THE SONG OF DELIVERANCE AND THE STRONG CITY (ISAIAH 26:1). The first four verses of chapter 26 with their description of the strong city of God with its walls and bulwarks of salvation, which is for the righteous who hold the truth to enter, connect back to Isaiah 25:9, and are in contrast with Isa... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE LOFTY CITY AND THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS (ISAIAH 26:5). Those in the lofty city have no time for righteousness. Even if shown favour or set in a land of uprightness they will behave wickedly and ignore God's majesty. In contrast the truly righteous seek Him with their whole... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS (ISAIAH 26:5) The ways of the righteous and of the unrighteous are now compared, and their destinies contrasted. For the unrighteous the grave with its shadowy half-existence, for the righteous, resurrection to new hope. It ends with the warning that meanwhile God'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND JUDGMENTS ON THE UNRIGHTEOUS (ISAIAH 26:7). Isaiah 26:7 ‘The way of the righteous is uprightness (altogether right), You (singular) who are upright weigh up the path of the righteous.' This makes clear that the lofty city was not upright, for this is in contrast to i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT YAHWEH HAS DONE FOR HIS PEOPLE AND THE END OF THEIR ENEMIES (ISAIAH 26:11). As in Isaiah 25:1; Isaiah 26:8 is a prayer as Isaiah has turned his face upwards towards God. And he now delights in Yahweh's activity on behalf of His people. He bewails the fact that although God has been in action th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IN CONTRAST TO THE LEADERS OF THE NATIONS GOD'S PEOPLE WILL LIVE AND RISE AGAIN WHILE BEFORE THIS THE WORLD MUST FACE ITS JUDGMENT (ISAIAH 26:16). Isaiah now makes the context of what he is saying quite clear. He is referring to the time of the consummation of all things when all who are His wi... [ Continue Reading ]