ISAIAH LESSON 29
We will begin this lesson in Isaiah 26:1 "In that day shall this
song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation
will [God] appoint [for] walls and bulwarks."
The song, spoken of here, is the song of the redeemed. This is a
specific time, because it says that day. We see the city will be safe,
because of the salvation through Jesus. This is the time of
restoration. This is, probably, speaking of the New Jerusalem in the
new heaven and new earth. Revelation 3:12 "Him that overcometh will I
make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out:
and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city
of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven
from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name." Revelation 21:1
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." There will
be no need for walls of defense, because God is the defense. To be
exact, the salvation through Christ is the defense. There will be no
evil there, so there will be no need of defense.
Isaiah 26:2 "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which
keepeth the truth may enter in."
This request from God to open the gates for all the believers to
come in is given, probably, to angels. Those in right standing with
God [the righteous} will enter in and take up habitation in the city.
The gates are of pearl. Revelation 21:21 "And the twelve gates [were]
twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of
the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass."
Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep [him] in perfect peace, [whose] mind
[is] stayed [on thee]: because he trusteth in thee."
Jesus Christ {as we know Him} is King of Peace. If we have taken
on the mind of Christ, we have our mind stayed upon the peace that God
provides. To place our faith and trust in Jesus, brings perfect peace.
Isaiah 26:4 "Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD
JEHOVAH [is] everlasting strength:"
We see in this that, simple faith and trust on our part brings an
eternity of peace. He is our Refuge. He is our very present help. In
Him we have our very existence. Acts 17:28 "For in him we live, and
move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said,
For we are also his offspring." The LORD is the source of everything
that exists. He is the source of all power.
Isaiah 26:5 "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."
Isaiah is reminding us, here, that God Himself brought down the
enemies of the believers. He won the victory for us. In the last
lesson, we saw where God destroyed the cities that had been home for
the evil.
Isaiah 26:6 "The foot shall tread it down, [even] the feet of the
poor, [and] the steps of the needy."
The poor and the needy had been trodden down on the earth, but
now they are exalted.
Isaiah 26:7 "The way of the just [is] uprightness: thou, most
upright, dost weigh the path of the just."
My prayer is that God will light the path that He has for us to
walk. It is a straight and narrow path that leads to everlasting life
with Him. The Light of Jesus guides us on this path. If we are His, we
will stay in that path.
Isaiah 26:8 "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."
We, Christians, are awaiting the coming of Christ now. We do not
know just how long the wait will be, but we do know we must not wander
off, but wait for His appearing. The desire of our heart should be for
His appearing. Only God knows when that time will be. We must trust
His judgement on this. II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-
ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance." The greatest thing all believers in Christ are waiting
for, is the time when they can see Jesus.
Isaiah 26:9 " 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."
The desire of the Christian, the same as Isaiah, is to see the
Lord. This is speaking of those who decide early to come to the Lord.
The inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness through
suffering, if they wait. Every believer desires that everyone they
know will come to the knowledge of God.
Isaiah 26:10 "Let favour be shewed 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."
This is a plea from Isaiah that God will forgive the wicked. In
the very next statement he is saying, you can not force belief upon
him. We may desire them to come to Christ with all our heart, but some
of them will still live unjustly.
Isaiah 26:11 "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."
All of the judgements against the rebellious people that God
brings, is to cause them to repent. Even when God has already raised
His hand to judge them, they will not repent. He gives them plenty of
time to repent, and He warns them of His judgement, but some will not
repent.
Isaiah 26:12 "LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also
hast wrought all our works in us."
The works, spoken of here, have been done for the Christian by
Jesus. He paid the price for our salvation and peace He brings.
Isaiah 26:13 "O LORD our God, [other] lords beside thee have had
dominion over us: [but] by thee only will we make mention of thy
name."
The worldly lords is not capitalized. This is speaking of people
of the world who rule over us. Their rule is for their own selfish
gain. The name, they are speaking of, is the name of Jesus. At that
name, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess. The worldly lords
have nothing to offer their subjects. Our LORD brings everlasting
life. He, also, gave us power of attorney to use His name.
Isaiah 26:14 "[They 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."
This is speaking of the earthly lords being dead. They did not
rise from the grave. Only the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the grave.
These earthly lords are not remembered, because they are dead.
Isaiah 26:15 "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."
The nation, spoken of here, is the righteous. This really is
speaking of the multitude of Christians too vast to number, who make
up the righteous nation of God. They had been scattered throughout the
known world. Now, they have taken up habitation with God.
Isaiah 26:16 "LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they
poured out a prayer [when] thy chastening [was] upon them."
"Chastening" is for the children to make them come back to God.
Perhaps, that is what caused this vast multitude to come back to God.
Sometimes, the only thing that will make us come to the LORD is
trouble. This is saying, in trouble they cried out to God, and He
heard them.
Isaiah 26:17 "Like as a woman with child, [that] draweth near the
time of her delivery, is in pain, [and] crieth out in her pangs; so
have we been in thy sight, O LORD."
When life comes into existence, it is through much pain. This is
true in the physical world and in the spirit, as well. Chastening is
always painful, but brings life. In this case, everlasting life.
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."
Much of the effort to save everyone in the world never comes to
be. A few are brought into this new life with the Lord. The
inhabitants of the world are those who are lost. This is of their own
free will. Salvation is offered to everyone. Not all accept it.
Isaiah 26:19 "Thy dead [men] shall live, [together 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 the dead."
This is speaking of the resurrection, when the bodies of the
saints rise at the blowing of the trump of God. In fact, all the dead
will rise at this time. Some will rise to eternal life with Jesus.
Others will rise to be condemned to hell. The graves shall open, and
all will arise. The hope of the saints is the resurrection.
Isaiah 26:20 "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."
This could be speaking of the time the saints live in heaven
waiting for the wrath of God to be fulfilled on the earth.
Isaiah 26:21 "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."
This is just as the firstborn of the Hebrew children were spared
on the terrible night, when the firstborn of Egypt were killed. The
wrath of God falls on those of unbelief. There is nothing hidden from
God. God knows of all the murders which were not reported. The wrath
of God is not for His children, but for those wicked unbelievers. This
is speaking of the 3 1/2 years of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Isaiah 29 Questions
1. What is the song in verse 1?
2. Why will the city be safe?
3. What does the author think this is speaking of?
4. Quote Revelation chapter 3 verse 12.
5. Quote Revelation chapter 21 verse 1?
6. Who are the gates opened to?
7. Who will open the gates?
8. What are the gates made of?
9. Who is kept in perfect peace?
10. Verse 4 says, In the ________ _________ is everlasting strength.
11. Quote Acts chapter 17 verse 28.
12. Who brought down the evil cities?
13. What is the way of the just?
14. What guides us on the straight and narrow path that leads to God?
15. Quote 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 9.
16. What is the true Christian waiting for?
17. How does Isaiah ask God to treat the wicked?
18. Why does the judgement of God come?
19. Who are the other lords in verse 13?
20. Jesus gave us power of attorney to use His _______.
21. Why are the earthly lords not remembered?
22. Who are the nation spoken of in verse 15?
23. What is "chastening" for?
24. What is the pain compared to in verse 17?
25. Who is salvation offered to?
26. What is verse 19 speaking of?
27. The hope of the saints is the ______________.
28. What time does the author believe verse 20 is speaking of?
29. What can you compare the happening in verse 21 to?
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