Isaiah 26:15 Study Bible: You have increased the nation, O LORD. You have increased the nation. You are glorified. You have enlarged all the borders of the land.

◄ Isaiah 26:15 ►

You have enlarged the nation, O LORD; You have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for Yourself; You have extended all the borders of the land.

Study Bible

You have enlarged the nation, O LORD;

This phrase reflects God's blessing and favor upon His people, often seen in the context of Israel's growth and prosperity. Historically, the nation of Israel experienced periods of expansion under kings like David and Solomon. This expansion is not only physical but also spiritual, as God's covenant with Israel was meant to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6). Theologically, this can be seen as a foreshadowing of the growth of the Church, as the Gospel spreads to all nations (Matthew 28:19).

Gen 12:2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;…
Exo 1:7 but the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied;…
Psa 105:24 And the LORD made His people very fruitful,…

You have enlarged the nation.

The repetition emphasizes the certainty and significance of God's action. In biblical literature, repetition is a common device used to underscore important truths. This enlargement can also be seen as a fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). It points to the idea of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, despite Israel's frequent disobedience.

Deu 26:5 My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down…
Psa 115:14 May the LORD give you increase, both you and your children.
Hos 1:10 Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand…

You have gained glory for Yourself;

God's actions in history are ultimately for His glory. The enlargement of the nation serves to demonstrate His power and faithfulness, drawing attention to His sovereignty. This aligns with the biblical theme that God's ultimate purpose is His own glory (Isaiah 48:11). The deliverance and prosperity of Israel serve as a testament to the surrounding nations of God's supremacy and righteousness.

Exo 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will pursue…
Psa 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory…
Isa 48:11 For My own sake, My very own sake, I will act;…

You have extended all the borders of the land.

This phrase speaks to the physical expansion of Israel's territory, which can be seen during the reigns of David and Solomon when Israel reached its greatest geographical extent. It also has eschatological implications, pointing to the future Messianic kingdom where God's reign will be established over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9). Theologically, it can be seen as a type of the ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who extends His kingdom not through physical borders but through the hearts of believers worldwide.

Exo 23:31 And I will establish your borders from the Red Sea……
Deu 11:24 Every place where the sole of your foot treads…
Jos 1:4 Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon…

Persons / Places / Events

1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, Yahweh is the one who has enlarged the nation and gained glory. His actions are the focus of the praise and acknowledgment in this passage.

2. The Nation (Israel)
The nation referred to is Israel, which God has enlarged. This enlargement can be understood both in terms of population and influence.

3. The Land
The land whose borders have been extended, symbolizing God's blessing and favor upon His people.

4. Isaiah
The prophet who delivered this message. Isaiah's role is to communicate God's words and promises to the people of Israel.

5. The Context of Deliverance
This chapter is part of a song of praise for God's deliverance and protection, reflecting a time of peace and prosperity following judgment.

Teaching Points

God's Sovereignty in Expansion
Recognize that any growth or expansion in our lives, whether personal, spiritual, or communal, is ultimately orchestrated by God. We should give Him the glory for any increase.

The Purpose of Enlargement
Understand that God enlarges our territory not just for our benefit but to gain glory for Himself. Our lives should reflect His glory to others.

Trust in God's Timing
Trust that God will enlarge and extend in His perfect timing. Patience and faith are required as we wait for His promises to unfold.

Spiritual Enlargement
Seek spiritual growth and maturity as a form of enlargement. This involves deepening our relationship with God and expanding our understanding of His Word.

Witnessing to God's Glory
Use the influence and opportunities God provides to witness to His glory. Our lives should be a testament to His greatness and faithfulness.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the concept of God enlarging the nation in Isaiah 26:15 relate to His promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3?

2. In what ways can we see God's hand in the "enlargement" of our personal lives or communities today?

3. How can we ensure that the growth and expansion in our lives bring glory to God rather than to ourselves?

4. What are some practical steps we can take to prepare for the spiritual enlargement God desires for us?

5. How can the extension of borders in Isaiah 26:15 inspire us to expand our witness and influence for God's kingdom in our daily lives?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 12:1-3
God's promise to Abraham to make him a great nation connects to the theme of enlargement and blessing.

Psalm 67:1-2
This psalm speaks of God's ways being known on earth and His salvation among all nations, reflecting the idea of God's glory being spread.

Isaiah 54:2-3
This passage also speaks of enlarging the place of the tent and spreading out, symbolizing growth and blessing.

Acts 1:8
The expansion of God's kingdom through the disciples' witness to the ends of the earth parallels the extension of borders.

Sermons

The Increase of the True Israel	R. Macculloch.	Isaiah 26:15
The Argument from the Past	W. Clarkson	Isaiah 26:12-18
The Resurrection of Israel	E. Johnson	Isaiah 26:15-21

People

Isaiah

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Added, Borders, Ends, Enlarged, Exceeding, Extended, Farthest, Gained, Glorified, Glory, Gotten, Hadst, Hast, Honour, Honoured, Increased, Limits, Nation, Nations, O, Removed, Wide, Yea, Yours

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Isaiah 26:15

5235 boundary

Library

Our Strong City
'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.'--ISAIAH xxvi 1-2. What day is 'that day'? The answer carries us back a couple of chapters, to the great picture drawn by the prophet of a world-wide judgment, which is followed by a burst of song from the ransomed people of Jehovah, like Miriam's chant by the shores of the Red Sea. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Song of Two Cities
'In that day shall this song he sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 2. Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee. A. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: 5. For He bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, He layeth it low; He layeth it low, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Inhabitant of the Rock
'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.'--ISAIAH xxvi. 3-4. There is an obvious parallel between these verses and the two preceding ones. The safety which was there set forth as the result of dwelling in the strong city is here presented as the consequence of trust. The emblem of the fortified place passes into that of the Rock of Ages. There is the further resemblance …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Desire of the Soul in Spiritual Darkness
"Tis midnight on the mountains' brown, The cold round moon shines deeply down; Blue roll the waters, blue the sky Spreads like an ocean hung on high, Bespangled with those isles of light, So wildly, spiritually bright; Who ever gazed upon them shining, And turning to earth without repining, Nor wish'd for wings to flee away, And mix with their eternal ray." Even with the most irreligious person, a man farthest from spiritual thought, it seems that there is some power in the grandeur and stillness …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

The Song of a City, and the Pearl of Peace
This song of a city may, however, belong to us as much as to the men of Judah, and we may throw into it a deeper sense of which they were not aware. We were once unguarded from spiritual evil, and we spent our days in constant fear; but the Lord has found for us a city of defence, a castle of refuge. We have a burgess-ship in the new Jerusalem which is the mother of us all; and within that strong city we dwell securely. Let us sing this morning, "We have a strong city." The man that hath come into …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 31: 1885

A Sermon on Isaiah xxvi. By John Knox.
[In the Prospectus of our Publication it was stated, that one discourse, at least, would be given in each number. A strict adherence to this arrangement, however, it is found, would exclude from our pages some of the most talented discourses of our early Divines; and it is therefore deemed expedient to depart from it as occasion may require. The following Sermon will occupy two numbers, and we hope, that from its intrinsic value, its historical interest, and the illustrious name of its author, it …
John Knox—The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3.

O, this is Blessing, this is Rest --
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed in Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." -- Isaiah 26:3. O, this is blessing, this is rest -- Unto Thine arms, O Lord, I flee: I hide me in Thy faithful breast, And pour out all my soul to Thee. There is a host dissuading me, -- But, all their voices far above, I hear Thy words -- "O taste and see The comfort of a Savior's love." And, hushing every adverse sound, Songs of defence my soul surround, As if all saints encamped about One trusting …
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations

Sleeping and Waking
C. P. C. Is. xxvi. 19 We slept--a sleep of death, and yet of dreams, Fair dreams that pass, and sad dreams that abide, Where yearneth to the sound of distant streams The soul unsatisfied. We woke--but oh for speech of that fair land Wherein the soul awaketh, to declare The wonders that no heart can understand, That hath not entered there. For there the light that is not sun nor moon, That glows as morning, and as eve is sweet, And hath the glory of eternal noon, Doth guide the joyful feet. And …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others

From his Return from Russia to his Last Journey.
1853-1858. John Yeardley had scarcely returned to England before war was declared with Russia. The confirmation he received from this lamentable event, that his journey had been made at the opportune time, filled his heart with gratitude. The work he had been able to do had been small, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that it had been accomplished at the only juncture in which it would have been practicable. The year 1853, he writes, closed with many mercies to a poor unworthy servant. I consider …
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

I Fear, I Say, Greatly for Thee, Lest...
39. I fear, I say, greatly for thee, lest, when thou boastest that thou wilt follow the Lamb wheresoever He shall have gone, thou be unable by reason of swelling pride to follow Him through strait ways. It is good for thee, O virgin soul, that thus, as thou art a virgin, thus altogether keeping in thy heart that thou hast been born again, keeping in thy flesh that thou hast been born, thou yet conceive of the fear of the Lord, and give birth to the spirit of salvation. [2142] "Fear," indeed, "there …
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity.

Pleading
We shall consider our text, then, as one of the productions of a great master in spiritual matters, and we will study it, praying all the while that God will help us to pray after the like fashion. In our text we have the soul of a successful pleader under four aspects: we view, first, the soul confessing: "I am poor and needy." You have next, the soul pleading, for he makes a plea out of his poor condition, and adds, "Make haste unto me, O God!" You see, thirdly, a soul in it's urgency, for he cries, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

"For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus Hath Made Me Free from the Law of Sin and Death. "
Rom. viii. 2.--"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." You know there are two principal things in the preceding verse,--the privilege of a Christian, and the property or character of a Christian. He is one that never enters into condemnation; He that believeth shall not perish, John iii. 15. And then he is one that walks not after the flesh, though he be in the flesh, but in a more elevate way above men, after the guiding and leading …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6 We are now come to the fourth step of blessedness: Blessed are they that hunger'. The words fall into two parts: a duty implied; a promise annexed. A duty implied: Blessed are they that hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (Isaiah 26:9). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Out of Sectarian Confusion
I was still a Methodist. The Methodist did not license women to preach; but when the preachers found out that God was using me in the salvation of souls and that I was not especially interested in building up any certain denomination, I had an abundance of calls. God had already begun talking to my brother Jeremiah about the sin of division, and he was beginning to see the evils of sectarianism. The winter after I was healed, he had attended the Jacksonville, Illinois, holiness convention, and had …
Mary Cole—Trials and Triumphs of Faith

His Journey to South Russia.
1853. The call which John Yeardley had received to visit the German colonies in South Russia, and which had lain for a long time dormant, now revived. A friend who had watched with regret his unsuccessful attempts on former journeys to enter that jealous country, and who augured from the political changes which had taken place that permission might probably now be obtained, brought the subject again under his notice. The admonition was timely and effectual. After carefully pondering the matter--with, …
John Yeardley—Memoir and Diary of John Yeardley, Minister of the Gospel

Of the Last Resurrection.
1. For invincible perseverance in our calling, it is necessary to be animated with the blessed hope of our Savior's final advent. 2. The perfect happiness reserved for the elect at the final resurrection unknown to philosophers. 3. The truth and necessity of this doctrine of a final resurrection. To confirm our belief in it we have, 1. The example of Christ; and, 2. The omnipotence of God. There is an inseparable connection between us and our risen Savior. The bodies of the elect must be conformed …
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China.
"Sept. 30 [1869].--From Yorkshire L50.--Received also One Thousand Pounds to-day for the Lord's work in China. About this donation it is especially to be noticed, that for months it had been my earnest desire to do more than ever for Mission Work in China, and I had already taken steps to carry out this desire, when this donation of One Thousand Pounds came to hand. This precious answer to prayer for means should be a particular encouragement to all who are engaged in the Lord's work, and who may …
George Müller—Answers to Prayer

The Love of the Holy Spirit in Us.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."--Matt. xxvii. 37. The Scripture teaches not only that the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and with Him Love, but also that He sheds abroad that Love in our hearts. This shedding abroad does not refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit's Person, for a person can not be shed abroad. He comes, takes possession, and dwells in us; but that which is shed abroad …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Love
The rule of obedience being the moral law, comprehended in the Ten Commandments, the next question is: What is the sum of the Ten Commandments? The sum of the Ten Commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' Deut 6: 5. The duty called for is love, yea, the strength of love, with all …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Another Shorter Evening Prayer.
O eternal God and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy gospel, and the examples of Peter, Mary Magdalene, the publican, the prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners, that thou art so full of compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who are heaviest laden with sin, at what time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace, I should despair for mine own sins, and be utterly discouraged from …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

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