Judgment Teaches Righteousness

Isaiah 26:8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.

After looking up the main words in Hebrew, Isaiah seems to be expressing that God’s people waited with expectation for God’s decreed punishment/judgment to be completed. They looked forward to again being in a position of fellowship with their God. They knew that that time of restoration would come based upon His character and His word. God’s name represents His character and authority and uniqueness.

Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

As he so often does, Isaiah’s message becomes personal. It reflects the thoughts and feelings of all those who truly love the Lord and honor Him as their God. He is basically saying that with his whole being he desires fellowship and connection with the Lord in the night (including the times when evil seems to have sway), the early hours just before dawn. The dawn is sure, and God’s victory over evil just as sure. He realizes that it is through God’s judgments on Israel in particular, that the people of the world are made to understand righteousness.

God set Israel apart as a nation to demonstrate Who He Is and the benefits of submission to and fellowship with Him. When they chose to rebel and turn away from Him, they were the object lesson to the world of the consequences of rejecting Him. Mankind needs to understand that as a holy and righteous God, He must punish sin. A loving God does so with the intent to draw the sinner to a position of repentance and renewed fellowship. A merciful and gracious God is longsuffering and patient as He allows us to learn and grow in our relationship to and experience with Him.

Isaiah 26:10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

In context with verse 9, this verse seems to be saying that it takes the judgment of God to produce righteousness in man. If God were to only exhibit kindness and mercy, man would never learn right living; he would continue selfishly in his sin and would never discern the person of God or experience the excellent things that accompany a right relationship to Him.

I think any parent could confirm that principle. A child left undisciplined will only become more selfish and hurtful to others; he will become more and more sinful. He won’t learn to love his parents, but to disdain and ridicule them. I believe that just as we have a sin nature that makes us more apt to choose sinful things based on the desires of the flesh, we also have an inner desire to experience love that is proved through nurture, admonition and correction.

Isaiah 26:11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

The reference to God’s hand being lifted up is a reference to His getting in position to bring it down in judgment. I think that is a true statement in reference to the enemies of God’s people, as well as in reference to those of God’s people who have turned away from Him and are rejecting Him. Somehow, we always seem to think that we are going to get away with sin. In the case of those who don’t accept God as GOD, they don’t even consider the possibility that they are acting in such a way that would call for judgment; they just don’t acknowledge their sin as sin.

“they shall see….” – This phrase is a statement that sinful, rebellious man will be brought to a position of envy/jealousy when they see God’s blessing upon those who choose to follow Him in submission and obedience.

“the fire…” – This phrase seems to be a statement of the principle of sowing and reaping. This principle is often emphasized in scripture, and presented itself recently in my studies of Habakkuk and Obadiah.

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

God is not going to let sin go unpunished.