When a nation finally becomes faithful to God, what blessings await? Are we faithful? Let’s look at Isaiah 26.
Will Judah become a law-abiding, faithful nation, able to sing a song of victory, a song of salvation?
The time is coming when the people of Judah will sing this song: “Our city is protected. The Lord is our fortress, and he gives us victory. Open the city gates for a law-abiding nation that is faithful to God. (Isa 26:1-2 ESV)
What happens to the mind that trusts in God? Who is an everlasting rock?
You will keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in You. Trust in the Lord forever, because in Yah, the Lord, is an everlasting rock! (Isa 26:3-4 HCSB)
What will the oppressed and needy do to the arrogant city that was filled with pride?
For he has made drunk the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low to the ground casting it down to the dust, by the feet of the oppressed who trample it, by the footsteps of the needy.” (Isa 26:5-6 ISV)
What does a person, headed in the right direction, seek at night and early in the morning?
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. 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. (Isa 26:7-9 KJV)
Do the wicked stay stubborn even when they are shown grace?
Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of Yahweh. O Yahweh, Your hand is raised up high, yet they do not behold it. They behold Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, fire will devour Your adversaries. (Isa 26:10-11 LSB)
Has any oppressive foreign power brought the nation peace? Have all those empires died? Who increased the nation?
Lord, You will establish peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works. Lord, our God, other masters besides You have ruled us; But through You alone we confess Your name. The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise; Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And You have eliminated all remembrance of them. You have increased the nation, Lord, You have increased the nation, You are glorified; You have extended all the borders of the land. (Isa 26:12-15 NASB)
In pain like a woman in labor, can human efforts alone bring us salvation?
Lord, they came to you in their distress; when you disciplined them, they could barely whisper a prayer. As a pregnant woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, Lord. We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life. (Isa 26:16-18 NIV)
Who alone can cause the dead to arise from the bowels of the earth?
Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead. (Isa 26:19 NKJV)
Can we just go home, lock our doors and hide safely protected by God?
Go home, my people, and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while until the Lord’s anger has passed. Look! The Lord is coming from heaven to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed. They will be brought out for all to see. (Isa 26:20-21 NLT)
Who is the rock upon whose words we can build by listening and doing?
Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Mat 7:24 WEB)
Was Christ also involved in Israel’s history, bringing them safely out of Egypt?
and all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. (1 Cor 10:4 CEB)
When a nation finally becomes faithful to God, what blessings await? Are we faithful? You decide!
