Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 26:7

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Final victory for the godly (26:1-27:1)

Having destroyed the city built by human hands (that is, humankind’s whole ungodly way of life; 25:2), God now builds his city. It is a city for the righteous, an eternal dwelling place for those who have experienced the perfect peace that comes through complete trust in God (26:1-3). Those who trust in him have stability and security, but those who trust in themselves are overthrown. God’s city stands for ever; the world’s city is smashed to the ground and trampled in the dust (4-6).
Godly people long to know God and his ways better, so that they can live righteously according to his directions. They desire this knowledge for others also, because only when people know God can they truly know what righteousness is (7-9). The ungodly do not know God and so cannot live uprightly (10-11). The righteous know that God cares for them, and they respond with loyalty to him, even when they are oppressed by their enemies (12-13). In due course, however, the enemies are destroyed, but the righteous have peace. Their numbers increase, and God’s blessing spreads throughout the land (14-15).
The righteous then recall how they have cried to God in their distress, but have received no apparent answer. All their efforts and all their expectations have come to nothing. They feel the disappointment and frustration of a woman who suffers birth pains but produces no child. Many of the godly have died without seeing any victory (16-18). Their victory must therefore lie in the future, when their bodies will be triumphantly raised from death (19).
God’s people need not fear his wrath, for he will protect them when he carries out his work of judgment on a sinful world (20-21). By contrast his enemies, symbolized here by fierce monsters, will suffer his deadly punishment (27:1).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“The way of the just is uprightness: thou that art upright doth direct the path. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O Jehovah, have we waited for thee; to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul. With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal wrongfully, and will not behold the majesty of Jehovah.”

Note that Isaiah 26:7-8 are speaking of the same thing, and therefore they are included in the same paragraph here.

“It is especially significant in this paragraph that righteousness is learned only when God’s judgments are abroad in the earth (Isaiah 26:9 b). When favor is shown to the wicked, they learn nothing.”Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 266. It must not be thought, however, that this failure of the wicked was due to their inability to learn. It was the result of their stubborn refusal to learn. Barnes rendered Isaiah 26:10, “He will not learn,” indicating that the wicked have no desire to learn. As Christ saw it, “Light has come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil” (John 3:19). Satan would have us believe that men disbelieve because they are “smart”; but that is one of Satan’s favorite lies. Men disbelieve because they are wicked.

Here also we find the necessity for God’s judgments. Isaiah 26:10 carries the idea that, “God’s judgments are necessary because his favor is ineffectual.”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 433 However, Isaiah 26:11 in the next paragraph, thunders God’s message, “The adversaries shall see… and be ashamed.”Ibid. This is the ultimate word for all unbelievers. Whether or not they wish to believe or intend to believe, there will not be an unbeliever anywhere in the whole universe on the occasion of the final judgment. See Revelation 6:12 ff.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The way of the just is uprightness - The Hebrew is literally, ‘The way to the just is uprightness;’ the word ‘way’ probably refers to God’s way, or his dealings with the righteous. The sentiment is, that his dealings with them are just; that though they are afflicted and oppressed, yet that his ways are right, and they will yet perceive it. This is language supposed to be used by the captive Jews after they had seen the proud city of Babylon taken, and after God had come forth to restore them to their own land. The word ‘uprightness’ in the original is in the plural number, but is often used in the sense of straightness Proverbs 23:31; Song of Solomon 7:10; of sincerity, or uprightness Song of Solomon 1:4; or of righteousness as a judge Psalms 9:9; Psalms 58:2; Psalms 99:4.

Thou most upright - Evidently an address to God, as being most just, and as having now evinced his uprightness in the deliverance of his people. The same epithet is applied to him in Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 25:8; 92:16.

Dost weigh the path of the just - The word used here (פלס pâlac) may mean to weigh as in a balance Psalms 58:3; but it may also mean, and does usually, to make straight or smooth; to beat a path; to make level Psalms 78:50; Proverbs 4:26; Proverbs 5:21. Here it probably means, that God had made the way smooth, or exactly level. He had removed all obstacles, and had conducted his people in a plain and leveled way (see the notes at Isaiah 40:3-4).

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

7.Straightnesses are the way of the righteous man. He does not praise the righteousness of the godly, as some have falsely supposed, but shews that, through the blessing of God, they are prosperous and successful during the whole course of their life. Having only stated briefly in the beginning of the verse, that “their ways are plain and smooth,” he explains more fully in the second clause, ascribing it to the grace of God that in an open plain, as it were, the righteous proceed in their course, till they reach the goal.

Thou wilt weigh the straight path of the righteous. The word weigh contains a metaphor, that God, by applying a balance, as it were, brings to an equal measure those things which in themselves were unequal. The Hebrew word ישר (yāshār) is ambiguous, for it may refer either to God or to the path. Accordingly some render it, Thou, who art upright, will direct the path of the righteous; ⁽¹⁶⁰⁾ and in other passages God is called upright. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 25:8.) There would also be propriety in the allusion, that the straightness of which he spoke proceed from God, for he alone is straight or upright. But the other version appears to be more natural. ⁽¹⁶¹⁾

He promises in general, that God will take care of the righteous, so as to lead them, as it were, by his hand. When the wicked prosper and the righteous are oppressed, everything in this world appears to be moved by chance; and although Scripture frequently declares and affirms that God takes care of them, (Psalms 37:5; 1 Peter 5:7,) yet we can scarcely remain steadfast, but waver, when everything that happens to them is unfavourable. Yet it is true that the ways of the righteous are made plain by God’s balance, however rough and uneven they may appear to be; and not only so, but he has committed them to the guardianship of his angels, “lest they should be injured, or dash their foot against a stone.” (Psalms 91:11.) But for this, they would easily fall or give way through exhaustion, and would hardly ever make way amidst so many thorns and briers, steep roads, intricate windings, and rough places, did not the Lord lead out and deliver them.

Let us therefore learn to commit ourselves to God, and to follow him as our leader, and we shall be guided in safety. Though snares and artifices, the stratagems of the devil and wicked men, and innumerable dangers, may surround us, we shall always be enabled to escape. We shall feel what the Prophet says here, that our ways, even amidst deep chasms, are made plain, so that there is no obstacle to hinder our progress. And, indeed, experience shews, that if we are not led by God’s guidance, we shall not be able to push our way through rugged roads; for so great is our weakness that we shall scarcely advance a single step without stumbling at the smallest stone that comes in our way. Satan and wicked men not only entangle and delay us by many perplexities, and not only present to us slight difficulties, but cause us to encounter sometimes high mounds and sometimes deep pits, which even the whole world would be unable to avoid.

It is therefore proper for us to acknowledge how much we need heavenly direction, and to confess with Jeremiah, “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself; and it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23.) Let us not be puffed up with vain confidence, as if the result were placed in our own power. Let us not boast, as James warns us, that “we shall do this or that.” (James 4:15.) Such is the manner of rash men, who act as if they could do everything at their own pleasure; while it is not in our power, as Solomon tells us, to direct our tongue so as to give a proper answer. (Proverbs 16:1.) In vain, therefore, do men form plans, and deliberate, and decide about their ways, if God do not stretch out his hand. But he holds it out to the righteous, and takes peculiar care of them; for, while the providence of God extends to all, and while he supplies the wants of young ravens (Psalms 147:9) and sparrows, (Matthew 10:29,) and of the smallest animals, yet he has a fatherly kindness towards the godly, and delivers them out of dangers and difficulties.

(160) Bogus footnote

(161) Bogus footnote

Smith's Bible Commentary

Shall we turn to Isaiah chapter 26 as we begin our study this evening.

Now Isaiah 26:1-21 goes right along with Isaiah 25:1-12 because it declares,

In that day ( Isaiah 26:1 )

In what day? In the day that the things are transpiring that he wrote about in chapter 25. And what are the things that he was writing about in chapter 25? What are the days that he was writing about? Verse Isaiah 26:8 , "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, 'Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation" ( Isaiah 25:8-9 ). So it is the day that Jesus establishes His kingdom upon the earth. That day for which we've been praying when we pray, "Thy kingdom come" ( Matthew 6:10 ). So in that day when His kingdom is established.

this song will be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for the walls and bulwarks. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. For thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength ( Isaiah 26:1-4 ):

Beautiful verses of scripture. I love that promise! "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." In the New Testament Peter speaks about the peace that passes human understanding. The world cannot understand the peace that we have in Christ Jesus. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" ( John 14:27 ). And the effect of righteousness, the Bible says, is peace. There is one characteristic or quality that we as Christians should possess, and that is the peace of God in our hearts and lives.

Now in order to have the peace of God, it is first of all necessary to have peace with God and this is only possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. For the scripture said, "For He hath made peace through His blood" ( Colossians 1:20 ). He has made a basis for you to have peace with God by the shedding of His blood and thus the forgiveness of our sins. So that is first and basic that you experience peace with God. No longer rebelling against the law of God, but now seeking to submit to God's law. No longer running from God, but yielding to God. And you then have peace with God as you surrender and receive Jesus Christ.

But it is sad that there are many, many Christians who have peace with God that's been established through Jesus Christ, but they have never entered into that experience of knowing the peace of God as it keeps their hearts, their minds, their lives steadfast in Christ. So it is important that you have more than just peace with God; it is important that you experience the peace of God. Now this is a reference to the peace of God, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace."

How can I know that perfect peace of God within my heart living in a world that's so filled with chaos, turmoil, strivings? How can I know that peace? "Whose mind is stayed on Thee." Now you can't really experience the peace of God as you're getting, looking constantly at the things of the world. You have to look away from the trials. You have to look away from the madness of this world and looking to Him. Keep your mind steadfast upon Him. How many times the Lord has to bring my mind back to Him. I start getting all upset. I can so excited, in turmoil. "Look what they're doing! They can't do that. I'm not..." The Lord says, "Hey, wait a minute. Who's running this thing?" "You are, Lord." "Then what are you all excited about?" "I don't know. Just like to get excited, I guess."

But you learn to turn it. You bring the thoughts into captivity unto the obedience of Jesus Christ. And God so often will stop you. You start getting all disturbed over an issue. And God will stop you and say, "Hey, wait a minute. I'm on the throne. I'm in control." And as your mind is turned then towards Him, then the peace of Christ begins to fill your heart and fill your life. Oh, this is such a glorious experience, the peace of God. That perfect peace, that complete peace as my mind is stayed on Him. I just know He's going to take care.

So many, many times the Lord reminds me that this is His church. Problems will come up. I begin to wonder, "Oh, what are we going to do about this? Oh maybe we ought to do this, maybe we ought to do that." And the Lord will speak to me and say, "Whose church is it?" "It's Your church, Lord." He said, "Then just leave it alone. Let me run it. It's My church. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." All right! How easy can it be to pastor His church. If I try to pastor my church I'd go absolutely wild. It would be impossible! But it's His church, and as long as I remember that, I'm in good shape. When I forget it, then I really start in a tailspin until the Lord reminds me, "Whose church is it?" And we need to remember that. "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind..." It's His ministry. It's His work. "Whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusts in the Lord." And then the commandment, "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord Jehovah is our everlasting strength."

For he brings down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy. The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. For with my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness ( Isaiah 26:5-9 ).

So he begins to speak of the judgments of God. Now he looked forward to the Kingdom Age, the glorious day of the Lord. In that day the perfect peace that we will experience. But before that day of the Lord does come, there is coming a day of judgment, God's judgment upon the earth. And when God's judgments are upon the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. God is going to bring down in judgment those that dwell on high. And so he declares,

Let favor be showed to the wicked ( Isaiah 26:10 ),

And this isn't a request. It's actually just saying, "If you show favor to the wicked."

yet they will not learn righteousness ( Isaiah 26:10 ):

In other words, people, it seems, do not really grow so much in good times as they do in bad times. It seems that when people are blessed, when a nation is blessed, that they forget God. They no longer call upon the Lord. But when hard times begin to come, then people are turning to the Lord. It's so easy to trust in your material prosperity. It's so easy to look at a nation that is strong and prosperous and say, "Well, look at what free enterprise has done for the United States!" And begin to attribute the blessings of God to certain attributes of our nation. Our nation is strong, our nation is powerful, our nation is great because God made it strong and powerful and great; not because we have some superior system to the rest of the world. It isn't a victory of democracy over a dictatorship. And we make a mistake when we look to the characteristics of free enterprise or other things and say, "Well, that's why our nation is strong."

Now in the time of favor, in the time of blessing, the wicked really don't think about God. They don't turn to God. But it's in the time of adversity when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. So, "Let favor be showed to the wicked," that doesn't mean... that isn't a prayer. "Let favor be showed." Like that verse of scripture, "Spare the rod and spoil the child." My son thought that was a commandment. And when I started to use the rod, he said, "But the scripture says, 'Spare the rod and spoil the child.'" But that's a statement. If you spare the rod, you're going to spoil the child. It isn't something that... It's not a commandment, something you're supposed to do. It's a statement of what will happen if you spare the rod. And so here, this is just a statement. "If favor is showed to the wicked, he will not learn righteousness."

in the land of uprightness he will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD ( Isaiah 26:10 ).

He will fail to see the glory of God. He won't maintain righteousness.

LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name ( Isaiah 26:11-13 ).

Now this is Israel speaking to the Lord concerning God's dealing with Israel when God's judgment came in the land; He taught the people righteousness. In the time of their prosperity they forgot God. They turned their backs on God and they were devoured by their enemies. Now they are saying, "Lord, other lords beside Thee have had dominion over us." They had been ruled over by other nations; other forces had come in. "But by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name."

For these nations [that once ruled over us] are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish ( Isaiah 26:14 ).

That is, the nations that once lorded over Israel. Now there are some people who use this particular verse to teach the annihilation of the wicked, that God is going to ultimately just annihilate them all. There are other scriptures which would seem to indicate otherwise, especially those in the gospels, the references that Jesus Christ made to Gehenna.

Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth. LORD, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them ( Isaiah 26:15-16 ).

So in the time that God began to chasten them, they turned to God. They began to pray.

Like as a woman who is in travail, drawing near the time of the delivery of her child, and she cries out of her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. 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 ( Isaiah 26:17-18 ).

Now God responds to them and declares,

Thy dead shall live, with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead ( Isaiah 26:19 ).

Now this verse is difficult of understanding and that is why the translators have added some words which are written in the italics. But those words that are in italics are words that the translators have added in order to try to bring some understanding to this particular scripture. As God is responding and saying, "Thy dead," the translators have added men; "shall live," and they've added together with; "my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead."

Now when Jesus died upon the cross, He descended into hell. This is what the scriptures declare to us in Acts the second chapter. For the promise of God was given to Him, "Thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you allow the Holy One to see corruption" ( Psalms 16:10 ). When they asked Jesus for a sign, He said, "A wicked and an adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" ( Matthew 12:40 ).

Paul the apostle tells us in Ephesians 4:1-32 that, "He who has ascended [Christ] is the same one who first of all descended into the lower parts of the earth. And when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity" ( Ephesians 4:8-9 ). Now prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, until the price was paid for man's sin, those righteous of the Old Testament period could not enter into heaven when they died, but were kept waiting in the grave.

The best description for this is given to us in Luke's gospel, chapter 16, by Jesus Christ as He told us of a certain rich man who fared sumptuously every day. And the poor man that was brought daily and laid at his gate, full of sores, the dogs came and licked his sores and he survived off of the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. And the rich man died. "The poor man died," He said, "and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. Moreover, the rich man also died and in hell, he lifted up his eyes being tormented and seeing Abraham afar off. And Lazarus there, the man that he had recognized, the beggar that had been at his gate being comforted by Abraham."

He said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he might take his finger and dip it in water and touch my tongue. I'm tormented in this heat." Abraham said, "Son, remember you in your lifetime had good things. Lazarus evil. Now he is comforted while you are tormented. And beside this, there is a gulf that is fixed between us. And it is impossible for those that are here to come over there; or those over there to come over here." Now that's pretty straight statement for any of you that are hoping for a second chance after you're dead.

Jesus declared that it was an impossibility to cross that gulf once you were dead. And so he said, "I pray you then, if he can't come to me, send him back that he might warn my brothers. I don't want them to come to this horrible place." And he said, "They have Moses and the prophets. And if they won't believe Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one should come back from the dead." So Jesus describes to us what hell was like. The grave, Sheol, Hades.

Now when Jesus died, He descended into Sheol or Hades. And there He preached to those souls that were being held in prison. But here in Isaiah, chapter 61, a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ declares, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those that are bound" ( Isaiah 61:1 ). Those that were bound in the grave, in the prison, He proclaimed liberty to them. So when He ascended, He led the captives from their captivity.

You see, we are told that those men of faith in the Old Testament all died in faith but they did not receive the promise of resurrection. God having reserved some better thing for us that they apart from us could not come into the completed state. So Abraham and all of those of the Old Testament believing died in faith. But yet, because their sins were not put away, they couldn't enter into the heavenly scene. It took the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to put away sins. Now the blood of bulls and goats could make a covering for sin. It was a temporary covering that looked forward in faith to the work that God was going to do. But it was impossible that the blood of bulls or goats could put away sin. That took the blood of Jesus Christ. And so Jesus, when He shed His blood, made the provision for all men to come unto God and He went down and first of all took those who had died in faith believing and trusting God to send the Messiah and the Savior. He preached to them God's deliverance and God's redemption. And when He ascended, He led them with Him, the captives from their captivity.

And in Matthew's gospel, chapter 27, it said, "And the graves of many of the saints were opened; and they were seen walking through the streets of Jerusalem after His resurrection from the dead" ( Matthew 27:52-53 ). And so I believe that this particular verse is a prophecy that is making reference to that event. That beginning of resurrection when Jesus led the captives from their captivity. And "Thy dead shall live, with my body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out her dead." And that took place at the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now the Bible says that, "He who lives and believes in Me," Jesus said, "He who lives and believes in Me shall never die" ( John 11:26 ). "Behold," Paul said, "I'll show you a mystery. We'll not all die, but we'll all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye" ( 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 ). A metamorphosis is going to take place with each of us. "For we know that when the earthy tabernacles or the tents, the bodies in which we presently live, are dissolved, that we have a building of God, that is not made with hands, that is eternal in the heavens" ( 2 Corinthians 5:1 ). Now I'm living in this ragged, worn out tent. I'm getting tired of it. But that's all right. One day I'm going to move out of this ragged, worn out tent and I'm moving into a beautiful mansion.

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions: and if it were not so, I would have told you. And I'm going to prepare one for you" ( John 14:2 ). And so Paul said we have a building of God, a mansion, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. "So then we who are in these bodies do often groan earnestly desiring to be delivered from them" ( 2 Corinthians 5:2 ). See, the Bible teaches that the real me is spirit, not the body. The body is only a tent in which I'm dwelling temporarily. But the real me is spirit. The body is the medium by which my spirit expresses itself. But I'm looking for the new body. The building of God not made with hands that is eternal in the heavens. "So we know that when this tent is dissolved, we have a building of God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. So then we who are in this body do often groan earnestly desiring to be delivered. Not that I would be an unembodied spirit, but that I might be clothed upon with the body which is from heaven. For we know that as long as we are in this body, we are absent from the Lord. But we would choose rather to be absent from this body, and to be present with the Lord" ( 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 , 2 Corinthians 5:6 , 2 Corinthians 5:8 ).

So that glorious day when I move out of my tent into my house where I'm to dwell forever. A new building of God that cannot experience pain. Doesn't know what weakness is. Won't need sleep and many other things. So it's exciting to anticipate just what kind of a body will I have. Paul the apostle said, "Some of you will say, "But how are the dead raised and what kind of a body will they have?" And then he gives you the illustration of the difference between planting a seed and the body that comes out of the ground. He said when you plant a seed in the ground, all you plant is the bare grain. But God gives it a body that pleases Him. And the body that is to be is not the body that you planted. All you plant is a bare grain. God gives it a body that pleases Him. So the grain may be wheat or some other grain, but the body that comes forth is not the body that is planted. He said, "So is the resurrection from the dead. We will be planted in weakness but will be raised in power. We are planted in corruption, raised in incorruption. Planted a natural body, raised as a spiritual body" ( 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 ). And so it's quite exciting to me the anticipation of moving into this new house, the building of God that He's been preparing for me. That He's promised that He was going to come and receive me unto Himself. That where He is I can be, too.

Now I couldn't be there in this body. This body wasn't made for that. I wouldn't want to be there in this body to tell you the truth. I don't want to wear glasses forever. I hate glasses. And there's just a lot of things about... Now it's not... I appreciate the body that God gave me. God gave me a strong, healthy body and I appreciate that. I appreciate the fact that I'm rarely ever sick and all. But I can see myself going to pieces. I can see the deterioration that's taking place. I don't have the same strength or stamina anymore. I'm just not what I was. But thank God I'm not what I'm going to be, either. For God has a new body, a building of God not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. So this is a reference to that time of the resurrection of Jesus when He led the captives from their captivity and brought them on in to the glorious heavenly scene now waiting for us.

And so here is an interesting verse now in verses Isaiah 26:20 , and Isaiah 26:21 , as God said,

Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain ( Isaiah 26:20-21 ).

Now this is definitely a reference to the Great Tribulation period, the last three-and-a-half years before the return of Jesus Christ. The period when the earth will be under the power and the control of the antichrist and God's wrath is being poured out upon this earth for its iniquity. "The Lord coming out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." Now what does God say to His people during this period of time? "Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee. Hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation [or the Great Tribulation] is over. For God is coming out of His place to [What? to] punish the inhabitants of the earth."

Now the fact that this time of God's indignation and wrath is a punishment of the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity precludes the church bearing a part of it. For we are told, "God has not appointed us unto wrath" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:9 ). So when God comes out of His place to punish the earth for its iniquity, He tells His people, "Come into thy chambers. Shut the doors. Hide thyself for a little while until this indignation is over."

This can have one of two possible interpretations. It is possibly God speaking to the nation Israel, the faithful remnant of the nation Israel that He is going to bear down to the wilderness place that He has prepared for them where they are to be nourished for three-and-a-half years until the Great Tribulation is over. Or it could be a reference to the church. And there is no way by which you can possibly say it is one or the other unless you look at it with a presuppositional view that the church is going through the Great Tribulation and then you'd say it doesn't refer to the church, it refers to Israel. But that's only interpreting from a presupposition position, which I feel is wrong.

So having a presupposition that the Lord is going to take His church out before His judgments and His wrath are poured out upon the earth, I can possibly interpret this as a reference to the church. Where the Lord is saying, "Come, into your chambers! Shut the door." As in Revelation, fourth chapter, "And I saw a door open in heaven: and the first voice I heard was that an angel as of a trumpet; saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be after these things" ( Revelation 4:1 ). So hide yourself. And the church there with the Lord in heaven while the indignation and the wrath of God is being poured out upon the earth. That is very possible. There's no way you can deny that that is not true. It may refer to Israel. I don't know which it refers to. It could refer to both. But at any rate, a very fascinating passage of scripture whereby God indicates that the time of the Great Tribulation is a time of God's punishment for the iniquity.

Now God has punished my iniquities already. So it is not consistent that God would punish me for my iniquities, because He has already punished His Son for my iniquities. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we turned every one to our own ways; and God hath laid on Him the iniquities of us all" ( Isaiah 53:6 ). Christ bore the punishment for my iniquity. And therefore, it would not be consistent that God would punish me for my iniquities. That's what salvation and the gospel is all about. You don't have to bear the punishment of God for your iniquities. Jesus took it for you. That's the good news that we have for this dying world.

So, "Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut the door until the time of indignation is over. Hide yourself for a while." So I take great comfort in that. I take great delight and pleasure. Those who have a post-Tribulation view get no comfort, no pleasure, no joy out of that verse of scripture.

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Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Presently the path of the righteous is smooth in that the trip from justification to glorification is secure, though in experience we encounter many obstacles. Isaiah prayed that the "Upright One" would make the road that the righteous tread level in experience (cf. Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 6:13). He used this unusual name for God because He wanted the One who is altogether right to make the path of His people altogether right.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

A prayer 26:7-19

Isaiah moved from a hymn of praise to a prayer that has two parts: present waiting for God (Isaiah 26:7-10) and future expectation from God (Isaiah 26:11-19).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

The way of the just [is] uprightness,.... Or, "the way for the just is uprightnesses" s, most upright; the way which is appointed for him, and which he is directed to walk in, is a way of righteousness and holiness, and in which he does walk; he walks uprightly, according to the rules of the word, becoming the Gospel of Christ, and worthy of his calling: or, it is "evennesses"; a most plain and even way, in which men, though fools, shall not err,

Isaiah 35:8 or, "the way" of the Lord "to the just is uprightnesses", or "evennesses"; most upright, or most even; there is no inequality in it, though sometimes so charged, Ezekiel 18:25 it is entirely agreeable to justice, equity, and truth; regular and even, and suited to all his perfections of wisdom, goodness, c. t:

thou most upright these words are addressed to God, and contain an appellation and description of him, who is upright, just, and true, and loves upright and righteous persons; so Kimchi and Ben Melech take the word to be in the vocative case, and as an address to God; though some render them, "he is upright" u; that is, the just man is upright, whose way is uprightness; but the former sense best agrees with what follows:

dost weigh the path of the just; observe, consider, and approve of it, as being according to rule, and agreeable to his mind and will, Psalms 1:6 or, "thou dost level" or "make even the path of the just" w; remove all impediments and obstructions out of it, direct his goings, order his steps, and cause him to walk in a straight way, wherein he shall not stumble, Jeremiah 31:9 and so this is a reason given why the way of the just is even, because it is made so by the Lord himself.

s אורח לצדיק מישרים "via justo rectitudines", Vatablus. t For this note, I am indebted to my learned, pious, and ingenious friend, the Rev. Mr. Hervey; see Theron and Aspasio, vol 2. Dialog. 13. p. 225. Ed 3. u ישר "rectus est", De Dieu. w תפלס "aequabis", Vatablus. So Ben Melech explains it by

יושר, making a thing plain and even.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.   6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.   7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.   8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.   9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.   10 Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.   11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

      Here the prophet further encourages us to trust in the Lord for ever, and to continue waiting on him; for,

      I. He will make humble souls that trust in him to triumph over their proud enemies, Isaiah 26:5; Isaiah 26:6. Those that exalt themselves shall be abased: For he brings down those that dwell on high; and wherein they deal proudly he is, and will be, above them. Even the lofty city Babylon itself, or Nineveh, he lays it low, Isaiah 25:12; Isaiah 25:12. He can do it, be it ever so well fortified. He has often done it. He will do it, for he resists the proud. It is his glory to do it, for he proves himself to be God by looking on the proud and abasing them,Job 40:12. But, on the contrary, those that humble themselves shall be exalted; for the feet of the poor shall tread upon the lofty cities, Isaiah 26:6; Isaiah 26:6. He does not say, Great armies shall tread them down; but, When God will have it done, even the feet of the poor shall do it, Malachi 4:3. You shall tread down the wicked. Come, set your feet on the necks of these kings. See Psalms 147:6; Romans 16:20.

      II. He takes cognizance of the way of his people and has delight in it (Isaiah 26:7; Isaiah 26:7): The way of the just is evenness (so it may be read): it is their endeavour and constant care to walk with God in an even steady course of obedience and holy conversation. My foot stands in an even place, goes in an even path, Psalms 26:12. And it is their happiness that God makes their way plain and easy before them: Thou, most upright, dost level (or make even) the path of the just, by preventing or removing those things that would be stumbling-blocks to them, so that nothing shall offend them, Psalms 119:165. God weighs it (so we read it); he considers it, and will give them grace sufficient for them, to help them over all the difficulties they may meet with in their way. Thus with the upright God will show himself upright.

      III. It is our duty, and will be our comfort, to wait for God, and to keep up holy desires towards him in the darkest and most discouraging times, Isaiah 26:8; Isaiah 26:9. This has always been the practice of God's people, even when God has frowned upon them, 1. To keep up a constant dependence upon him: "In the way of thy judgments we have still waited for thee; when thou hast corrected us we have looked to no other hand than thine to relieve us," as the servant looks only to the hand of his master, till he have mercy upon him,Psalms 123:2. We cannot appeal from God's justice but to his mercy. If God's judgments continue long, if it be a road of judgments (so the word signifies), yet we must not be weary but continue waiting. 2. To send up holy desires towards him. Our troubles, how pressing soever, must never put us out of conceit with our religion, nor turn us away from God; but still the desire of our soul must be to his name and to the remembrance of him; and in the night, the darkest longest night of affliction, with our souls must we desire him. (1.) Our great concern must be for God's name, and our earnest desire must be that his name may be glorified, whatever becomes of us and our names. This is that which we must wait for, and pray for. "Father, glorify thy name, and we are satisfied." (2.) Our great comfort must be in the remembrance of that name, of all that whereby God has made himself known. The remembrance of God must be our great support and pleasure; and, though sometimes we be unmindful of him, yet still our desire must be towards the remembrance of him and we must take pains with our own hearts to have him always in mind. (3.) Our desires towards God must be inward, fervent, and sincere. With our soul we must desire him, with our soul we must pant after him (Psalms 42:1), and with our spirits within us, with the innermost thought and the closest application of mind, we must seek him. We make nothing of our religion, whatever our profession be, if we do not make heart-work of it. (4.) Even in the darkest night of affliction our desires must be towards God, as our sun and shield; for, however God is pleased to deal with us, we must never think the worse of him, nor cool in our love to him. (5.) If our desires be indeed towards God, we must give evidence that they are so by seeking him, and seeking him early, as those that desire to find him, and dread the thoughts of missing him. Those that would seek God and find him must seek betimes, and seek him earnestly. Though we come ever so early, we shall find him ready to receive us.

      IV. It is God's gracious design, in sending abroad his judgments, thereby to bring men to seek him and serve him: When thy judgments are upon the earth, laying all waste, then we have reason to expect that not only God's professing people, but even the inhabitants of the world, will learn righteousness, will have their mistakes rectified and their lives reformed, will be brought to acknowledge God's righteousness in punishing them, will repent of their own unrighteousness in offending God, and so be brought to walk in right paths. They will do this; that is, judgments are designed to bring them to this, they have a natural tendency to produce this effect, and, though many continue obstinate, yet some even of the inhabitants of the world will profit by this discipline, and will learn righteousness; surely they will; they are strangely stupid if they do not. Note, The intention of afflictions is to teach us righteousness; and blessed is the man whom God chastens, and thus teaches, Psalms 94:12. Discite justitiam, moniti, et non temnere divos--Let this rebuke teach you to cultivate righteousness, and cease from despising the gods.--Virgil.

      V. Those are wicked indeed that will not be wrought upon by the favourable methods God takes to subdue and reform them; and it is necessary that God should deal with them in a severe way by his judgments, which shall prevail to humble those that would not otherwise be humbled. Observe,

      1. How sinners walk contrary to God, and refuse to comply with the means used for their reformation and to answer the intentions of them, Isaiah 26:10; Isaiah 26:10. (1.) Favour is shown to them. They receive many mercies from God; he causes his sun to shine and his rain to fall upon them, nay, he prospers them, and into their hands he brings plentifully; they escape many of the strokes of God's judgments, which others less wicked than they have been cut off by; in some particular instances they seem to be remarkably favoured above their neighbours, and the design of all this is that they may be won upon to love and serve that God who thus favours them; and yet it is all in vain: They will not learn righteousness, will not be led to repentance by the goodness of God, and therefore it is requisite that God should send his judgments into the earth, to reckon with men for abused mercies. (2.) They live in a land of uprightness, where religion is professed and is in reputation, where the word of God is preached, and where they have many good examples set them,--in a land of evenness, where there are not so many stumbling-blocks as in other places,--in a land of correction, where vice and profaneness are discountenanced and punished; yet there they will deal unjustly, and go on frowardly in their evil ways. Those that do wickedly deal unjustly both with God and man, as well as with their own souls; and those that will not be reclaimed by the justice of the nation may expect the judgments of God upon them. Nor can those expect a place hereafter in the land of blessedness who now conform not to the laws and usages, nor improve the privileges and advantages, of the land of uprightness; and why do they not? It is because they will not behold the majesty of the Lord, will not believe, will not consider, what a God of terrible majesty he is whose laws and justice they persist in the contempt of. God's majesty appears in all the dispensations of his providence; but they regard it not, and therefore study not to answer the ends of those dispensations. Even when we receive of the mercy of the Lord we must still behold the majesty of the Lord and his goodness. (3.) God lifts up his hand to give them warning, that they may, by repentance and prayer, make their peace with him; but they take no notice of it, are not aware that God is angry with them, or coming forth against them: They will not see, and none so blind as those who will not see, who shut their eyes against the clearest conviction of guilt and wrath, who ascribe that to chance, or common fate, which is manifestly a divine rebuke, who regard not the threatening symptoms of their own ruin, but cry Peace to themselves, when the righteous God is waging war with them.

      2. How God will at length be too hard for them; for, when he judges, he will overcome: They will not see, but they shall see, shall be made to see, whether they will or no, that God is angry with them. Atheists, scorners, and the secure, will shortly feel what now they will not believe, that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. They will not see the evil of sin, and particularly the sin of hating and persecuting the people of God; but they shall see, by the tokens of God's displeasure against them for it and the deliverances in which God will plead his people's cause, that what is done against them he takes as done against himself and will reckon for it accordingly. They shall see that they have done God's people a great deal of wrong, and therefore shall be ashamed of their enmity and envy towards them, and their ill usage of such as deserved better treatment. Note, Those that bear ill-will to God's people have reason to be ashamed of it, so absurd and unreasonable is it; and, sooner or later, they shall be ashamed of it, and the remembrance of it shall fill them with confusion. Some read it, They shall see and be confounded for the zeal of the people, by the zeal God will show for his people; when they shall be made to know how jealous God is for the honour and welfare of his people they shall be confounded to think that they might have been of that people and would not. Their doom therefore is that, since they slighted the happiness of God's friends, the fire of his enemies shall devour them, that is, the fire which is prepared for his enemies and with which they shall be devoured, the fire designed for the devil and his angels. Note, Those that are enemies to God's people, and envy them, God looks upon as his enemies, and will deal with them accordingly.