Isaiah 26:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.

NIV: Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.

NASB: Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful.

CSB: Open the gates so a righteous nation can come in— one that remains faithful.

NLT: Open the gates to all who are righteous; allow the faithful to enter.

KJV: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.

NKJV: Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in.

Isaiah is revealing a song of praise to the Lord. This song will be sung in the land of Judah when the Lord establishes His reign as king on earth. God has destroyed the "world city" of all those on earth opposed to Him and to His people. Now the prophet sings of a new city. Rather than the worldly city which came before, this "city" is Messiah's rule on earth. His kingdom is an eternal and indestructible stronghold for the people of the Lord. Isaiah has described this city's walls as being made of salvation (Isaiah 26:1).

Now he calls for the gates of the city to be thrown open. Who may enter this holy and secure city of God? Any nation that keeps faith in the Lord may enter. Since the very beginning of Israel, the Lord has been clear that He wants His people to trust in Him completely. It was said of Abram that the Lord counted the man's belief in Him "as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). Paul amplified this great truth in Romans 4, showing that Abraham was declared righteous not because of his works, but because of his faith.

Every nation that is righteous can enter the Lord's holy city. In these contexts, to be "righteous" does not mean sinless perfection. Instead, it means those who keep faith in the Lord. As Paul shows, that faith in the one who raised Jesus from the dead is the only way to find forgiveness from sin and to be justified by God (Romans 4:24–25).

Isaiah 26:1–15 celebrates the Lord's future victory over wickedness on the earth and looks forward to the coming of God's judgment. Isaiah longs for that judgment to come. But the prophet knows the Lord gives perfect peace to all who stay focused on trusting Him. Only the Lord God remains of all those who attempted to rule over Israel.

Chapter 26 is a song to be sung in the land of Judah during the time of the Lord's reign as king over the earth. The towering city of wickedness has been replaced by the strong city of salvation. Isaiah waits, longing for the Lord to come and judge the sinfulness of the world. The Lord will bring peace to Israel for good. Their other rulers are dead and not worthy of remembering. The Lord's discipline has caused His people to turn back to Him. The dead among them will be resurrected after the fury of His judgment.

Chapter 26 is part of a larger section that includes chapters 24–27. The section of the book follows the descriptions of the Lord's judgment on the earth and the beginning of His kingdom through a song to be sung in Judah during that time. The wicked city of the world has been replaced with the city of salvation. Isaiah longs for the Lord to come and judge the earth. The prophet wants all to see the Lord's zeal for His own people by destroying His enemies. Isaiah remembers God's discipline and looks forward to the resurrection of the dead among His people.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).