xxvi. 19. _Thy dead men shall live._
+I. This is the language of exultation.+[1] In this part of the
chapter the tone changes from sorrow, failure, and abortion to life,
prosperity, and joy. "Thy dead, O Zion, shall live again." Thy people
have been virtually, civilly, nationally dead, but they shall have a
resurrection. Because these dead are God's people, their resurrection
from national death is certain. Then, thrilled with confidence in
this truth, the prophet gives utterance to the voice of God within
him, "Awake and sing, ye that lie buried in dust, awake; come forth
from your (figurative) graves, and break out in song as ye come up to
the light of day!"
+II. This expectation involves a contrast.+ The resurrection of
national life of God's people stands in contrast with the denial of
resurrection to the wicked rulers of Babylon (ver. 14). That Chaldean
nation went down to its political grave with no hope, no possibility
of being raised to national life again. On the contrary, God's
people, from being in a state of national death in Babylon, were
eventually called into national life.
+III. This declaration suggests a truth which nations ought to
learn.+ No nation that seeks God and His righteousness can be
permanently kept down. "Righteousness exalteth a nation;" exalteth it
from depression into power. It may be brought low, but if the
elements of rectitude lie within it, if public justice be a part of
its political creed, and respect for the rights of others its
unvarying practice, then, though apparently buried in the grave of
defeat and degradation, its resurrection shall come. God rules not
only amid the armies of heaven, but amongst the inhabitants of the
earth, and to every nation maintaining justice, mercy, and truth,
though brought ever so low, the voice of history proclaims, "Thy dead
men shall live!" The bodies of English martyrs to the Tudor period
perished. Under the Stuart dynasty the bones of those English
patriots who defied "crowned and mitred tyranny" were dug up and
dishonoured. That part of them corruptible and worthless died, but
the better part of them has experienced a resurrection. Their
principles live to-day. "Thy dead men shall live."--_Henry Cowles,
D.D._