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. 2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: 5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust
Isaiah 26:1-5
Isaiah 26 contains a song. It is not a song for corporate worship, but it is, nevertheless, a song of praise and celebration. It is a song about the restoration of Jerusalem.
During Isaiah’s days, the Assyrian Empire was in ascendency. But God defeated the Assyrians when they tried to conquer Jerusalem. Although the Assyrian empire would remain in power for another century, that event may be viewed as a symbolic turning point for the empire. In the meantime, another world power was gathering strength. The Babylonians would rebel against the Assyrians and eventually defeat them with the help of the Persians.
Isaiah prophesied that the Babylonians would conquer Judah and destroy Jerusalem. However, he also predicted that the Babylonians would eventually be defeated, and under the reign of the Medo-Persian King, Cyrus, the Jews would be allowed to return to rebuild Jerusalem.
Our text anticipates the time of restoration. But it is not only about the restoration of the Jews to Jerusalem. It is also about the gathering of the New Jerusalem, the Church under the New Covenant. Jerusalem of old was a type of the New Jerusalem. The glory anticipated in our text was hardly fulfilled in the restoration of the Jews. But it has begun to be fulfilled in the gathering of the New Jerusalem, and will reach its crescendo when Christ returns again.
Therefore, the comfort and joy celebrated in this song are especially applicable to us in the New Covenant. There is much in it that we can claim for ourselves immediately for our comfort and confidence.
1. The Comforting Declaration
In verse 1, we read, “We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.” This is a profound image not to be glossed over. Walls and bulwarks were for protection against enemies. In the Old Testament, God’s people, the church-underage, suffered the assaults of many enemies. There were the Philistines, the Moabites, the Syrians, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians. They needed physical walls and bulwarks to protect themselves. They often lived in fear and uncertainty.
But New Jerusalem has salvation as walls and bulwarks to protect her citizens.
Why of all things, salvation? To answer this question, we need to understand why God ordained that His people should suffer in the hand of so many enemies under the old covenant. Why? So that they might learn to fear the consequences and miseries brought about by sin. And so that they might turn their eyes to the Messiah to come, who would deliver them from sin and the consequences and miseries of sin!
We may say that all the military protections and victories under the old covenant were intended to remind God’s people of the victory that the seed of the woman would have over the seed of the serpent.
With the coming of Messiah, which Isaiah prophesied, the shadows have passed away, and it has become clear that the true Jerusalem will never be defeated, unlike Jerusalem of old.
With the defeat of sin and salvation wrought by Messiah as the walls and bulwarks of New Jerusalem, the citizens of the city need not fear any enemy at all. Why should we fear when Christ, our Saviour, is our king?
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, you who are keepers of the truth are citizens of the righteous nation (v. 2). Salvation is your walls and bulwarks. You need not fear what men or demons can do to you!
Indeed, as Isaiah 60:18 puts it, the gate of this city surrounded by salvation is called ‘Praise.’ Therefore, let your life be characterised by praise—whether in your worship or your day-to-day conversation. Offer up your bodies a living sacrifice in praise of your Saviour, who covered you with righteousness and promised never to leave or forsake you as you traverse this dangerous world until you arrive in the Celestial City.
2. The Confident Affirmation
Consider verse 3: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Notice that these words are directed to the LORD Jehovah. Though there is an infinite distance between God and man, our Mediator has brought us so close to Him that we may speak confidently about His relationship with us.
Everyone whose mind is stayed or fixed on God, having the assurance of His love for Christ’s sake, may have perfect peace, even peace that the world does not understand. The apostle Paul says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
All who believe in Christ and are by faith in Him covered by His righteousness have true and lasting peace with God.
Is your mind stayed upon Jehovah? If so, perfect peace is yours to have. It has been appointed by the Father for you. Don’t let your own doubts or the devil tempt you to let go of them by looking at the wind and waves. Keep your eyes fixed on Christ, trust Him, and the peace of God shall see you through the storm.
3. The Cheerful Counsel
See verse 4: “Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.”
You are weak, but He is strong. Therefore, trust Him and do not allow anything to sway you from your confidence in Him. Do not let calamity, adversity, poverty, illness, accident, persecution, or anything else shake your confidence in Him.
Just as He brought down the lofty city (v. 5), Babylon, He has defeated sin and the devil to rescue you from bondage. He has done so through the shedding of the blood of His Son. He who has begun the good work in you will perform it unto the day of the revelation of His Son. Therefore, trust Him forever. He is everlasting strength; He will never fail you and will never leave you.
Conclusion
Though God has begun to build the New Jerusalem, it pleases Him to bring us through a season wherein we will still suffer various trials and tribulations. But thank God we do not have to face them the way the world may. We do not need to be unsettled, fearful, apprehensive, pretentious, dissatisfied, disgruntled, whiny or grouchy. We can walk with joy, peace and hope, for:
We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. … 3Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.
Have you fallen prey to the devil and allowed your mind to be troubled by the cares of the world and unsettled by worries about tomorrow? Remember this prophecy of Isaiah. Remind yourself that Christ, our Lord, has built the wall for our protection with His blood. Remember how He suffered to purchase peace and safety for you. Remember how He took not only the wrath of men, but the wrath of God, upon Himself so that we may be delivered ultimately from all miseries of this life and the life to come due to our sin.
When your soul is troubled, meditate on these things and pray that you may consciously enjoy what Christ has purchased for you with His blood, including safety, perfect peace, and everlasting strength.
—JJ Lim