Israel--From Judgment to Restoration

Isaiah 26:15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth.

Comparing translations helped on this verse. This seems to be talking of a time yet future when the borders of Israel will finally encompass the area promised by God to Abraham and the children of Israel.

Genesis 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Deuteronomy 11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

When this time comes, it will be a time of great praise and glory to YHWH, the covenant God of Israel. Isaiah is speaking with the boldness and faith of one who knows that God’s plans will come to pass. There are no ifs or maybes concerning God’s promises. The promise to Abraham was unconditional. The promise to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy was conditional:

Deuteronomy 11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him…

At the time when God increases the nation of Israel, the people will be following Him according to the conditions He established. Scripture tells us that the Lord will not return until Israel calls upon Him in faith as their Messiah; He also tells us that at that time ALL Israel will be saved and will turn away from ungodliness.

Matthew 23:37-39 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Isaiah 26:16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

When God’s people are being disciplined through trouble/tribulation, it is natural for them to turn to God in prayer. The word for prayer indicates a whisper, a private prayer. This could be a reference to being so weak that they barely have the strength to call out to God in prayer.

Isaiah 26:17-18 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Now the Lord, through Isaiah, makes a comparison of Israel and a woman in childbirth that has not been able to deliver. She has gone through much pain and struggle, but has not accomplished delivery—in other words she has not been the example before the nations that God intended her to be. She was to teach the nations about God’s faithfulness and love to provoke them to salvation/deliverance.

Israel knew she had a responsibility before the other nations of the world as God’s chosen people. It was generally stated in God’s promise to Abram:

Genesis 12:2-3 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

They were aware that the people of other nations would learn about God through His dealings with His people. Moses used this argument with God when pleading for God’s mercy after the people had made and erected a golden calf to worship during the time that Moses was receiving the commandments of God.

Exodus 32:11-12 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

The Psalmist knew it.

Psalm 67:1-2 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

This truth was also affirmed by the prophet Ezekiel many years after the ministry of Isaiah.

Ezekiel 36:20-23 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Ezekiel 39:23-24 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.

The interesting thing is that the Lord has provided for His rebellious people by establishing a relationship with the Gentiles/heathen through the church to provoke His chosen people to jealousy to turn back to Him in faith. (church = all true believers in Christ from the time of His resurrection until He comes again at the time of the Rapture)

Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.