Preparing for Deliverance
Intro
Isaiah 26 is the 3rd chapter within the “Apocalypse of Isaiah” (Isaiah 24-27). It stresses the steadfastness of faith of the people of Judah during their judgement, which allows the judgement to purify them rather than destroy them.
This chapter is a song of victory which continues Isaiah’s proclamation from the previous chapter (Isaiah 25); of the Day of Deliverance for all of God’s people from violent and oppressive rulers.
This is a song of deliverance based on the prophetic knowledge given to Isaiah in the midst of the judgement. So with these words Isaiah offers hope in a future reality yet realized, but he he also acknowledges the reality of Judah’s present painful circumstances.
Read Isaiah 26:1-6
In the middle of painful judgement, Isaiah proclaims a future in which a song will be sung by the people of Judah who will rejoice in their re-establishment and sanctification, as a city whose inhabitants will all be righteous people of faith (v.2).
Isaiah highlights God’s eternal nature as an everlasting rock, and because of this he says Israel should know that unlike their temporary hopes and satisfactions, they can actually trust in the LORD forever (v.4). Even in the middle of our difficult current circumstances, God is working all things together for our good, because unlike people who waiver in their faithfulness, God is the Everlasting Rock who is faithful forever.
Peace will be established by the LORD God for 2 reasons: 1. Those who trust in God in the middle of judgement produce a steadfast mind that God keeps in peace even when trouble is all around. And, 2. because God himself will lay low the lofty city, so low that the poor and the needy will trample on it (vv.3,5-6). It seems then the choice to have peace now and later is always before us, we can have it in the middle of trouble and we can have it when God takes our troubles away.
Read Isaiah 26:7-9
Isaiah claims that the Just One will level and smooth out a righteous path for the Israelites to follow; in the path of his righteous judgements (vv.7-8).
Isaiah makes a personal testimony; that his own soul yearns for and earnestly seeks God, because it is by God’s judgements that humanity learns righteousness (v.9). One could say that this is proof that Isaiah was a man after God’s own heart (see 1 Samuel 13:14).
Read Isaiah 26:10-11
Unlike the people of God who respond to God’s mercy with humble praise and obedience (see v.2-6), here Isaiah says that the wicked are the complete opposite. He thinks it’s safe to make the assumption that even if the wicked were shown favor from the LORD, they will not repent and learn righteousness, because even in the land of uprightness they deal perversely, which means that they are completely blind to the majesty of LORD even when it is right in front of them (v.10). So Isaiah prays that God would send his zeal (intentional passion) to shame and consume the wicked (v.11).
Read Isaiah 26:12-18
Isaiah continues his song of praise, but now shifts his attention away from the unfaithfulness of the wicked to the faithfulness of the LORD God. The phrase “O LORD” is repeated and shows us how to call on the name of the LORD as we give our own praise reports.
First, Isaiah gives God all the credit for all of Israel’s accomplishments saying “all we have done you (O LORD) have done for us.” (v.12). This shows that Isaiah boasting is not in the human strength of Israel, but rather in the strength of the LORD their God. Isaiah knows that the very breath Israel breathes a gift from God. Isaiah knows that even when powerful nations rule over God’s people and oppresses them, that Israel still acknowledges the LORD their God as their true and constant sovereign leader (v.13). And it is a good thing for those of us who see the LORD God as our sovereign ruler despite who the leader of the government may be in our country, on our jobs, in our churches, and especially in our homes.
Second, a stark contrast is made here between life and death, whether this is a physical or spiritual death, it is clear that Isaiah proclaims that God will punished other nations with death, while allowing his people to live, multiply, and enlarge their borders so that he is inevitably glorified (v.15).
Third, Isaiah proclaims that in the distress of judgement, Israel prayed to the LORD their God like a woman in childbirth, yet when the time of deliverance arrived they gave birth only to wind (vv.16-18). Isaiah painstakingly explains that God’s judgement has left them dead with no children to carry on the nation.
Read Isaiah 26:19-21
In faithful confidence Isaiah says the dead shall rise, and the corpses that dwelt in the dust will awake and sing for joy, and that the earth will give birth to those long dead (v.19). What an amazing and assuring connection to the resurrection of all of God’s family at the Day of Christ.
In the middle of trouble it is proper for us to look to our living hope, but it is also proper for us to acknowledge the reality of our current painful circumstances. Isaiah confronts the painful reality of God’s present judgement by warning Judah to hide themselves in their homes for a little while until the wrath has passed (v.20).
This chapter thus concludes with wisdom from Isaiah on the intent of the LORD, that it was his will to expose and punish the earth for the countless sins of humanity, then to give new birth to those long dead.
Reflection
Oppressed people gain inspiration from one another because hearing about the liberation of another gives us an opportunity to see the true value in ourselves. To people who are oppressed today, Isaiah’s prophecy is filled with purpose yet realized as he tells of a future when the tables will turn; when powerful nations will crumble leaving those that now suffer under their yoke to one day trample on them.
Can God do for us what he did and promised he will do for them?