Isaiah Chapter 26 "The Song of Judah." This Bible Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org We are still in the Apocalypse or Revelation of Isaiah, that same period covered by John in the book of Revelation in the New Testament. 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." bulwarks - 2426 cheyl or (shortened) chel- a rampart, a fortress, a wall - a) a rampart b) a fortress. ln the time of the final generation, even when Satan the Antichrist is declaring himself God, and ruler of the World, our Heavenly Father will still be our walls and bulwarks against the evils of this earth age. Isaiah 26:2 "Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." "God's Word" is the "truth", for it is not "the handkerchiefs, and pillows that ye sew over the arms, where with they hunt the souls to fly." Ezekiel 13:20: Ezekiel 13:20-21 "Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD." Do you know the truth of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, or are you looking to fly out of here? The qualification of entering through those gates of Jerusalem after our Lord returns, is whether you have known the truth, and not been deceived by Satan when he comes playing the role of the instead of Christ. That is the truth, and it is not being taught. People are not being prepared for the fake christ that is coming first. Today people are forming statutes and traditions and covering them over with their pillows of false doctrines, and then rely on them to be their way to salvation. There is only one way to God and eternal life, and that is the Father's way. This is stated by Jesus in John 14:6 when asked by Thomas, "How can we know the way?" John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, "I am the way the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by Me." John 14:7 "If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him." We are not to listen to any man without checking what they say out in our Father's Word. It is only from His Word that we will know the True Christ from the fake christ, for both will look and sound so real, but one will be a fake. The first to come with his supernatural powers, and his hosts of heaven is a fake. How do we know that for sure? It is written in His world, and Jesus has warned us in Matthew 24:4; "And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Matthew 24:5 "For many shall come in My name, saying, `I am the Christ;' and shall deceive many." When Satan comes in the role of Antichrist, he will look like most churches teach that the True Christ shall look, and say the things that most people expect him to say. Satan will come with his hosts of heaven, only they will be the fallen angels, that "locust army" spoken of in the Joel 1, and the Revelation 9. God will Satan many supernatural abilities so that he will be able to fool those that do not have the seal, or truth of God's Word stored in their minds. Friend, you will not enter into the holy city of Jerusalem to worship the True Christ in your flesh body, for at the return of Christ, "all shall be changed into their incorruptible bodies", as we read in the last chapter. If you see and worship a person claiming to be Christ, from Jerusalem, then you have been deceived, and taken in the wrong marriage. Isaiah 26:3 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." This "perfect peace" is "peace of mind". It is the freedom from the guilt of sin that only comes through your believing upon Jesus Christ, and repenting to the Father in Jesus name. This peace of mind is a wonderful thing, and it comes only by your trusting in Him. That peace comes from taking counsel in His Word, and trusting that what is said is truth, and that God will keep His Word. Peace of mind is the most valuable thing you can have in the world. Isaiah 26:4 "Trust ye the Lord for ever: for in THE LORD YHVH is everlasting strength:" We are to trust in the Lord every day of our lives. It is not just a Sunday thing, but our minds are to be stayed on Him twenty four hours a day, every day of your life. When you fall and sin then that is the time immediately to repent to the Father in Jesus name, then you are freed from that sin. Though you are saved only once, it doesn't mean that you will never sin again, but when you do sin, you have an advocate [lawyer] at the right hand of the Father, when you plead your repentance in Jesus name. Friend, it was the blood of Christ, God's only begotten Son that paid that price, and Jesus is the person that is standing against Satan, as Satan is accusing you of sinful acts to our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father promised you and I directly that if we confess our sins, He will be faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:10 "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." Remember what Jesus said in Revelation 9:4? That only those that had the seal of God, the Word of God in their forehead would not be turned over to Satan upon his arrival to earth. When we talk about "TRUTH" we are talking about "WORD OF GOD". Most people never approach the Father except when their is a great hardship in their life. THE LORD YHVH is our strength both in this earth age and the next. He is our Rock of ages, and gives us all the strength that you will need every day of your life. God is solid as a rock, and you can count on Him to be your firm foundation. Isaiah 26:5 "for He bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, He layeth it low; He laitheth it low, even to the ground; He bringeth it even to the dust." Again we should remember Matthew 24 and Mark 13, that when Jesus Christ's feet touch down on the mount of Olives, this city will be turned to dust. This is also illustrated in Zechariah 14 how it shall be on the "Day of the Lord", that day when the seventh trumpet sounds, and all flesh are done away with. Isaiah 26:6 "The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy." The "poor" are the humble, those that are true to Christ to the very end of this earth age. We are entering into that time of the Apocalypse, only Isaiah here is tying together the seven trumpets and the seven seals that Jesus gave us in the book of Revelation. Isaiah 26:7 "The way of the just is uprightness: Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just." "The just" in the Hebrew tongue are the "Zadok", and it is told in the Millennium chapter of Ezekiel 44 what they shall be doing in that Millennium age. The "Zadok" know the truth of God's Word, and they know the false messiah is coming before the True Messiah. The Zadok are preparing themselves in the Word of God by putting on their whole armor of God, the whole Word of God to fight of the lies and spiritual darts that will fill the earth shortly. 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." Be sure that you wait on the True Father, and is is the desire of our soul, not our flesh is to His name. That name is "YHVH", and his Son is Jesus Christ. Daniel talks about those of our generation that stand through every day of the seven year period of the Great tribulation. Daniel 12:12 "Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." We know from Revelation 9:5, 10 that this period has been shortened for the elect's sake, but this blessing is to those that know enough to wait to the very end of this age of the flesh, until the True Christ returns. 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." Are you seeking righteousness? surely you are not going to wait until this day spoken of here to seek it, for it will be to late. We are to seek the wisdom of His Word while it is day, when that truth can be found, for in a very short time all truth will be take from the earth, except in the minds of those that already know the truth. The prophet Amos speaks of this time of the night in Amos 8:11. Amos 8:11 "Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:" The just are those that seek God early, that do not wait until the night has come and the famine for truth is all dried up. The just are those that seek Him while His judgment are in this earth age, not after the Apocalypse has started, or in the Millennium. We are living in the time of Grace, when by FAITH we are saved, by our excepting His Word as truth because God has said it, and by accepting His Word, we receive all the promises that God has given to us. If we receive them then we had better start acting on them. That is what faith is. We are talking about truth, and when to seek truth. Jesus is the Truth, and the Life, and we are to seek that Truth now. God loves all sinners but He doesn't love their sins, and the only thing that matters is that you repent of those sins, and seek him. You are His child, and He as made a promise that when you repent, He will forgive you. Isaiah 27:10 "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." "Favour" as given here is # 2603 in the Strong"s Hebrew dictionary, and means: "Chanan, khaw-nan'; to bend down to an inferior one, to be merciful, show kindness to, have pity upon." Those of the entire earth are going to show this mercy and pity upon the "wicked", which in the Hebrew tongue is "rasha", or the wicked one, who is Satan himself. When the false christ comes, you can count on one thing, that it will be nothing but unrighteousness, in the relationship to our Heavenly Father. The reason is that Satan wants to be God. 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." This hand is for correction, and would be better translated "fist". After Satan has arrived here on earth and the one world religious is set up, and all the people of the earth are in it, then is when "they will not see" the truth. "They shall not see" at that time, but "they shall be ashamed", show hatred and envy toward those that do know and stand against the one they believe to be God. Their God is a fake, he is Satan and they have been deceived into believing him to be God. There is no middle of the ground at this time, for you are either sealed in your mind, or you have been taken and given over to Satan. You either know who Satan is before his coming, or you will be one of these people that is lifting his or her fist against God's elect, those sealed in their minds. "The fire of thine enemies", is the deception that comes upon the earth, and that deception will instantly consume them into Satan's camp. "thine enemies" are Satan, who is cast out onto the earth with all his fallen angels. They are the enemies that will bring their many supernatural powers that God gives them to here deceive those that like to be deceived. Those that don't give a toot about God's Word, and prefer to chase after the traditions and doctrines that go against His Word. You have a choice. God gave each one of us a mind to consider the Word that He has given us through the prophets. Our generation is different then all other generations, for in our generation those signs and events that He wrote in His Word thousands of years ago through the prophets, is reality, and news on our television sets today. We can see as fact that God has kept His Word, and that it is truth. You and I have no excuse for making the wrong choice, however, "God is going to place a spirit of slumber" [a stupor] over many that love Him, and cause them to follow Satan in ignorance. It is for their own protection, for if they knew the truth, and then refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them on the day that they would be delivered up, then there would be no forgiveness for them. This unforgivable sin cannot be committed until that kingdom of the Antichrist is established on earth, and Satan is ruling from Jerusalem. The reason that it says here; "but they shall not see" is that they are spiritually blind. Isaiah 26:12 "Lord, Thou wilt ordain peace for us: for Thou also hast wrought all our works in us." God has ordained or established by His Word that you will have peace of mind when you seek him, and seek to follow the ways that He has given us in His Word. Our Heavenly Father gives gifts to those that believe in Him. He gives the gift of teaching, to evangelize or whatever that special ability is to allow you to serve Him. That gift is precious to Him, not to man, for all things that we have come from Him. One of those gifts that we should be seeking is the wisdom that can only come from God. It is not the wisdom that this world gives which come from the mind of man, but the true wisdom that our Heavenly Father gives. Rememer that for the past three chapters here in Isaiah, our Father's hand is out to correct and ultimately bring about destruction upon the earth. That destruction is directed to those that would rather believe a lie. 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." These other "lords" are the Kenite lords. This is talking about what is happening during the time of the Apocalypse, the time written about in Matthew 24 and the book of Revelation. These lords not only include the Kenites, but Satan and his army of fallen angels that came to earth with him. We are not going to listen to any of them and what they say, but our minds are fixed on "YHVH" the Father only. This is talking about how you and I are to avoid the deception when it comes. That preparation can only be made by the study of His Word, for it will be what is in your mind, your gray matter that protects you. 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." Friend, there is no way to understand this verse, without going back to the Hebrew manuscripts. The word "deceased", as used here is "Rephaim", and those that are "dead" are the other lords. They are the ones that down through the years tried to lord themselves over God's people. The word "Rephaim" is a proper name, and should never have been translated as a happening. The first six verses of Jude tell us that they shall not rise. Rephaim - 7497 rapha' (raw-faw');or raphah (raw-faw'); from 7495 in the sense of invigorating; a giant: KJV-- giant, Rapha, Rephaim (-s). See also 1051. Jude 6 "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." This verse in Isaiah tells us that in God only we have the victory, and all other things that happened are just things passing in the night. What happens in their minds will not last. Just as the Rephaim, which are the offspring giants that are the sons, the progeny of those fallen angels that left their place of habitation in the heavenlies, and came to earth against God's will, that have been forgotten. 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." "Thou hast increased the nation" is given two times for emphasis. He is talking about a new nation which includes those that are grafted in during this period of grace. They are those Christians from all races and nations that have come to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, have repented of their sins under the blood of Christ, and try to serve God. This nation is what we call the "many membered body of Christ" today. This nation has been expanded by the true natural seed, which is to say, the House of Israel, not the House of Judah. It is through those ten tribes that were scattered by the Assyrians, years before Babylon took Judah captive, that this body of Christ would be expanded. The prophet Hosea identified them in Hosea 1:10. Hosea 1:10 "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, `Ye are not My people.' there it shall be said unto them, `Ye are the sons of the living God.' " Why can't they see? They don't know who they are. God hasn't lost them, but they have lost themselves. They migrated into all parts of the earth and today they are deceived into believing themselves to be Gentiles. They have allowed the Kenites that have mixed with the house of Judah, to be represented as God's people. However, In the place where they are; in America, England, Canada, Europe, or where ever they may be residing today in this final generation, they will be known by what they call themselves. "The Living God" is Jesus Christ, who was slain on the cross, shed his blood and arose on the third day. Jesus Christ is the Living God, and those that are identified with Him are called "Christians". Hosea said that the identification of this House of Israel in that latter days is that their nations would be called "Christian nations". So back in Isaiah 26:15, Why has God increased the nation? It is because this is the dispensation of salvation whereby those that have fallen can be brought back into the fold. It is letting us know that God is successful in winning back more souls then overcame in the rebellion of the first earth age. If it is confusing to you at this time, don't worry about it. Isaiah 26:16 "Lord, in trouble have they visited Thee, they poured out a prayer when Thy chastening was upon them." Their "prayer" is a silent speech. God's "chastening" is the discipline that He brings on the ones that He loves. Many times people will not turn to God unless He brings "chastening" or trouble into their lives; and then they cry out to Him for help. In family life today this is real true, for many children grow up and leave home and never go back home except when they are in a time of trouble. It is so much better to have the phone ring, and have your son or daughter just say, mom and dad I just called to say I love you. Our Heavenly Father has the same desire to hear from His children, for He is concerned about their needs. If you are doing fine and don't need anything, that is also a time to talk to Him, and thank Him for His care, and tell Him you love Him. It makes His day. God has emotions and feelings also, and Isaiah is saying that for many, the only way that they call upon the Lord is when they have trouble, and sometimes God has to do a little disciplining to get their attention to pick up the phone to heaven and ring the Father in prayer. 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." This is addressing the time of the return of Christ, the time spoken that will come upon the earth as a woman's birth pangs, that brings a close to this age of the flesh. Then comes the birth, the entering into the new earth age, where the flesh and blood cannot exist. These birth pangs, are the signs and events of the prophecies given throughout all the Bible, only in our generation are they are growing so close together that some are happening right on top of each other. Today we can see many of the prophecies happening on the same day and at the same time. Today, most of the Christians that see these prophecies coming to pass before their eyes, rather then rejoicing in the Lord, the cry out in despair. They scream out like it was a punishment aimed at them, when it is exactly what God said would come to pass. They don't understand what is happening because because there is the birth of a new age about to take place, and they didn't even know the old age was pregnant. They are ignorant of not only this age, but the first age, and the Millennium to come. They have chosen to be ignorant of the events that bring us into that age, because they would rather listen to the traditional fairy-tales that men and women have dreamed up. That is what is behind in this verse. So if you are one of God's children, you will use this Apocalypse of Isaiah, chapters 24-27 to set your mind at ease, that the truth can comfort you as these signs and events take place. Become mature in the Word and grasp the meat of it in understanding so it will carry you through these times. When you understand what the future is it will give you peace of mind. 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." Even God's children can see the events come before them today because they are part of them, and many of these events hurt. Jobs are lost, crime is in the streets, nations fall and go to war, fixed traditions are mixed with false religions, and the world at large becomes all melted together in one; these are all signs of the end times. As the money systems become worthless by inflation, and their stocks and bonds are held on business that are going under with great debt, they can see that what they have placed their hope in is like the wind. Most people, even Christians today can see no hope anywhere in the world. "Neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen", is better translated, "seen the light". When the child is born, the child's eyes are opened, and he sees the light. When this earth age is over and passed at the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, the old earth age of the flesh is gone forever, and we have entered into a new Millennium age. Remember we read earlier that at that time all flesh will be shed and we will be changed in the wink of an eye into our new spiritual bodies, which Paul called Incorruptible and immortal. When we are in those new incorruptible bodies we will see the light also and understand what it is all about. Just like the new born baby sees the light of day, our spiritual eyes will understand the things of Christ, and the deception that they were drawn into by Satan in this earth age. So the analogy this is pointing to is those that do get drawn into the deceptions of this earth age, the only fruit that they will bring forth is wind and hot air. A child is fruit, and when there is no child, their is no fruit. The wind is the "ruach" in the Hebrew tongue, it is false spirits and they have listened to (to many false spirits). The inhabitants are not converted when they receive a false religion, rather then receive the Holy Spirit of God. When they think that are having a big revival, all they really did is pass some hot air. 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." Though God's children will die in the flesh, they will live spiritually. This is because upon death the soul departs this flesh body and returns to the Father that gave it. The flesh body will go back to the elements that it is made of, and it will be laid in the grave. "Together with my dead body shall they arise", in other words, when Christ's body came out of that tomb, and ascended into heaven, from that day forth all souls will arise to the Father also. We are talking about the souls and spirits of God's people that have passed away in the flesh. Ecclesiastes 12:7 "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall retun unto God Who gave it." "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust", is written to those living in their flesh bodies. That is what our flesh body is made of, the dust of the earth that became part of the organic matter that makes up the food that we eat. We are to give thanks for the food and blessings that we receive for all blessings are from God. The word "dead" used here in the Hebrew text is "Rephaim", and every last one of them shall be cast away. As we read in Jude 6, they are already bound in chains for destruction. Before the flood of Noah's day, there were no storms. The earth and the herbs were watered by the dew of the day. The dew was the purest form of water that exists. The truth of His Word is the dew from heaven, and is the purest form of true light that those that thirst for the truth can receive. That dew will shower on your mind and give you the common sense that can only come as you study His Word. When the rest of the world is starving for the truth, the dew of His Word will give you peace of mind. 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." "Come" in the Hebrew tongue is "go", and god is telling His people to go into their inner chambers and shut your doors. If you are going to hide, where are you going to hide? In a cave? In the hills, or your basement? Friend, in the few months that the Antichrist will rule and declare himself to be the messiah, every person on the face of the earth that is not sealed with the truth of God in their mind, will think him to be the true Christ. So where are you going to hide? You hide in Christ. He is our protector, and the builder of the walls that shall defend us. He will take care of you and watch you right up to the wink of the last eye that changes you into your incorruptible body for the Millennium age. Do you have the faith to believe that, or are you still trembling over some childhood fairy-tale of a mean God. God loves you and though His love is reaching out to you, He is also a "just" God. He has the other side that He will show to those who defy His laws and commandments and wave a fist in His face. God showed His love to Sodom when the Sodomites snorted their filthy and evil acts in His face, and thought they could get away with it. God loves His children so much that He is going to knock the Rephaim completely off the earth, and bind them in chains until the time of their burning. God is our protection. 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." Have you ever wondered what Jesus Christ will do when He first arrives here on earth at the seventh trumpet? Isaiah is telling you right here. The Lord cometh out of His place in heaven, to punish the people of the earth for their sins. All those that have been deceived by Satan and his locust army of fallen angels, and have even brought persecution on those that teach and believe the word, will pay for their acts. This will be a time when our Lord will deal out the vengeance. We are told not to take vengeance in this earth age, but to leave vengeance up to the Lord, well this day of the Lord, is the day that all debts are settled. Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceable with all men." Romans 12:19 "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." God will see to it, when you come into His peace of mind that you don't have to worry about it what others think of you. God can change minds of men, and make them accept what they will normally reject. When you come into Christ, it will be just like when Noah, with the others came into the ark and shut the door, they were protected from the evil elements in the outside world that claimed all the others outside. When the false Messiah comes shortly, He will also flood the earth one that flood will be with lies, and all those outside the protection of Christ will be taken up in that flood. Revelation 12:15 "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood." The serpent is Satan in the same role of deceiver that he played in the Garden of Eden. The flood that he spreads is his many lies and supernatural wonders that will cause the people of the earth to believe him. All except "the woman" of Revelation 12:16: Revelation 12:16 "And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." Now Satan is playing the role of the dragon, to use his supernatural strength to win the people over to him. This force will razzle dazzle everyone into believing he is the true God. Revelation 12:17 "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." The woman is the remnant, those with the truth of God in their minds, and that have kept the commandments of God right to the end. They know the true God from the fake, they know the difference between Satan and Jesus Christ and they have kept the testimony of Jesus Christ right up to the final wink of their flesh body. Those are the ones that will be just as protected from the lies and deceptions of Satan, as Noah was when the door slammed behind him to seal him into the Ark for the flood. Friend, we are in that generation that needs the protection from the flood of lies that are already covering the earth. Shortly the flood will hit, and cover the earth, and it will be to late. We are told in this chapter that our knowledge must be gained early, because once Satan has arrived with His army of angels it will be to late. You will either be sealed or you will not be sealed at the moment of his arrival, and those not sealed God will give over to Satan to do with them as he pleases, as given in Revelation 9:4. God gives the choice, and you do the choosing.
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