Isaiah 26:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In these phrases, we observe how God equips the minds of His saints to withstand trials. Since the offspring of Israel, along with those who disseminate the message of salvation throughout the world, specifically those who proclaimed the Gospel, faced severe and unbearable hardships and were exposed to the threats of tortures and even death, it is most appropriate for Him to encourage them to maintain their courage amidst such afflictions, declaring, "Come my people, enter into your temple." This temple may quite wisely be interpreted as the graves upon the earth, and similarly, He seals the doors for those who are truly concealed within them, retaining them there temporarily until the fury of the Lord subsides.

Two fundamental truths provide the foundation for our hope in the joy of the righteous and the cessation of all suffering: death and the resurrection of the dead. In death, we find the rest that the prophet describes, saying, ‘Come, my people, enter into thy chamber, take refuge for a moment, till the wrath of the Lord be passed away.’ In contrast, the resurrection offers complete joy for the entirety of humanity—body and soul alike. Consequently, it is deemed appropriate to commemorate these two significant events, not through the struggle of fasting, but rather with celebration in light of the renewal.

Come, My people, enter your sanctuary. The Lord designates the Jews as His chosen ones. Seek shelter in a humble dwelling, even if just for a moment, until the anger of the Lord subsides, that is, either when the Assyrian forces, which are the means of the Lord's fury, move on, or until the period of suffering, destined for the sons of wrath, comes to an end.

A time is approaching when all those who rest in their graves will hear the call of the Son of God, and they will rise (John 5:28). They will listen with their ears and step forward. This has already occurred with Lazarus. Those who have passed away and been laid in tombs will emerge from their resting places. The heavenly dew serves as healing for them. Thus, the words of the Lord through the prophet will come to pass: Come, my people, enter into your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide for a brief moment until the fury passes. These chambers represent the tombs, from which all that is contained within shall be released. They will arise from their resting places with the vitality of young steeds unbound.

Throughout history, from the time of Adam to the present, all have departed from this life. However, those who have been made complete in love through God's grace dwell among the righteous. They will be unveiled at the arrival of Christ's kingdom. As it is written, "Enter for a little while into your rest, until my wrath and indignation pass away, and I will remember the good day, and raise you up from your tombs" (Isaiah 26:20; Ezekiel 37:12-13).

Similarly, Paul states that 'the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness' (Rom. 1:18).

When we consider the words: Come, my people, enter into your chambers and shut your doors behind you until the wrath passes, it becomes evident that these storehouses symbolize the graves where those destined to perish at the hands of the Antichrist will temporarily rest at the end of the age. The choice of the term storehouses over any other term for storage is significant; it suggests a place containing preserved and designated provisions, which are to be retrieved at the appointed time. Bodies are treated with fragrant oils for burial and placed in tombs and vaults, awaiting the summons of the Lord to arise.