Rock of Ages

“We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.” (Isaiah 26: 1b – 4)

In using the illustration of a city of his day, Isaiah likens it to our relationship with the Lord. 

It is a “strong city.” Such a city was secured by its walls. If you trust Him you have the security He offers.

For the protection of the city walls to be yours, you must enter. (Vs. 2) Two traits are essential for entry.

Character. It is described as “righteous.” Scripture says, “There is none righteous…?” It is only possible by applied righteousness which in reality is acquired righteousness, acquired from Jesus. When a person trusts in and commits to Jesus as Savior, the righteousness of Jesus is credited to that person.

Commitment. One must “keep the truth.” Live by it. Keeping the truth is like a sailor who keeps a ship. In times of trouble the ship keeps the sailor. You keep the truth and the truth keeps you.

Our Lord gives “perfect peace.” (Vs 3) Our word “peace” is derived from the Latin PAX. In Greek and in English the word means to agree. When we agree with God, peace prevails. It is inner harmony. It is “perfect,” meaning it can sustain any test. It is perfect because it is His. 

Until such an agreement is reached, there is no peace. Anxiety, fear, worry, depression, and a lack of contentment prevail. Peace is inner harmony. Transfixation: “whose mind is stayed on thee.” (Vs. 3)

Our deep space probes have an on-board guidance system. It is housed in the missile on a gyroscopically stable platform. This sensitive guidance device is pre-programmed in advance of launch. It is locked on to a specific target in space, such as a star.  No matter what the missile is doing or what tasks are undertaken by it, this device stays fixed on the target. It is guided by the object it is locked on to. So our minds must be fixed on Christ.

Trust: “he trusts in You.” (Vs. 3b) This means to rely on Him. 

If our minds are “stayed on Him” and our trust is strong in Him, He will “Keep” us. That means He will sustain and maintain us. 

Our Lord gives power.  “YAH is everlasting strength.” (Vs.4)

JAH is short for Jehovah and the name Jehovah speaks of God’s eternal 

nature. By using the name Jehovah along with Lord, these two names emphasize His eternal strength. He is the One who always has been and always will be, the eternal God.

It is He who is our everlasting strength. The expression “everlasting strength” means He is “the Rock of Ages,” really the ageless Rock  This speaks of His unchanging consistency. In a world of relativity He is the ultimate absolute. He doesn’t change. Now it simply remains for you to accept these principles and to apply them.

Pray, “Rock of Ages … let me hide myself in thee.”