Isaiah Chapter 26

THE GATES OF THE KINGDOM ARE OPENED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE GOD

 

Next, in chapter 26, Isaiah wrote a joyous song that will be sung not only by the people of Judah, but also by the redeemed when the Messiah will establish the millennial kingdom on the earth. Isaiah was picturing himself standing in the redeemed land with the remnant listening to the people express their thanks to and their confidence in God. We are going to take a close look at that song.

Isaiah 26:1-6 NLT:
1 In that day, everyone in the land of Judah will sing this song: Our city is now strong! We are surrounded by the walls of God’s salvation.
2 Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter.
3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!
4 Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
5 He humbles the proud and brings the arrogant city to the dust. Its walls come crashing down!
6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot.

The humble will be rewarded. This song to be sung in Judah, first emphasizes a reversal of fortunes. The humble will now be exalted while the oppressors will be overcome. In contrast with ”the city“ that will be destroyed (Isaiah 24:12-13; 25:2), the redeemed will have a strong city. Throughout the world the redeemed will live in cities and towns, but the strong city of Jerusalem where the Messiah dwells is seen as the city representing the world’s redeemed inhabitants. Because of the Messiah’s presence there, that city is figuratively said to have salvation for its walls and ramparts.

This city will be opened for the righteous, a reference to the remnant of believers throughout the world.  People who trust in the Lord will enjoy perfect peace, now as well as in the Millennium.[fn] This availability of inner tranquility encourages believers to continue trusting the Lord because He is firm like a Rock (Isaiah 17:10; 44:8); and He is eternal.

The arrogant and prideful people of the world will be destroyed because they did not trust in God. The poor and needy, the lowly, persecuted, despised people of God who suffered hardship and discrimination in this life will see the power and arrogance of the world crushed to the ground.[fn] This will be an act of God’s justice against the proud who took advantage of the poor. Isaiah was reflecting the scriptural principle that God has special concern for the poor who seek Him.

Isaiah 26:7-11 NLT:
7 But for those who are righteous, the path is not steep and rough. You are a God of justice, and you smooth out the road ahead of them.
8 Lord, we love to obey your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
9 All night long I search for you; earnestly I seek for God. For only when you come to judge the earth will people turn from wickedness and do what is right.
10 Your kindness to the wicked does not make them do good. They keep doing wrong and take no notice of the Lord’s majesty.
11 O Lord, they do not listen when you threaten. They do not see your upraised fist. Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Perhaps then they will be ashamed. Let your fire consume your enemies.

The song continues by expressing the certainty that deliverance has come to the remnant, not because of their own efforts, but because of God’s work on their behalf. Therefore they will continue to trust in Him. In a confession of trust the prophet affirmed that it is good for people to live righteously, because God smoothes out their path. That does not mean righteous people never have any problems. Isaiah was reflecting the truth that certain consequences follow one’s actions so that if a person lives according to God’s rules he will have favorable consequences, but if he disregards God’s Word he will experience dire consequences.

The remnant walk according to God’s laws and long to be in His presence. Those who refuse to live according to God’slaws will learn of God’s righteousness when they are eventually judged. Many wicked people do not understand righteousness when God offers it as a free gift of grace, but learn about it only when He judges them. Living where the righteousness of God is revealed in the kingdom of Judah was not enough for many people who would still not live righteously. A favorable environment is not enough; there must be a change of heart. Going to church regularly and attending Bible studies is also not sufficient, if those attitudes do not lead a person into a close relationship with Jesus Christ.

Though chapter 26 is a song of the redeemed, verses 10-11 indicate that Isaiah was writing for the people of his day, many of whom were spiritually in denial about God’s majesty and the works of His hand. Isaiah asked the Lord to put them to shame (verse 11) and to take vengeance on them. In this way God’s character would be maintained. Isaiah was not asking this for his own sake but for the sake of God who desires that His people lead holy lives.

Isaiah 26:12-15 NLT:
12 Lord, you will grant us peace, for all we have accomplished is really from you.
13 O Lord our God, others have ruled us, but we worship you alone.
14 Those we served before are dead and gone. Never again will they return! You attacked them and destroyed them, and they are long forgotten.
15 We praise you, Lord! You have made our nation great; you have extended our borders!

In the kingdom of God believers will enjoy the peace God provides as well as recognize God’s work on their behalf. They will confirm over and over again that they will remain loyal to Him even though they had at one time been under the domination of others. Those who once dominated the remnant will be dead under God’s judgment. The remnant will live as a great nation in the land God promised the patriarchs and their descendants in Genesis 15:18:

18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.

Isaiah now switches gears and speaks of those who because of their unbelief will not be saved.

Isaiah 26:16-19 NLT:
16 Lord, in distress we searched for you. We were bowed beneath the burden of your discipline.
17 We were like a woman about to give birth, writhing and crying out in pain. When we are in your presence, Lord,
18 We, too, writhe in agony, but nothing comes of our suffering. We have done nothing to rescue the world; no one has been born to populate the earth.
19 Yet we have this assurance: those who belong to God will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For God’s light of life will fall like dew on his people in the place of the dead!

Isaiah continues with his praise. His people had been in such distress they could only pray in a whisper. They had been under God’s judgment for 70 years. The closer they got to the time of deliverance, the more distressed they felt. He likens their experience to a woman in childbirth. But only God could deliver them.

This passage also seems to be referring to the End Times. The unbelievers in the nation of Israel and the rest of the world will not experience deliverance. Unbelievers in Israel and the rest of the world will be judged and will not enter the Millennium.

Then verse 19 ends the song with a note of triumph. Those who trust in God and have a relationship with God will live again. “The earth will give birth to departed spirits” is a lovely description of the resurrection: those who have died and been buried in the earth will come forth to new, resurrected life.

Isaiah was confident that Judah’s believing dead would be resurrected. When they wake up, when their bodies are resurrected, they will shout for joy. They will be refreshed in the way morning dew refreshes the grass (Hosea 14:5). That is, they will experience God’s blessings in the Millennium.

Isaiah 26:20-21 NLT:
20 Go home, you people, and lock your doors! Hide until the Lord’s anger against your enemies has passed.
21 Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been murdered. They will be brought out for all to see.

The song in verses 1-19 is directed to God. These last two verses of the chapter are now directed to the people. In light of all God has done and will do Isaiah tells the remnant to hide, to wait till all this comes about. Verse 21 actually summarizes the events described in Revelation chapters 6 through 19.

Isaiah wrote that the future remnant should hide during the time of distress, which will be the time of God’s wrath during the Tribulation, knowing that deliverance from the Lord will come. Eventually the Lord will set matters right by punishing people for their sins. All sins will be made known and the earth will disclose the blood shed upon her. These words would have encouraged the remnant in Isaiah’s day to remain true to the Lord, knowing that He will eventually judge sin. After that judgment is accomplished, believers will be able to sing the song recorded here in chapter 26.[fn]

Isaiah

John

Romans

1 Peter


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