Comments on Isaiah 26

     This is the third chapter of the four chapter 24-27 block. 
This chapter contrasts 24 in that it is a song of salvation sung by
the righteous remnant of Israel spared on the Day of the Lord.  
Chapter 25 served as something of a transition between 24 and 26, 
so review of those two chapters, especially noting the contrast 
with 25 is recommended (these three chapters are arranged as a 
chiasm of subject rather than one of text).

     The JPS translation presents an arrangement of the text that
seems obtuse to me.  Normally I agree with their arrangement, but 
the arrangement I would recommend is as follows:

     v. 1-6 The salvation and delivery of the righteous in Zion
     contrasted with the debasement of the worldly nations.

     v. 7-14 The righteous contrasted with the wicked.  Verses 11-
     12 form a parenthesis explaining who gets destroyed on the Day
     of the Lord.  And, v. 13-14 contrasts the exaltation of the
     Lord to the humiliation of the lords of the earth.

     v. 15-19 The Lord's work in redeeming the nation Israel (and
     all other nations as well) contrasted with Israel's work in
     redeeming the nations.

     v. 20-21 The eschatological Passover on the Day of the Lord's
     judgment.

     This chapter bears similarities to various Psalms, which
should be expected given the hymn-like arrangement Isaiah uses
(these refs. a small excerpt from Kaiser [p. 207-216]):

     v. 2      Ps. 24:7,9 and 118:19-20
     v. 3      Ps. 112:7 and 143:8
     v. 4      Ps. 62:8
     v. 5      Ps. 37:10

Commenting on the psalmic nature of the chapter, Kaiser (p. 210)
states:

     On the basis of the classical elements of the psalm of
     lamentation, vv. 7-9 may be described as a confession of
     trust, vv. 10-11 as a petition for Yahweh's intervention,
     v. 12 as the expression of the certainty of being heard,
     vv. 13-15 as a renewed expression of trust, and vv. 16-18
     as a description of the distress, the lamentation proper. 
     Note hat the poet does not use the typical metre of
     lamentation (3 + 2).  The theme of trust, taking up half
     the song, is particularly prominent, and so is the
     introduction of a didactic note in vv. 7a, 9b and 10a,
     where the prayer takes on the form of the proverbs used
     in the wisdom literature.  Thus a formal analysis itself
     points to the parenetic nature of the poem, and this
     becomes directly evident in the instruction given in v.
     20.  The poet's purpose is to show his congregation how
     to endure the distress of the final age, patiently
     trusting in Yahweh's righteous actions and in his help
     alone.

v1-6  This song of pure praise for the Lord contrasts the pathetic
misery and cessation of reveling in 25:7-12.  Here the redeemed
praise the Lord who has been their protective wall, while the rest
of the world and even wicked Israel relied on physical walls for
protection (cp. 22:9-11).  These that relied on the Lord have
survived while, as v. 5-6 indicates, those that relied on the arm
of flesh have had their walls breached and have subsequently been
trampled under foot by the righteous remnant gathering to worship
the Lord (cf. v. 6 and v. 2).  

     Note the figurative "walls" of the Lord's salvation in v. 1 
are presented as superior to the literal walls of the world (cp. 
60:18) which will be struck down (cp. 22:5, 22:11, 25:12). 
Previously, Isaiah has used figures of walls and tall towers to
represent the arm of flesh prideful institutions of man by
comparison to the tower of Babel (cf. 2:15).  Thus, Isaiah makes 
it clear reliance must be fully on the Lord in matters of conflict.  
This would be particularly poignant to Isaiah's contemporaries 
given their reliance on diplomacy and such rather than the Lord 
(cf. comments on ch. 7 and 22).

     This section is also loosely chiastic, centering on v. 4.

v5 forms a succinct summary of chapters 13-23.  On "br[inging] low
those who dwelt high up", compare 13:11, 14:13-14, 19:11-15 and
22:16.  For "humbl[ing] the secure city", compare 14:19, 16:6 and
17:1-3.  On "humbl[ing] it to the ground", compare 14:15, 21:9 and
22:5.  The "leveled it with the dust" imagery is not used in
chapters 13-23, but does rhetorically link Moab with the city being
spoken of here (cf. 25:12, also cp. 47:1 and 52:2 where the dust
imagery is invoked).  Thus, Isaiah is rhetorically equating all of
the rebellious heathen nations from the preceding chapters with
this city here which has been laid waste while Zion is built up
(but note the lack in the text of any specific reference to Zion
proper).

v7-14 overall contrast the righteous with the wicked at the Day of
the Lord.  This section also serves to explain why the wicked have
to be destroyed.  

v7-10  Given the particularly detailed account of the destruction
to be wrought upon the earth on the Day of the Lord in ch. 24, it 
probably raises questions in the mind of the reader as to why
such a measure of destruction is necessary.  Does the Lord really
have to go that far?  Cannot He just lightly afflict them to get
them to repent?  Well, this strophe explains why that will not
work.  In verses 7-9 we see plainly that whenever a people are
righteous and truly seeking to walk in the way of the Lord they are
blessed by Him and learn righteousness from Him.  But, when the
evil-doer is spared, he never learns righteousness.  Rather, he
ignores the Lord and continues in sin (cf. v. 10).  Given the many
times the nations have been warned, and the many times they have
been spared, they are left without excuse when they marshal for war
to exterminate His people (cf. Joel 3).  The result is He is left 
without choice, and is justified in His actions.

v11-12 continues the theme from the preceding verses to elaborate
on the hardened and impenitent condition of the wicked.  Even
though they see the great acts of the Lord that have been
prophesied millennia in advance fulfilled in their sight, they do 
not "see" it.  The lengthy treatment the events surrounding the 
Day of the Lord has received in the scriptures (i.e. Isaiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Malachi, Revelation and many
other scattered references throughout the other scriptures) leaves
the rebellious without excuse when they reject these foretold signs
of the Lord's work.  The result is that the wicked will firsthand
see the Lord's "zeal for [His] people and fire consuming [His]
adversaries" (i.e the wicked themselves as they will witness their
own destruction).  Verse 12 goes on to contrast the blessed
condition of those who do recognize the Lord's had at work.  And,
following the JPS translation, they are spared and "appoint[ed]
well-being...since [He has] requited all [their] misdeeds".  Thus,
because they rely on the Lord, their sins are forgiven them and are
not brought up against them on the day of the Lord's wrath,
resulting in them being spared.

v13-14 then finishes off the subject of this section by contrasting
the Lord with the various worldly lords.  On the Day of the Lord
only He will be exalted and all worldly rulers who do
unrighteousness will be crushed (cf. 1:23, 5:11-12, 7:10-13, 10:12,
14:4-6, 19:11-15, 22:15-16; one gets the impression Isaiah does 
not like despots).  Monarchy, despotism and elitism will be
abolished in the Millennium in favor of Theocracy.  The exalted
condition of the Lord is also contrasted to the spiritually dead
condition of earthly lords (cf. v. 14a-b).

     These two verses also present an interesting Semitism 
elsewhere used in the scriptures.  In v. 13c and 14d we see the 
surviving remnant shall only utter the Lord's name and the worldly 
lord's names shall fall into obscurity.  This implies they will be 
utterly wiped out leaving behind no offspring to carry on their 
name.  And, their deeds in life are revealed to be so heinous they 
are intentionally blotted out from any kind of general societal 
recognition.  For additional appearances of this formula cp. Deut. 
7:24, Eccl. 9:5 and Ezek. 21:32.

v14b  That these spirits of the worldly lords can never rise up has
reference to their being excluded from the First Resurrection and
therefore not inheriting eternal life.  This is established by the
contrast between the exalted condition of the Lord and their
debased condition.

v15-19 presents the Lord's work as the redemption of Israel.
Note the double repetition forming an emphatic in verse 15.  This
emphatically establishes it is the Lord who brought about this 
gathering, and not any other.  Verse 16 then invokes the Lev. 26
covenant malediction formula where the Lord afflicts Israel in
order to get her to return to Him.  As such, He has brought about
her return.  This verse should be contrasted to verses 10 and 11
where the destroyed are those who do not return to the Lord under
the afflictions He delivers to them in an effort to get them to
repent.  Verse 17-18 then invoke the image of a woman who is in
agony as though she were giving birth yet she delivers nothing
except screams of pain (cp. 49:21, 54:1).  As Israel was the Lord's
nation they were to be an example and a light to all other nations
(cf. 45:4-6, 49:6, Gen. 12:3, Deut. 4:33-37, Deut. 7:6-8, Exod.
32:12-13, Mal. 1:11) .  Instead, they were for the most part a bad
example.  The result is that they did little in bringing other
nations to the Lord and even were made desolate themselves.  Thus,
Israel is a bride that has brought forth no children to her spouse. 
This statement by Isaiah is unflattering to the say the least,
especially given its similarity to 23:4.

     The more spiritual interpretation is that Israel in and of
itself has not performed any kind of intercessory atoning act that
has brought about the salvation of mankind.  Only through repeated
punishments has the Lord brought about a repentant remnant.  And
this imperfect remnant has done little but save themselves, they 
have spent their time in agony over their own sins.  The result is 
they bore little spiritual fruit and brought about no Zion (v. 
18c-d).  Rather, the Lord will personally rescue the righteous 
remnant (v. 2-3), established Zion (v. 1), redeem them from death 
and sin (v. 19) and render judgement on the world (v. 11-12).  
This makes a chapter like 53 blatantly messianic and referring 
specifically to the Lord only.  The interpretation that ch. 53 
would be referring to a large group such as Israel, Judah or some
other "anointed" person other than the Lord would contradict this
passage which specifically identifies all others as incompetent and
the Lord only as competent.  The ultimate physical and spiritual
fulfillment of this passage is detailed in 66:6-8.

v15 is reminiscent of the rule of ancient David over Jerusalem 
when all of Israel was united and their territories expanded.

v19  In this verse we have shades (i.e. spirits) that do arise 
whereas in v. 14 we have shades that can never rise.  Thus, the 
issues of "rising" is not in reference to the resurrection but
is rather one of the spiritual condition of the resurrected.  Given
the location of this verse with the redemption of Israel and the
establishment of Zion we see that the second phase of the First
Resurrection is a concurrent event with those (cp. Matt. 24:31, 1
Thes. 4:17, D&C 88:96, D&C 101:31, D&C 109:75).  Thus, the 
redemption of Israel at the Day of the Lord will be a complete 
redemption of all of righteous Israel both living and dead (cf. 
34:4).  Also note the possessive manner in which the dead of v. 
19 are referred to: "let Your dead revive!".  The "Your" implies 
these that are dead in the Lord, in that He claims them, they are 
redeemed not only from death but from sin as well.

v20-21  Here Isaiah uses the ancient Exodus Passover (Exod. 12:22-
23) account to make it a type of the destruction of the wicked at
this time.  The destruction of the wicked will be miraculous,
swift, specific and decisive.  The sparing of the righteous will be
those who partake of the sacrifice of the lamb/Lamb.  

     Isaiah's depth of insight into the overtones of the various 
symbols from the Law of Moses and their eschatological import is 
stunning.  What is even more stunning is the way he weaves them 
into the text so unobtrusively yet so staggeringly blatant. 

v20  The imagery of the earth revealing the bloodshed done on it
for retribution against the murderers is similar to that found in
Rev. 6:10, 18:24 and 19:2.  The source of the imagery is from Gen. 
4:10 where Cain murders Abel and Abel's blood cried for vengeance 
to the Lord.  It also ties in well with the theme of 2 Ne. 
30:16-18.  Thus, Isaiah uses some very graphic judgement and 
retribution themes to end of this chapter.  But, note the entire 
chapter is phrased in the manner of Isaiah singing all of this as 
a song of praise to the Lord.  All of these things detailed in 
the chapter are performed for the benefit of Israel.