We are Surrounded by Him

Isaiah 26:1 (ESV) In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.

There are some who suggest the phrase "in that day" refers to the millennial reign of Christ on this Earth. They may be right but I disagree. And Christians can disagree on such matters. Isaiah 24 described global devastation. Isaiah 25 described God's protection over His people through global judgment. Isaiah 26 now turns to the protective place called the Lord's Church that will exist most clearly in the last days. The reason I believe this chapter refers to that time is that people will still be coming into the city. 

Isaiah 26:2 (ESV) Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

Yes, people could still be coming to Christ in the Millenium, but would it be faith to believe in a Christ who is visibly present? I don't quite know. But lets move on. 

We see that God will protect with strong walls His people through the great trouble that comes on the Earth before His triumphant return. 

Throughout this chapter, we have picture presented of the Church age just before the ressurection. 

Isaiah 26:9 (ESV) My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

First, we see that God will bring judgments on the Earth so that people might learn to turn from sin and fear Him. Some people wonder why God judges and brings calamity. It is for the greater good of your eternal salvation. Would you rather have temporal joy and permanent suffering or temporal suffering and permanent joy? In this midst of suffering, we need to remember that ultimately all suffering ends for those surrendered to Christ. No matter how bad that present suffering feels, it is accomplishing a never-ending purpose. 

We also see a general blindness in those who refuse to believe in spite of the judgments.
Isaiah 26:11 (ESV) O LORD, your hand is lifted up, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed. Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.

The "hand lifted" is a picture of judgment on the Earth. In spite of the great troubles we now experience and will one day very much more experience, some people will only grow harder in heart like Pharoah before them. 

At the same time, there will be a people belonging to God who will not take credit for their works but give Him all the glory. 
Isaiah 26:12–13 (ESV) O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works. 13 O LORD our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone we bring to remembrance.
Of course they will do this because in the tribulation, the works produced will have to be miraculous in nature as the world suffers trouble unlike anything before. 

After detailing more of the trouble on the Earth, Isaiah shares a powerful picture of resurrection that reminds us each morning of our ultimate future in Christ. 
Isaiah 26:19 (ESV) Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
Dew shows up in the night. When the sun rises, the dew rises with it. Every morning we see dew on the ground we are reminded of our future glory in Christ.

What should we do in the meantime while we wait? We should come to the chambers God has prepared and pray. 
Isaiah 26:20–21 (ESV) Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by. 21 For behold, the LORD is coming out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.

Notice again how this chapter enumerates details of the tribulation by referencing "a little while until the fury has passed by". This cannot be the Millenium reign. For 7 years is a little while in the spectrum of the church age. But what are we admonished to do in the judgment? To get in the place of God's presence. Those places are personal prayer (prayer closets) and gatherings of believers which Hebrews admonishes us to do MORE SO as the day of judgment approaches. 

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

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