The last three verses of our chapter are astounding. I have read in two places (earlier this morning) that this Text supplies the “clearest” presentation of resurrection in the entire Old Testament!
Isaiah 26:19-21, read it all, do not skip these verses … “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. 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. 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.”
Wow!
There it is!
The Prophet himself promising (of necessity on behalf of God, as the Lord’s spokesman) Israel … “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise..” (Even if Isaiah himself is dead when “resurrection” occurs … He too will be brought back from the grave!)
Wow again!
And what is the people’s (proper) response to this, a commanded behavior? “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. “
Silence is gone, from the cemetery! Singing instead will be heard!
The dusty dryness of the corpse will be a thing of the past. It’s as if the Dew of Heaven has fallen, copiously!
These may be the Jewish Believers who have been slain during the Tribulation.
A people (the Jews as a Group, a Nation, a “chosen” Nation, God’s Nation) who have not been annihilated during that awful time! (Though that was the goal of Antichrist and his hordes, minions.)
A line or two from Psalm 83 comes to mind. “They (the enemies of Israel) have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”
Mercy!
But God promises the Jews, right here in our Text, verse 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 chapter begins with “open doors/gates”back in verse 2 … and now ends with “shut doors/gates” in verse 20! The Holy Spirit, What an Amazing Writer/Author He is!)
As God shut Noah into the Ark, and as the Jews put freshly-slain blood on closed doors Passover night, and as God can shut a door that “no man can open” … so God’s Remnant in those last terrible days will be safe and secure! Inside another set of “closed doors” … they will not cease to exist as a people, as a Nation!
Then verse 21 of Isaiah 26 … “For, behold, the LORD cometh!”
Glory!
This is Jesus’ literal Second Coming to earth, riding that white horse … as per Revelation 19 … to avenge His people, His persecuted people!
To judge the whole earth for her careless bloodshed (abortionists, beware) … to right all the wrongs of history!
“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.”
Amen, Isaiah.
What a panorama!
Yes, this Prophet is a theologian, of the first order.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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