Home |
|
Isaiah 26:1 - 26:21
We're still in the Apocalypse according to the Book of Isaiah, as this 26th Chapter will
continue a look to our near future with the return of Christ Jesus as KING, upon future
Zion, and the full establishing of the "righteous nation". The 'veil'
Message from the previous Chapter will continue into this Chapter, giving a little more
detail about that covering of the "pillows" of deception upon those who
stray from God's Word.
We ask a Word of Wisdom from our Heavenly Father, in
Christ Jesus Yashua's Name, Amen.
Isa
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.
In
that day, the first day of Christ's return, those in Christ will be singing a song, which
is the song of Moses:
Rev
15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them
that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and
over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only
art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made
manifest.
The
"land of Judah" means Jerusalem, but not today's form of Jerusalem, but
God's Holy Mountain coming down out of Heaven. Recall in Zechariah 14 that when our Lord
Christ returns, today's area of the Mount of Olives will be parted, forming a great valley
running east and west (Zech.14:4). This "strong city" then, is God's
Holy Heavenly City Which exists in the spiritual dimension right now. It is not manifested
upon the earth yet. Isaiah 2 is speaking of that future Holy City where GOD dwells being
established upon earth, in the area we call the Holy Land today. That's when Isaiah 2:2-5
will come to pass, and not before our Lord Christ's return on the "last
trump" (see also Revelation 3:12; Rev.21:2; Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22-24;
Isaiah 52:9-10; Isaiah 65:17-19; Joel 3:16-18; Micah 4:1-2).
Understanding that GOD's Holy Mountain will not establish
the 'New Jerusalem' until He returns, is very important to know for these latter
day times. If you've understood our Lord's teaching through His apostle Paul in 1
Corinthians 15 concerning the 'resurrection', then that means this establishing of GOD's
Holy Mountain of the "new Jerusalem" of Revelation 3:12 and 21:2, is
not of the flesh time. Therefore, beware of those who would have us believe that a flesh
Jerusalem of today could ever be the final establishment of GOD's Holy Mountain. I give
this warning because of the on-going attempt to establish a 'flesh' Zion upon the earth,
with a false messiah as king, is the major event to end this flesh age time. It will be
attempted just before our True Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ returns per Revelation 11:15.
That false event is the "strong delusion" of 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12.
(See the study on the Parable of The Fig Tree in my Archive).
Isa
26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth
the truth may enter in.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.
4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in THE LORD JEHOVAH is
everlasting strength:
Who
is this "righteous nation"? Note the condition in order to be that "righteous
nation", i.e. those "which keepeth the truth...". That means
those who keep to God's Truth in all of His Word today. The "righteous
nation" is GOD's True Israel of The Body of Christ, His Church (ekklesia
in the Greek). It includes many out of all twelve tribes of Israel, and also many Gentile
peoples from every nation, all which keep to God's Word and stay on The Savior
Jesus
Christ (Isaiah 54).
Going a bit deeper, just who is one that 'keeps' God's
Truth per His Word? Do you remember from the last Isaiah Chapter, about the 'pillows'
as coverings that men's traditions cause as a 'veil' over believers who allow it?
Teaching and believing on the 'traditions' and precepts of men is not keeping to God's
Word (Isaiah 28 will stress that point). It's important to stay to what our LORD has to
say in His Word, and not what man has to say.
Yes, that includes listening to me also. That's an
indication to check me out in The Word of God, doing your own Bible study as the Bereans
did (Acts 17:10-12). This is why I put up so many Bible Scripture references in these
studies, so you'll have ample space to learn what our LORD is teaching, and not of my
words. If you don't dig into The Word for yourself, and fail to do home study in verifying
many of those Bible references along with this study, then how would you know if these
studies are staying to The Word? Believe on our Lord and Savior's Word, not mine. As this
Isaiah 26:4 verse states, "Trust ye in the LORD for ever..."!
This point of keeping The Truth of God's Word will have
more details in this Isaiah 26 Chapter later on, concerning 'staying' on The True Christ.
We are to wait for His return, and not fall away to worship the "another
Jesus" which will come first as 'the antichrist' (2 Corinthians 11; Rev.9; 11;
13; 17; 1 John 2:18).
Isa
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.
6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and
the steps of the needy.
This "lofty city" is the fake 'new Jerusalem' which man is trying to
create in the 'flesh' for the latter days. The purpose for flesh man trying to do that is
part of the "strong delusion" which God allows upon those who don't
care about Him or His Word enough to study It. Those default to the various 'systems' of
the world controllers, which are the political, educational, economic, and religious
factions. But the humble ("poor"), and the "needy",
who keep their trust in The Father through Christ, will inherit the earth (Matt.5:5).
Isa
26:7 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.
The
Hebrew word for "just" is from 'tsadaq' (righteous), which is
where the name Zadok is derived. Zadok was one of the high priests which served during
David's day. The other high priest who served with Zadok was Abiathar, but Abiathar would
later stray from following David who was rightful beneficiary of the throne (2 Samuel
15:29-35; 1 Kings 1:5-8).
This word "just" also relates to
Christ's servants. Another of our Lord Christ's Titles is 'Melchisedec', per
Hebrews 5 and 7. That Title is made up of two Hebrew words which mean 'King of
Righteousness', or 'King of the Just' (i.e. King of the zadok; see Heb.7:2). That's
who our Lord Christ Jesus will be KING over, i.e. the 'just', and they are His elect
priest servants of Revelation 20 which reign with Him in The LORD's House for that "thousand
years".
How does one become one of the 'just' servants of Christ?
Do what verse 9 says above; with your spirit seek The LORD early, meaning right now! Don't
wait until you think you can stop sinning, or until the time of tribulation is upon us.
Seek The Father through our Lord Jesus now.
Is there a deeper analogy here in Isaiah 26 with the
'just' (zadok) who 'wait' for The LORD's return? No doubt, there is. Zadok, one of two
priests who served during David's time, stayed true to God's anointed servant, 'king'
David. Per Luke 1:32 and Genesis 49:10, the throne of David is reserved for our Lord
Christ Jesus. Also, as written in Acts 13:22 and 1 Samuel 13:14, God said He found David a
man after His own Heart. David did all that was commanded of him by God, and erred only in
the matter of Uriah (1 Kings 15:5). Thus king David is the only just example of a ruler
born flesh who was perfect in his heart towards God, and his throne is symbolic of
Messiah's eventual Eternal reign. Finally then, Zadok, the priest who stayed with David,
is symbolic of those 'in Christ' today who will not be deceived, and will "wait"
for His coming, instead of falling away to the false king who will come first. Those who
are deceived, and fall away, are symbolic of the priest Abiathar, which later turned to
the false king Adonijah, David's fourth son. Adonijah attempted to set himself up as king
when David was old (1 Kings 1:1-8). The parallel for our times is Lucifer setting himself
up in Christ's place, as the word "antichrist" means in the Greek, 'instead
of Christ' (1 John 2:18; 'anti-christos', Strong's 500, from 473 and 5547).
Isa
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.
The
truly wicked will not turn from their evil during this flesh time. One can be nice to
them, yet in their heart is malice. If this were not so, then our LORD would have no need
of gathering the nations of unbelievers together for battle in the last days, so that He
can show them in a way they can understand, that He (YHVH) is The GOD, and there is no
other (Ezek.36 through 39; Joel 3; Rev.16). That lesson is especially reserved for the
wicked during the battles of Armageddon and Hamongog. GOD Himself will fight it, not us.
All will eventually bow to The Son Christ Jesus as The KING at His coming (Philippians
2:10; Romans 14:11; Psalms 72:11).
So if you love The Father through His Son Jesus Christ,
have no worry, for He is not angry at you. Those 'in Christ' should be strong in their
'faith' to The LORD, as the little trials we must bear for Him during this flesh time is
so 'we' also can try to help His Plan come forth per His Will. It's not that He needs any
help, for He does not. But He will use those who discipline themselves in His Word. His
wrath is not upon those who love Him and seek Him early through His Son. The wrath is upon
the wicked who will not turn from evil, and those who just don't give a hoot about their
Heavenly Father and His Word Which made them.
Isa
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.
This "they" are the same ones spoken of in the previous verse. They
won't wake up when God makes ready His Hand up in the air for correction. Have you ever
started to do something as a child that your parents didn't approve of, and they had their
hand up in the air prepared to give a lesson? That's the analogy here upon the wicked, and
those who don't care about our Father through His Son. They're going to be deceived with
the future false messiah event.
Why? Simply because those don't care about God and His
Word Which He gave us to study. Who really hasn't had a chance to hear The Gospel of
Christ today, if they really want It? The Western Christian Nations still have many
Missionaries in foreign nations doing God's Work, and one might be surprised to learn that
atheistic controlled countries such as China and Russia are included in that. There are
many in those type nations which have had the chance to 'hear', and many among them have
believed on Christ Jesus as their Savior. In the west, there's a Church on just about
every street corner. Furthermore, one living in the west where Bible study tools are
readily available, only need to get down to a disciplined study in The Word and ask our
Lord's guidance in It. Because the wicked will not turn, God's Hand must eventually come
down. If those who refuse Christ and don't desire to get into His Word want to be devoured
by our Lord's enemies, then He will allow it. A lot will be required to bring many out of
their deceived state of spiritual stupor (1 Peter 2:7-8).
Isa
26:12 LORD, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for
Thou also hast wrought all our works in us.
Our
Lord Christ fulfilled this ordaining of peace for those who believe on The Father through
Him. When He sent The Comforter of The Holy Spirit as Guide to believers for the latter
times, that means true peace in our hearts and minds through The Spirit (John 14:26-31).
That peace is not of the world, but is directly from God (see 1 Corinthians 2:13-16). Many
believers today and in the past have been gifted by the various administrations of The
Holy Spirit, as "...dividing to every man severally as He will." (1
Cor.12:11). Those gifts of The Spirit which work through us do not originate from
ourselves. That includes the various talents God has given to each who work for Him
through Christ. But how often do many look only at the man (or woman) with a spiritual
gift, instead of realizing where it came from?
There are some Christian denominations which try to teach
that The Holy Spirit doesn't work through believers on Christ anymore. This Isaiah 26:12
verse is a wake-up call to them, just as our Lord's Words in John 14 are. To teach that
The Holy Spirit is no longer in effect through Christ's believers, is to default to
thinking the 'gifts' from God originate from within 'man' himself. That's believing on
man, and of Satan's sin of self-pride from the carnal nature, wanting to be 'The God'.
When man falls to that type of thought, he begins to assume he doesn't need GOD.
Isa
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.
Though the world controllers (Kenites) have often lorded over believers during this flesh
time, a true believer always keeps God through His Son as LORD in their mind. During the
future tribulation time, the false lords will be given greater strength, so how does one
prepare to stay on The Father through His Son? Wait on Christ Jesus, and stay in His Word
for yourself. Within this Book of Isaiah, there have been many examples of a false one
coming prior to our True Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And since we are now in the Isaiah
Chapters which cover the Apocalypse, God's Message of waiting for Him has not
changed. The phrase "but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name"
means to keep Him in remembrance, and recall Who our GOD is.
Isa
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.
Who
are the "dead" which have already been sentenced to 'perish'? Has any
flesh man been judged by Christ to perish yet? No. The key to properly understanding this
verse requires one to go into the Hebrew Manuscripts, for the word "deceased"
in this verse is Hebrew 'rapha', and it applies to the Rephaim, i.e the
fallen ones (Strong's 7496 & 7497). This word "deceased" should
have been translated as the proper name Rephaim. Those are the fallen angels and
their offspring of the race of 'giants'. They will not be resurrected, nor ever remembered
again after their destruction (see also Psalms 9; Isaiah 14:12-21; Eccl.9:5).
So when will they finally be visited by God, and caused to
perish forever? See Revelation 11 with the seven thousand that are slain at an instant
when our Lord Jesus Christ returns on the seventh trumpet. Recall that Lucifer and his
fallen angels are cast down to earth for the tribulation time, as per Revelation 12:7
forward. That's part of Satan's locust army of Rev.9, and his "ministers"
of 2 Corinthians 11. Those will be the captains of Satan's host upon earth during the
tribulation, one might say. Scary? It shouldn't be, because God just told us here in
Isaiah that those will not rise. They are destined for destruction by God's Hand. Those in
Christ have no need to worry about them (Luke 10).
Isa
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.
This refers to two major events concerning God's Israel being enlarged. The "nation"
being increased is stated twice in this verse for special emphasis. The first event was
God removing the majority of Israel (i.e. ten tribes and the dispersed of the "house
of Judah") to new lands in the West, where they are now, and making Joseph's son
Ephraim into "a multitude of nations" as promised (Gen.48:19; also see
the Lost Tribes studies). That means a multitude of Israelite
nations today, by the way, which include many Gentile believers on Christ also.
In Matthew 21:33 forward, our Lord Jesus gave the parable
of the householder as a teaching on this point, and as a rebuke to the non-believing Jews.
Because the "house of Judah" at Jerusalem was not mindful of the false
ones which crept into their stay, i.e. those who say they are Jews, but do lie and are not
true Judah, our Lord would take His Kingdom on earth away from them, and give it to
another nation which would bring forth fruits in Him. Wonder which 'nation' that has been
since Christ came? The 'nation' God moved His Kingdom to became the Western
Christian Nations in the West, as the ten tribes of Israel, and remainder of Judah were
scattered mainly to Europe and Asia Minor (see 1 Kings 11 through 2 Kings 19 for the split
of old Israel into two separate kingdoms, and their captivities which removed them from
the Holy Land).
God ordained the fruits of The Gospel of Salvation to be
heralded to all nations, bringing as many as would believe on His Son Jesus Christ back
into the fold. The Western Christian Nations obviously have been the main heralds of The
Gospel Message, producing much fruit. Many of the Gentiles among the 'nation' have also
believed That Gospel Message, and thus the symbolic 'nation' of God's true Israel has been
increased. Clearly this has not happened in the Holy Land nation State called 'Israel' by
the world today.
The final increase of God's true Israel will occur when
Christ Jesus comes into His Kingdom upon earth, as per Revelation 11:15. Then the tent of
God's Israel will have to be increased yet again, to include believers on Christ Jesus
from ALL nations and peoples (Isaiah 54). The deception away from Truth per God's Word on
this matter, means that the majority of the ten tribes of Israel which migrated to the
West forming the Western Christian nations, do not really know who they are today. Many of
them are told they are Gentiles which is not true (again, see the Lost
Tribes studies if you're interested in Biblical and archaeological proof).
Isa
26:16 LORD, in trouble have they visited Thee, they poured out a
prayer when Thy chastening was upon them.
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.
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.
It
seems that about the only time many of God's People stop and think about Him is in times
of trouble, instead of during times of prosperity and peace. When God's Hand was stretched
out in chastisement upon them, they were looking for deliverance from the enemy. What
about times when things were going good? How many remember Him then?
These verses show deception by many of God's People during
the events of the Apocalypse. Our Lord Christ would even warn about those who are
"with child" when He returns, for it is symbolic of not 'waiting' for His time
of return on the seventh trumpet (Luke 21:23; Mark 13:17; Matt.24:19). Instead of their
being delivered out of the tribulation as many of them are falsely taught by flying away,
they will fall to a false messiah, and worship him in place of Christ. The result will not
be spiritual fruit in Christ, but 'wind' (Hebrew 'ruwach', translated 'spirit'
in many Scriptures), or hot air instead, defaulting to the spirit of antichrist. That is
the result of their lack of staying in God's Word. We are to make a "stand" for
Christ during the great tribulation, clad with the Gospel Armour on (Ephesians 6).
I feel led to go a bit further with this birth pangs, and
being with child analogy, which brings forth nothing but "wind". God's
Word uses the metaphor of "fruit of the womb" as symbolic of His
blessing of birth to literal children during this flesh age (Gen.30:2; Deut.7:13; Psalms
127:3). So never think that this 'with child' analogy is about woman giving birth to
literal children today, for that is one of God's blessings. For this example in these
Isaiah verses, the deceived of God's People are spiritually pregnant with a false
idea and false hope. They treat it like a real pregnancy, showing all the 'outward'
symptoms of going into labor, yet they're not really pregnant at all, for false fruit will
bring forth... nothing. And all this is meant in the spiritual sense of not staying on
Christ for the latter days. Strong preaching of being raptured away before antichrist
comes has made many go into spiritual labor pains, yet per God's Word, it's nothing but
hot air ("wind"). And oh how easy it is for our flesh in wanting to
accept the easy way out, instead of listening to God's simple Word. Many are just too lazy
to do their own study in God's Word, and instead go into the suffering of labor pangs as
led by great orators and speech makers, when its nothing but hot air.
It's better to stay on Christ, and produce real fruit
which He expects out of us. We are to stay in the field (world) during the tribulation
time, producing fruit for Christ Jesus, not seeking to escape our duty (John 17:14-22).
Isa 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.
"Thy
dead men" is Hebrew 'muwth', meaning 'to die' (Strong's 4191).
This part refers to those 'in Christ' who resurrect from the dead. Paul explained the
resurrection in detail, even declaring with what type of body, and how we'll resurrect in
Christ. (See the Asleep in Christ studies for in-depth coverage
of that event). You'll discover in those studies per God's Word of Ecclesiastes 12:7-9 and
1 Corinthians 15 that at flesh death, the flesh goes back to the dust where it came from,
and the 'spirit' (with 'soul') immediately goes back to The Father Who gave it. "God
is not the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matt.22:32).
Strike out the phrase "together with"
in the above Isaiah verse, for it is Strong's 9999, meaning an inserted word. It's not in
the Manuscripts. The "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust:...",
refers to us, who are in our flesh clay vehicles on earth.
The phrase "and the earth shall cast out the
dead" is about the Rephaim again (the word "dead"
there is Hebrew 'rapha'). That's the fallen angels. How many have wrongly thought
that last phrase of the earth casting out the dead was speaking of the resurrection? Many
have, and even use It as 'their' Biblical proof that the flesh rises out of the caskets! The
Companion Bible also noted this Manuscript word Rephaim for the 'dead',
as meaning the fallen ones.1
The reference to "dew" is to the
putting back of God's earth the way He originally created it, perfect, and without all the
storms and wild weather we have today. God's People are going to be in a much purer state
for that return of the earth's condition as a "new heaven, and a new earth" (2
Peter 3; Isaiah 66; Rev.21).
Isa 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.
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.
Don't make the mistake of thinking these verses apply to being 'raptured' away to the
clouds, with the non-believers 'left-behind' here on the earth. The "chambers"
of God's People who stay true to Christ during the latter days is His Covering of
protection. GOD is able! If you doubt that, then recall the Passover which God commanded
the children of Israel to observe during the deliverance out of Egypt (Exodus 12:22
forward). When God smote the Egyptians without, the children of Israel were passed over.
They didn't have to go anywhere to stay under God's protection. We covered in earlier
Isaiah Chapters about the symbolic flood of the latter days which Satan brings. The five
months (150 days) which Noah's ark stayed upon the waters of the flood have a direct
spiritual parallel to the "five months" of Revelation 9, which is also
how long the great tribulation will last. Those who stay on Christ do not receive the
stinging by Satan's locust army, but instead are in God's spiritual Ark of protection
during that time, not being tempted, because they are not deceived with the "strong
delusion" (2 Thess.2:11; Rev.3:10).
These verses are a loving Message from our LORD that His
wrath will not be upon those who stay a "chaste virgin" in Christ
during the tribulation time (2 Cor.11). GOD through His Son Jesus Christ is... able.
Some believers on Christ have a hard time studying the
Books of God's prophets and our Lord's Book of Revelation, mainly because of all the wrath
Messages. Many just don't know to whom and when those various Messages apply, so it's easy
for them to wrongly put guilt upon themselves, when our Lord loves those who are sincere
with Him. Man has always feared the unknown. Without proper study in God's Word, that's
the result for many, especially for these latter days. But it doesn't have to be that way;
our loving Father and His Son do not intend deception upon those who love Him, thus He
gave us His Word to study so that we would know what will come to pass. To be given to
'know' then, brings peace of mind, even in a world gone astray (Rom.8:12-19; 2 Timothy
1:6-10; Heb.13:5-6; Rev.2:9-11).
Peace to you in Christ
Jesus,
Dave Ramey.
Footnotes:
1 The
Companion Bible, (Kregel Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI., 1990), p.963.
All references to
"Strong's nos." are from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, PC Study Bible,
Biblesoft, 1993-1996.
(top)
Next
Study »
|
|
