Isaiah 26:4 - Trusting God Is Our Only Assurance Of Consolation.
Isa.26:4; Trusting God Is Our Only Assurance Of Consolation.
CONTENT; What's in the verse; Translations; Paraphrase; Word
Study:
Isaiah 26:4 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the
LORD, is everlasting strength.
Isaiah 26:4 (NLT) Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is
the eternal Rock.
Isaiah 26:4 (AMP) So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him,
lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever; for the Lord God is an
everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].
Trust means "to commit oneself fully to." [Nelson SB]
Everlasting strength. Literally, "an everlasting rock." Christ
is the "Rock of Ages" to all who learn to place their trust in Him.
[SDA Commentary]
CONTEXT; What's around the verse; Overview; Topic:
24-27 These four chapters are often called "Isaiah's
Apocalypse." They discuss God's judgment on the entire world for its sin.
Isaiah's prophecies were first directed to Judah, then to Israel, then to
the surrounding nations, and finally to the whole world. These
chapters describe the last days when God will judge the whole world. At
that time he will finally and permanently remove evil. [Life
Application SB]
Isaiah predicted devastating judgments (24:1-23) which would
bring about the triumph of God (25:1-12). For the righteous, God's
triumph promises a resurrection (26:1-21). In His judgments God will
destroy oppressors and restore the blessings of the oppressed (v.
20-27:13). [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
26:1-21 The song of praise in Isaiah 26 will be sung by the
redeemed as they enjoy the blessings of the Messianic kingdom. [New Bible
Companion]
"Your dead will live" Isa. 26:1-21. Not even death can thwart
God's purposes. Isaiah looked ahead and saw a day when salvation's
song will be sung in Jerusalem (vv. 1-7). Yet his own day was one of
longing, not of fulfillment. "We wait for You," Isaiah sighed, and added,
"My soul yearns for You in the night; in the morning my spirit longs
for You." His yearning was great, because, even "though grace is
shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness" (vv. 8-10). You
and I may know Isaiah's frustration well. Yet we have the same
promise that gave Isaiah hope. Isaiah looked ahead, and knew that "Your
dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust,
wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead" (v. 19). [The 365-Day
Devotional Commentary]
26:1-6 The song of the righteous. The theme of this song is the
trustworthiness of God and the peace and joy that come from
dependence upon Him.
[Passages Of Life SB]
The LORD's People Praise Him for Salvation
CROSS REFERENCES; What's in verses elsewhere.
Deut. 32:4 (KJV) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all
his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and
right is he.
2 Chron. 20:20b (KJV) Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye
be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Psalm 18:2 (KJV) The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the
horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalm 46:1 (KJV) God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble.
Psalm 55:22 (KJV) Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall
sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 62:8 (KJV) Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out
your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Psalm 125:1 (KJV) They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount
Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV) Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways
acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Isaiah 12:2 (KJV) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust,
and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song;
he also is become my salvation.
Matthew 6:13 (KJV) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever. Amen.
Matthew 28:18 (KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Philip. 4:13 (KJV) I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.
COMMENTARY / APPLICATION: Moving From The Head To The Heart
What is God teaching here? What does it teach about Jesus?
The dictionary defines crisis as "the turning point for better
or worse in an acute disease or time of distress." Using that
definition, find a newspaper or news magazine and circle the headlines of at
least 10 crisis points in the world today.
Isaiah 24-27 has been called "Isaiah's Apocalypse," for in it
you will read of the ultimate downfall of earthly enemies, angelic
hosts (24:21), and even death itself (25:8). The theme of the section
is judgment, but permeating nearly every paragraph is a note of
joy: singing by the remnant of God's people (24:14-16), gladness for
God's greatness (chapter 25), and praise for the praiseworthy God of
Zion (chapter 26). Truly God's people are blessed, even in times of
crisis.
What is your attitude as you face the crises of today? Is your
countenance as glum as the news? Or can you smile and sing in the midst of
the storm, knowing who allows the winds to blow? Place the words
"Smile! You have something to smile about" in a promi- nent place. Let
them remind you as you face each new challenge today that the victory
is already assured. [Your Daily Walk SB]
Righteousness is the theme of Israel's hope. Israel looks
forward to a final victory song by the righteous nation that keeps faith
with God. The oppressed and poor celebrate the downfall of the proud.
In the present we yearn for the final day as we humbly obey God. We
know one day all nations will experience God's just judgment (Hebrew
mishpat) and righteous, saving actions (Hebrew tsedeq) bringing peace for
His people and punishment for the wicked. [Disciple SB]
WAITIN' FOR JUSTICE (ISA. 26)
We had just written (another) letter to our superintendent of
schools. When our third-grader changed schools midyear, she was placed in
a classroom where she suffered serious verbal abuse from other
children, and received no support from her teacher.
The stress caused Sarah some serious stomach problems. It caused
us serious upset too, because only after a number of complaints did
we get Sarah transferred to another classroom. Even then her first
teacher seemed to take it out on Sarah by threatening to fail her in one
of her subjects.
What was frustrating was that, despite the fact Sarah had an A
her first semester, and an A the first quarter in her new school,
the teacher threatened to fail her for the year--and despite stated
school policy we were not even allowed to check the grade book. I could
go on and list other abuses, but the point I want to make is
simple. All of us, even in the best of times, are victims now and then
of injustice.
I know that our situation with Sarah is relatively
insignificant. There are far greater injustices suffered by others. But the
experience has made us more sensitive to the frustration experienced by the
powerless.
This is what Isaiah felt as he cried, "Your name and renown are
the desire of our hearts." He went on to complain that though grace
is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness, but keep
on doing evil (vv. 8-10). How frustrating to try, but always to be
kept waiting. How frustrating to struggle, but never seeming to dent
injustice.
When something like this happens to us, we need to remember the
hope that brought Isaiah comfort. All will be made right, in God's
time. It may not be during our lifetime. But, "Your dead will live!"
Even death is not the end. Even death can't thwart the ultimate
achievement of justice for all in this world. One day, in God's time, we'll
hear His voice calling us. He'll cry out to those of us who dwell in
the dust, and we will "wake up and shout for joy." For then we will
have justice. Then we will have peace. [The 365-Day Devotional
Commentary]
Trust in the Lord
Isaiah, in the 26th chapter, 3rd and 4th verses, tells us whom
to trust: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed
on thee, because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever,
for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Now, you cannot
find any one who has put his whole trust in God but he has perfect
peace.... That is the reward to those who do so.... His soul is at rest.
It is not tossed about upon every wave of doctrine, but it is at
rest.... If we put our trust in our own strength, it will fail us. If we
put our trust in our money, some thieves may get it away, fires may
burn it up, it may take to itself wings. If we put our trust in
friends, they will die and leave us. If we trust in anything on earth, we
will be disappointed, but if we put our trust in God, he never dies.
He never breaks a promise. He is everlasting strength. All human
strength fails. All earthly streams get dry sometimes; but God never
fails. The Keeper of Israel never slumbers, never sleeps. Therefore if
our trust is in him, and we look to him wholly and entirely for
everything, we will have peace and joy. D. L. Moody The Gospel Awakening
[Spirit Filled Life Devotional SB]
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