The Importance Of Correctly Interpreting Scripture

As Christians, we need to be very careful not to misuse the scriptures to justify our actions or to coerce others into doing what we want.    The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in several instances of such actions.  For example, several have used Isaiah 26:20, “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,” to tell us that God commanded we should shut down the churches during this time.  When taken by itself, it sounds like a good interpretation of the verse.   However, if we take Isaiah 26:2-3 by themselves, we would get exactly the opposite message.  “Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”  Which one are we to believe?

II Peter 1:20 tells us, “…no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”  Literally, Peter says no verse or passage can be interpreted solely on that one verse or passage, because as the next verse, I Peter 1:21 tells us, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  The prophets did not write their own ideas, but what they were directed to write by God as part of his overall message.  Isaiah 26:2-3 and Isaiah 26:20 are part of the same message and do not contradict each other.  The first step in properly interpreting these verses is to look more closely at the entire chapter to see what it is about and how these verses fit into the chapter. 

Isaiah 24 and 25 have told about God’s future judgment on the earth because of wickedness.  Isaiah 26 is a song the Jews will sing when that all takes place, as we see in Isaiah 26:1-6.  “In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.  Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in.  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.  The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.” 

God will deal with the wickedness around them so that his people can focus on him and his power without fear.  Isaiah 26:7-describes their attitude.  “The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.   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.   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.”

No matter how blessed they are, the wicked have the opposite attitude, as we see in Isaiah 26:10-11.  “Let favour be showed 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.  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.”  Their own hatred will destroy them. 

Israel and Judah were blessed of God, but they turned away and were conquered by other people, but despite various efforts to wipe them out they have survived, and their enemies have been destroyed as Isaiah 26:12-14 tells us.  “LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.  O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.  They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.”

Finally Israel will turn to God, recognizing it has been his power and not their own that has preserved them as Isaiah 26:15-18 describes.  “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.  LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.  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.”

When they finally realize that The Lord will return to set up his earthly kingdom, raising those who have died in the Lord, as Isaiah 26:19 explains.  “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”

Just before that happens,  Jesus warned that there would beone last drive to wipe out the Jews and those who believe in God, in Matthew 24:15-22.  “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”

Daniel 12:1-2 speaks of this same time.  “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”

Isaiah 26:20-21 is speaking of this same period.  “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.  For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”  It has nothing to do with how we are to deal with Covid-19, and misinterpreting it may well lead to disobedience of God.