Isaiah 26:20-21 Come, my people, enter you into your chambers, and shut your doors about you: hide yourself as it were for a little moment… Suppose your child is out of doors, and you see danger — a storm gathering, or something about to cross his path that may be fatal to him, what do you do? You hasten forth. You call out with anxious voice, "Come in! Come in, my child! There is danger where you are! Make haste into the house, and stay here safe until the storm is over past!" The great Father of the Church is not less watchful of His children. Look at Noah's case just before the flood broke forth. Look again at Israel's case on the night of the Passover. Behold, in my text, a third instance of the Lord's fatherly care over His people. It is an instance which extends even to ourselves. I. THE DANGER POINTED OUT. The words are applicable, in some measure, to every instance of almighty vengeance. But they seem to refer to some more sweeping act of vengeance than ever yet has taken place. It is the day of judgment that we must cast our eyes upon. It is then that, in the fullest sense, "the Lord will come out of His place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." An awful phrase that! "The Lord will come out of His place." For what is His place — the place He occupies at present? It is a mercy seat. He sits there as a Saviour — to receive and bless applying sinners. But on that day He "will come out of His place." He will leave the mercy seat for a throne of judgment. II. THE COUNSEL GIVEN. How tender this invitation! For such it is. Look at the first word of it. "Come" — not" go. Not "go and seek a shelter where you can"; but "Come." "Come" is an inviting word. "Come, My people"; that is a general invitation. "Enter thou into thy chambers"; that is an invitation addressed to each particularly, calling them in one by one. III. THE PROMISES IMPLIED. "Hide thyself," etc. These words are a command so worded as to convey, at the same time, three comfortable promises. — 1. "Hide thyself." What is this but to assure them that by doing what He had just been telling them to do they shall be hid? We may safely view this as a promise of security to all who separate from the world and flee for refuge to a Saviour. 2. "For a little moment." Here is another comfortable hint thrown out for the believer. As soon as this short life is over with him, all danger shall be past. There will be nothing more to hide from. He will have a broad Heaven to move about in, where there are no enemies to fear, no wrath to apprehend. 3. "The indignation shall be over past" — there is the third encouraging assurance. The clouds will be dispersed forever; and, having put all enemies under His feet, He will bless all those that are about Him with His constant smile. (A. Roberts, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. |
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