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. BROUGHT FORTH WIND. Michaelis explains this of the disease called empneumatosis. Rather, "wind" is a figure for that which proves an abortive effort. The "We" is in antithesis to "Thy," "my" (Isaiah 26:19): what we vainly attempt, God will accomplish. WE HAVE NOT WROUGHT ANY DELIVERANCE IN THE EARTH - rather, the land (Judea) is not made security; literally, salvations - i:e., is not yet become a place of security from our enemies. Hebrew, yªshuw`ot (H3444) bal (H1077)...

18._We have as it were brought forth wind. _The second thing to be remarked is, that he goes beyond the limit of the metaphor; for when there is no end to their distresses, the condition of the godly is worse than that of women in labor, who, as soon as they are free from their pains, break out into joy at the sight of what they have brought forth, (John 16:21,) and forget all their sorrows. The godly, on the other hand, he tells us, are continually bringing forth; for new troubles and anxieties constantly await them, and when they think that the birth is at hand, they bring forth nothing but anguish. That is what he means by _wind, _(181) namely, that there is no removal or abatement of pain; and immediately afterwards he thus explains it, _Salvations have not been wrought for the land, _(182) that is,

12-19 Every creature, every business, any way serviceable to our comfort, God makes to be so; he makes that work for us which seemed to make against us. They had been slaves of sin and Satan; but by the Divine grace they were taught to look to be set free from all former masters. The cause opposed to God and his kingdom will sink at last. See our need of afflictions. Before, prayer came drop by drop; now they pour it out, it comes now like water from a fountain. Afflictions bring us to secret prayer. Consider Christ as the Speaker addressing his church. His resurrection from the dead was an earnest of all the deliverance foretold. The power of his grace, like the dew or rain, which causes the herbs that seem dead to revive, would raise his church from the lowest state. But we may refer to the resurrection of the dead, especially of those united to Christ....

Verse Isaiah 26:18. _WE HAVE - BROUGHT FORTH WIND_] The learned Professor _Michaelis_ explains this image in the following manner: "Rariorem morbum describi, empneumatosin, aut ventosam molam, dictum; quo quae laborant diu et sibi et peritis medicis gravidae videntur,tandemque post omnes verae graviditatis molestias et labored ventum ex utero emittunt: quem morbum passim describunt medici." Syntagma Comment., vol. ii., p. 165. The _empneumatosis_, or windy inflation of the womb, is a disorder to which females are liable. Some have had this in such wise, for a long time together, that they have appeared to themselves, and even to very skilful medical men, to be pregnant; and after having endured much pain, and even the throes of apparent childbearing, they have been eased and restored to health by the emission of a great quantity of wind from the uterus. This disorder is well...

WE HAVE BEEN ... - This refers to sorrows and calamities which they had experienced in former times, when they had made great efforts for deliverance, and when those efforts had proved abortive. Perhaps it refers to the efforts of this kind which they had made during their painful captivity of seventy years. There is no direct proof indeed, that during that time they attempted to revolt, or that they organized themselves for resistance to the Babylonian power; but there can be no doubt that they earnestly desired deliverance, and that their condition was one of extreme pain and anguish - a condition that is strikingly represented here by the pains of childbirth. Nay, it is not improbable that during that long period there may have been abortive efforts made at deliverance, and that here they refer to those efforts as having accomplished nothing. WE HAVE AS IT WERE BROUGHT FORTH WIND - Ou...

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 26:1 A SONG OF THE REDEEMED IN MOUNT ZION. The prophet, having (in Isaiah 25:1.) poured forth his own thankfulness to God for the promise of the Church's final redemption and triumph, proceeds now to represent the Church itself in the glorified state as singing praise to God for the same. ISAIAH 26:1 IN THAT DAY. In the "day of God" (2 Peter 3:12), the period of the "restitution of all things" ...

WE HAVE BEEN WITH CHILD,.... Like women with child; we have been full of hopes and expectations of great things, of deliverance from our enemies, and of the kingdom of Christ being at hand: WE HAVE BEEN IN PAIN; in great distress and anxiety, and in fervent and frequent prayer, travailing in birth, which we looked upon as forerunners of a happy issue of things: WE HAVE AS IT WERE BROUGHT FORTH WIND; all our hopes have proved abortive, and we have been disappointed in our expectations: WE HAVE NOT WROUGHT ANY DELIVERANCE IN THE EARTH: or, "salvations" have "not been wrought in the earth" f; this explains what is meant by bringing forth wind; salvation and deliverance out of the hand of the enemy not being wrought, as was expected: NEITHER HAVE THE INHABITANTS OF THE WORLD FALLEN; worldly men, the great men, the kings of the earth; particularly such as commit fornication with the whore...

Isaiah 26:1. _In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah;_ God would have his people to be a singing people. They often sigh; they should oftener sing. God makes their songs, and appoints the song for the day, and so helps them to cheer the darkest day with some melodious music. Isaiah 26:1. _We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks._ Jerusalem may fall, her walls may be destroyed till not one stone is left upon another; but still, «we have a strong city.» In the salvation of God, we live and are safe. Our place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks. The eternal purposes of God shall guard the safety of his people. Isaiah 26:2.

CHAPTER 26 JUDAH'S GLORY SONG 1. _Praise for Jehovah's faithfulness and mercies (Isaiah 26:1)_ 2. _The experiences of waiting during the night (Isaiah 26:7)_ 3. _The assurance of peace and deliverance (Isaiah 26:12)_ 4. _Assurance of restoration and preservation (Isaiah 26:19) _ We call attention to verses 12-21. Annihilationists base upon these words the evil doctrine that the wicked are not raised, but destroyed. The fact, however, is that Isaiah 26:13 and...

MEMORIES AND ANTICIPATIONS. The poem, which is a very elaborate composition, seems to have been written in confident expectation of deliverance, though the actual situation is still one of distress. Jerusalem has been made impregnable, let the righteous enter in. The unwavering mind is kept by God in unbroken peace (_cf. mg.)._ He is worthy of trust, for He is an everlasting rock; He has laid low the exalted city, the afflicted Jews trample it under foot. The way of the just is made smooth. The manifestation of Yahweh's judgment has been eagerly awaited, for the world's inhabitants will learn righteousness when Yahweh's judgments are in the land. The unrighteous shall not find favour, for they have not learnt righteousness. Though Yahweh's hand is lifted, they fail to see it. See it they shall, and be confounded and destroyed. He alone has secured their peace. Other masters have ruled th...