouble. When God chastened them, they responded. The crying out to God was almost a natural response like the woman crying out with her birth pangs. They weren't seeking Him because they loved Him and recognized all that He had done for their nation and their lives. Their crying out was for nothing because when the pain subsided they returned to their ways. The chastening of the Lord didn't bring forth correction and righteousness. In the end, though, it didn't matter. They brought forth wind of their own works. But, by them, a savior would be born; by Him all the nations would be blessed.
We've all see a similar response and maybe been part of it. When we face tough times, natural disaster or terrorist attack we cry out to God and ask Him to intervene. Then when the pain subsides many go back to a life of unrighteousness instead of thanking God and seeking Him. It's the inclination of the heart of natural man.
Isaiah 26:19-21
What an amazing passage this is. The dead shall live. Their bodies will rise. This is the promise from God to His people. The earth will cast out the dead as the saints of old will rise in the last days (1 Cor 15:50). This also brings to mind Ezekiel 37 when the dry bones rise from the dust.
God invites the people to enter their rooms? Are these the rooms that Jesus said he went to prepare for us? Is there a chamber with your name on it? These chambers are inner rooms toward the middle of the house. The outside couldn't see in, nor could those inside see out. We are to close the doors behind us and hide there for a little while until his wrath has passed. This sounds very much like a reference to the rapture. Once the saints enter their rooms the Lord comes out of His place and pours out His wrath on the earth.
©2018 Doug Ford
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