IN THE present installment of this series we are to study Isaiah, chapters 26 and 27, which with chapters 24 and 25 constitute "the little apocalypse" of the Book of Isaiah. Chapters 26 and 27 fall into three natural divisions: (A) Israel's song of hope during the Tribulation (26:1-27:1); (B) The song of the vineyard (27:2-6); and, (C) Israel chastened and restored to fellowship with Jehovah (27:7-13).

At the present time Israel has her national anthem which expresses the hope of Zionism. In 1937 when I was driving through the Plains of Jezreel, I heard, late in the afternoon, the Jews singing this national anthem as they were returning from the fields to their colonies. This song grips the Jewish mind, especially the Zionist.

But at the time foreseen by Isaiah, the majority of the Jews in Palestine will be singing a different song. This will be the one contained in Isaiah 26:1-19. Verses 20 and 21, with 27:1, constitute the concluding remarks with regard to that song and the situation which will at that time exist.

The prophecy begins with this statement: "In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah." The expression, "in that day," either refers to a definite day that is mentioned in the connection, to the time of the Tribulation, or to the Millennium. The facts of the context determine its special significance in a given case. In this instance the context shows that the prophet was talking of the time of Jacob's trouble, the Tribulation. At that time this song, consisting of verses 26:1-19, will be sung throughout the land of Judah.

IN CHAPTERS 24 and 25 we have seen predictions regarding the destruction of the world city of the end-time and a forecast of the judgments that will fall upon the entire earth and its inhabitants because of sin and iniquity. In contrast with the overthrow of the world government and its civilization, the Jews during the Tribulation in Palestine will by faith look forward to the city which Abraham in vision saw when he was called to leave his homeland and to go to the country which God promised to give him. Abraham saw the day of Christ and was glad. He was seeking for that city which has foundations whose maker and builder is God (Heb. 11:8-16). The Jerusalem of the Tribulation will be standing at the time here foreseen, but the remnant of Israel that will be searching for truth will by faith see the millennial Jerusalem rise out of the dust of the ashes of the Tribulation, being created anew, the joy and rejoicing of the whole earth (Isa. 62:7). They will realize that God is the one who protects and delivers them. Thus they will say that this strong city is theirs and that God will appoint salvation as walls and bulwarks. What walls and bulwarks did for soldiers in ancient warfare, Jehovah with His salvation will do for the faithful in Israel.

In verse 2 this remnant is represented as marching to the millennial Jerusalem and shouting to its keepers to open the gates in order that they, "the righteous nation which keepeth faith," may enter in. In the imagery of this verse, this newly-created city is standing unoccupied. Those of the remnant, like a mighty army marching toward it, are the ones who have kept the faith--the faith of their fathers--and are trusting in God. The same representation appears in Psalm 118, which gives us a pageant, as it were, depicting the return of Israel to her God. (See especially verses 19-22 of this psalm.) Isaiah 26:2 presupposes that Israel will have, at this time, been evangelized and been given the truth. The remnant is therefore represented as marching literally to Zion, their mother city, and to their Messiah for whom they have been longing for centuries. That Israel will have been evangelized prior to the time here foreseen is evident from many passages of the Scripture.

According to Isaiah 26:3 God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed upon Him, the reason being that such a one believes in Him. He will give stability to the trusting heart. He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek after Him. Faith, however, always comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (Rom. 10:16).

According to verse 4 this future remnant of Israel is urged to trust in Jehovah continuously, for it is He who is the rock of ages. When we study this verse in the light of parallel passages, we know that this one can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Hebrew Messiah.

The exhortation of verse 4 to trust in Jehovah is reinforced and buttressed by the prediction of verse 5, which foresees by faith the destruction of the world city. This metropolis, I understand, will probably be Babylon rebuilt or the Rome of the end-time. This overthrow, to a certain extent at least, will be due to the efforts of the poor and needy of verse 6, which terms usually refer in the psalms and in the prophetic word to the remnant of Israel. When we view this prophecy in the light of others, we know that God will use this faithful remnant in accomplishing His purpose. For further study on this point see Isaiah 41:14,15 and Micah 4:12,13.

In verse 7 is a wonderful promise. The way over which the just travel is one characterized by uprightness. God, who is upright and just, will direct the paths of the just. According to Proverbs 4:18 the "path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" of the great Millennial Age.

In verses 8 to 10 the prophet discussed briefly world conditions during the Tribulation. Here he spoke of Israel during that time of Jacob's trouble and the effect that the judgments of wrath will have upon her. In connection with this prediction we likewise see the results of the Tribulation upon the world in general. For instance, in verse 8 the prophet saw the faithful walking in the path of the judgments of the Tribulation and waiting expectantly for the personal appearance of Jehovah for their rescue. This one is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns. The sentiment uppermost in their hearts at that time will be "to thy name, even to thy memorial name, is the desire of our soul." Their longing for His appearance will be so very intense that it will be the meditation of their heart both day and night. It will not be a cold, formal, orthodox faith which they will hold; but it will be a vivid reality to them, for each of them will say, "Yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee earnestly." Usually man's extremity is God's opportunity. When God thus brings His judgments upon Israel, she will do, as she has always done on former occasions--turn to the messianic hope for consolation and deliverance.

According to the last clause of verse 9, when God's judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. From a careful study of Revelation, chapters 6-19, we learn that the judgments of the Tribulation Period will be most intense and severe. Most of them will be world-wide in their scope. Men will be brought to their extremity. Conditions will be such that it will be evident to everyone who is even in the least fair and honest that God is the supreme ruler of the universe and that only in Him can there be any salvation. I realize from studying the prophecies relating to that time that many people will be hardened instead of softened by the judgments of that time. But all, except such hardened ones, will be brought to their extremity and untold multitudes will turn to God. A picture of this world-wide revival which will come at that time is seen in Revelation, chapter 7. A perusal of this passage shows that the evangelists who will proclaim the message of salvation then will be 144,000 Jews from the twelve tribes of Israel. They will be sealed and protected from the judgments of that time and will go forth in the power of the Spirit of God, proclaiming the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ to every nation, tribe, tongue, and language. As a result of their preaching there will arise an innumerable host of people, which no one can number, out of all the nations of the world. John declared that these will have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb and that they will come out of the Tribulation. Other passages tell of this mighty awakening which will occur at that time. According to the prophetic word this age is to end in apostacy and catastrophe. There is no scriptural promise held out to us that we may expect any great turning to God now. On the contrary, the sure word of prophecy affirms that conditions will continue to grow worse and worse until God will be forced to pour out His judgments on the world. There is not, therefore, any scriptural promise, so far as I have been able to discover in the Word, upon which we can build our hopes for a general awakening of any proportion at the present time. Only in the Tribulation, when God's judgments are in the world, will there come this heaven-sent revival.

As we have time and opportunity, let us in the power of the Spirit of God give the message of salvation to all Israel in order to prepare the 144,000 to deliver the message of salvation which they will proclaim during the first part of the Tribulation. Let us preach the gospel with all zest now to both Jew and Gentile in order to give as many as possible an opportunity of receiving Christ.

God will purge the unrighteousness out of the earth, according to verse 10; because in the "land of uprightness"--the millennial world--the wicked would continue to practice unrighteousness.

In verse 11 the prophet represented Jehovah as having lifted high His hand during the Tribulation. Though it is exalted and is in action, yet the people of the world do not see it; only those who have eyes to see are the ones who observe His activity. God is working at all times. He is overruling all affairs, yet only the spiritually-minded people can recognize His unseen hand in human affairs. Although the majority of the people of the world in the time of the Tribulation will be hardened and will be unable to see and recognize His presence in the judgments falling upon them, the prophet declared that they shall see His zeal for His ancient people and be put to shame. They shall see it when He appears in all His glory as their great Deliverer. This will come in the form of the personal, bodily return to earth of Messiah in answer to the cry of the faithful remnant for Him to deliver them.

God has a plan and purpose. Israel is in the center of that plan. He will, according to verse 12, ordain peace for her and will accomplish all her works for her.

God instituted a theocracy in Israel when He brought her out of the land of Egypt. He said that He would be her King. Nevertheless in the days of Samuel the people clamored for a king in order that they might be like the nations about them. In doing so, they rejected God. He acceded to their demand and gave them Saul. He had however, to turn His beloved people over to the authority of the Gentile nations who acted in many instances as tyrants. Thus, according to verse 13, the penitent remnant of the Tribulation Period will declare that other lords besides Jehovah have exercised dominion over them but under no conditions will they acknowledge any name except that of Jehovah their God.

By faith the remnant of Israel of the end-time will look forward to the end of the Tribulation when all their enemies and their cruel lords will have been slain and they will have been delivered. Moreover they look forward to the time, when under the benign and righteous rule of King Messiah, the nation is increased and God is being glorified through His people. The promise made to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3) will then for the first time be fully realized. At that time Israel will inherit the Land of Promise, which includes all the territory from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates. That fact is mentioned in verse 15.

The prophet described the broken, penitential spirit of the faithful remnant and informed us that they will turn to God in genuine repentance under the chastening strokes of His rod. He thus foretold that they will pray thus: "Jehovah, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them." Moreover they will admit (vss. 17,18) that they have not accomplished the purposes which God had in view for them in His creating the nation and in His depositing with them His revelation. Instead of accomplishing the work and the mission assigned by Him, the faithful remnant will make the sad confession that they have wrought no "deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the earth fallen."

Through the dark clouds of verses 16-18, the faith of the prophet and of the faithful remnant penetrates to the realities beyond and sees the great resurrection of the just. In verse 19 therefore Isaiah declared: "Thy dead shall live; my dead bodies shall arise." God assures the remnant that their loved ones who know Him and who have died will live again. Then, with a bold venture of faith, he spoke of the bodies of the faithful who have fallen as "my dead bodies." This verse is a clear prediction concerning the resurrection of the righteous. Although not very much is said in the Old Testament concerning the resurrection, there are a few prophecies dealing with this subject. For instance, Daniel 12:1f gives us a prediction concerning the resurrection. In Ezekiel, chapter 37, is a promise of the national resurrection of Israel presented under the symbolism of the dry bones in the valley. Although this prediction is a symbolic representation, yet, when it is read in the light of parallel scriptures, it becomes evident that the prophet probably also saw the literal rising of the righteous dead.

Following the statement in verse 19 is the prophet's address to the righteous dead: "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast forth the dead." From the context we are certain that this prophecy refers to the righteous in Israel who are dead.

Let us recognize the fact that there two resurrections--one which precedes the Millennial Age and one which follows it. The righteous are raised before the thousand years' reign of our Lord; but the unrighteous never come to life until after the thousand years are finished. Some have thought, however, that the passage in John 5:28,29 proves a general resurrection. The words cited as evidence are these: "For the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, 29 and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment." There is no contradiction between our Lord's language in this passage and that of John in Revelation, chapter 20. John says that one thousand years intervene between the resurrection of the just and that of the unjust. The word "hour" which Jesus used, though it may refer to a period of sixty minutes, has various connotations. For example, in John 4:23, our Lord said: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth." Certainly "hour" in this passage does not mean sixty minutes, but connotes the entire Christian Dispensation. Since our Lord used the term with this meaning and since there is no contradiction between His statement and that of the Apostle John, we are to understand that the word "hour" in John 5:28,29 is a long period of time and that His teaching agrees with that of John. So there are two resurrections: one of the righteous before the thousand years of our Lord's literal reign and one of the unrighteous after the thousand years.

FOLLOWING the song which will be sung in the land of Judah in the Tribulation by the faithful remnant, as we have seen, is the prophet's invitation, which is indeed a prediction, for the faithful remnant of Jews to enter into a place of safety in order that they might be preserved during that time of judgment. Thus the prophet declared, "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast." A reading of the latter part of Daniel, chapter 11, seems to indicate that the faithful remnant of Israel will flee from Palestine into the territory east of the Jordan, consisting of Ammon, Moab, and Edom, where they will be protected. The same theme is touched upon in Revelation, chapter 12, where the woman, clad in the sun, and standing on the moon with twelve stars in her crown, flees to a wilderness, to a place prepared for her by the Lord. The facts of the context of this latter passage show that this woman is the remnant of Israel which flees to a specially prepared place in order that she might be preserved during the time of the indignation.

Jehovah at that time will punish the inhabitants of the world for their wickedness and the earth "shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Then every sin and transgression shall receive a just recompense of reward.

"In that day Jehovah with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the swift serpent, and leviathan the crooked serpent; and he will slay the monster that is in the sea" (Isa. 27:1). What is meant by leviathan and the monster? An examination of this verse and a comparison of it with verse 13 of this chapter leads one, in the light of parallel passages, to conclude that possibly Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria are here represented under the symbolism of leviathan the swift serpent, leviathan the crooked serpent, and the monster in the sea. (On account of limited space I cannot give the reasons for these conclusions. One who is interested should consult some good commentary.) Although these three world powers were probably symbolized by the monster and the two leviathans, it is also quite likely that Isaiah saw behind these civil governments Satan and his cohorts who are backing up and sponsoring world authorities in opposition to the great kingdom of God. The force of this interpretation may be seen by an examination of Job, chapters 40 and 41, where the facts of each context make clear that the writer was not talking about literal monsters but was speaking of Satan under the symbolism of these wild, ferocious beasts. At the end of the Tribulation the Lord will have destroyed all human governments and will have incarcerated Satan and all the host of the high ones on high in the pit of the abyss where they shall remain throughout the righteous reign of our Lord.

In Isaiah 27:2-6 appears the "song of the vineyard." This song is related to Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:8-15; and Matthew 21:33-46. In each of these passages God compares Israel to a vineyard which He has planted and which He owns. All these references, except our present passage, deal with Israel as God's vineyard which has borne the wild bitter grapes of injustice and unrighteousness. But in the verses which we are to consider, Israel is represented as a vineyard which God, the true husbandman and owner, will tend, protect, and keep, and which will eventually yield a harvest, filling "the face of the world with fruit." The prophet urged his hearers to sing concerning this vineyard. The theme is indeed a worthy one. Israel is the nation of destiny. God will yet use her in the future as He has never done in the past.

But the thing about which the prophet wanted his hearers to sing is the fact that Jehovah is its keeper. God is the only one who can keep Israel. The Shepherd of Israel, the Hebrew Messiah--the Lord Jesus Christ--is the one who has been guiding her through her checkered history during the centuries; but He will especially exercise protective and preserving power over her during the time of the Tribulation. The promise that He will provide for her is stated in the following words: "I will water it every moment." God always provides those things that are necessary for the well-being of any of His children. Since this is the remnant of Israel that is in view, the promise involves providing those things that will be necessary for the spiritual development and welfare of these people. Moreover, He will protect His vineyard from all harm. This promise is expressed in the words, "... lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." If the Almighty did not protect Israel during the Tribulation, the Antichrist, backed by Satan, would exterminate her. According to Isaiah 27:4 God states that wrath is not in Him. Of course the chastisement which He brings upon her will be due to His indignation at sin, but because of His great love for her the statement that wrath is not in Him is correct. Then the briers and thorns are challenged to enter a pitched battle with Him. Of course thorns and briers are here personified. Should they do this, He declared, "I would march upon them, I would burn them together." According to verse 5 the Lord gives an invitation to one and all to come and make their peace with Him and enter into fellowship with Him: "Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; yea, let him make peace with me." This is indeed a great invitation.

But the song reaches its highest point in verse 6: "In days to come shall Jacob take root; Israel shall blossom and bud; and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit." Israel is to be the channel of world blessing in the great Millennial Age. She will be the head of the nations instead of being the tail as she is at the present time. When Israel is thus restored to fellowship with God, His blessing and favor will flow out through her to all nations and they will all be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Thus the world will be filled with spiritual fruit at that time.

In Isaiah 27:7-13 we have a prediction that God will chasten Israel but will finally restore her to fellowship with Himself. In verse 7 the prophet contrasted the way in which God deals with Israel with the way in which He deals with her bitter enemies. Thus he asks: "Hath he [Jehovah] smitten them [Israel] as he smote those that smote them? or are they slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by them?" The nations in their dealings with Israel have been ruthless and merciless. God deals with them according to the principles of righteousness and justice. To the merciful He will show Himself merciful, but to the perverse He will show Himself froward (Ps. 18:25,26). Thus his dealings with the nations, the enemies of Israel, will be more severe, from one point of view, than His treatment of His own people.

The Lord has promised that He will make an end of all the nations but will not make an end of Israel. He will, however, punish her in measure. Jeremiah asserted this fact later (Jer. 30:11), but Isaiah mentioned it in verse 8. He therefore declared, "In measure, when thou sendest them away, thou dost contend with them; he hath removed them with his rough blast in the day of the east wind." When God chastened Israel, cast her out of her own land, and scattered her among the nations, He did it in a measure, or literally, in a large measure. But He did not send her away forever or cast her off finally. The blow which dispersed her among the nations was indeed a severe one--like the rough blast of the day of the east wind.

Israel is yet to be forgiven and to be brought back into fellowship with God. This fact is asserted in verse 9: "Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, so that the Asherim and the sun images shall rise no more." One must read this passage in the light of other scriptures which affirm that men are forgiven their sins by the pure, sovereign grace of God, when they take hold of Him by faith. This passage looks at the repentant spirit of Israel in its outworking. Her contrition of heart will be so very genuine and deep that she will destroy every vestige of heathenism as indicated by this verse. Thus her repentance is spoken of in terms of its outworkings.

The prophet sees the country of Palestine in a waste, desolate, and barren condition--the evidence of God's displeasure against the people for their sins. Sin and iniquity demand punishment--even though the sinner is forgiven. David sinned. The Lord forgave him when he repented, yet He punished Him. (See II Sam. chapter 12.) That is the way it will be with Israel.

In verse 12 is a marvelous promise that the Lord will gather His own from the ranks of Israel and re-establish them in their own land. Thus we read:

12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Jehovah will beat off his fruit from the flood of the River unto the brook of Egypt; and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

In this passage Isaiah compared Israel to fruit trees--probably the olive. The nation is set once again in the land that was promised to Abraham--the country between the river of Egypt and the Euphrates River. Thus in the imagery of the prophet a great portion of Israel is represented as an olive orchard in that section of the world. During the Tribulation the Lord beats off the fruit from the trees and gathers it for Himself. He therefore says, "And ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel." This passage assumes the restoration, at least of an appreciable portion of the Jewish nation, to Palestine and the territory promised to Abraham. An examination of the vision of the valley, of dry bones (Ezekiel, chapter 37) foretells at least a partial regathering of Israel before the great Millennial Age.

The time has come for the Jew to go back to his own land and to settle in that section of the world in order that God may beat off the fruit from His plantation in fulfillment of this prophecy. Let us pray that in the postwar world Israel may have free access to her land and opportunity to go back there in fulfillment of this prediction.

The prophecy concludes with a promise that the Lord will come with a great trumpet and will gather together the remnant of His people which remains from Assyria and from Egypt and will gather them in His holy mountain at Jerusalem to worship Him. In Isaiah, chapter 19, there is a clear prediction that many Jews will be in Egypt in the end of this age and will even have a place of worship there. At the same time they will have their heart in their national capital, Jerusalem. Here we are told that there will be outcasts of Israel in Assyria and that, when the Lord does come, He will gather them back into their own land in order that they might fulfill His plan and purpose through them.

It is the privilege of everyone who believes the Word of God to pray earnestly for the peace of Jerusalem and to hasten by prayer and by labor the coming of the day of God by reason of which the present order will pass out of existence and the new, glorious Millennial Age may be ushered in--when the glory of God will encircle the earth as the waters cover the sea.

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