John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 26:21

"For, behold, Jehovah cometh forth 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." — Isaiah 26:21 (ASV)

For, behold, Jehovah comes out of his place. It is a very grievous temptation to the godly when they see that the wicked exercise their rage without being punished, and that God does not restrain them; for they consider themselves forsaken by him. Isaiah therefore meets this temptation and shows that the Lord, though he keeps himself out of view for a time, will in due season prepare himself to provide assistance and to avenge the injuries which his people have received.

By the phrase comes out, he describes God stretching out his hand to his people as if it had previously been concealed, because the saints did not perceive his aid. For this reason, he says that the Lord “comes out,” appearing in public to provide assistance and exercise judgment, as if he had previously lived like a private citizen at home.

But perhaps there is an allusion to the sanctuary; this mode of expression occurs frequently in the prophets (Micah 1:3; Habakkuk 3:13; Zechariah 14:3). Though pagan nations despised the ark of the covenant, which was kept in a place of little renown, believers nevertheless knew from the manifestations of power and grace they quickly received that their prayers to God in that holy place were not in vain. This principle always holds true: even if unbelievers ridicule the temple as some humble hut, God will still “come forth” from it at his own time, so that the entire world may recognize him as the protector of his people.

This meaning is more appropriate than if we were to interpret God’s place to mean heaven, from which he “comes forth,” for Isaiah intended to express something more. When the prophets mention heaven, they show us the majesty and glory of God. Here, however, he refers to our senses: that is, when we see God, who formerly appeared to remain concealed and at rest, giving us assistance. He employs the demonstrative particle הנה, (hinnēh) behold, and the participle of the present tense יצא, (yōtzē) coming forth, to express certainty and to encourage believers to patiently restrain their feelings until his coming.

To visit the iniquity. This is consistent with what was said before, for it would have been inconsistent with the nature of God, who is the judge of the world, to allow the wicked freely to indulge in sin without being punished. The word visit contains a well-known metaphor because, as long as God delays or suspends his judgments, we think that he sees nothing or that he has turned away his eyes. There is also emphasis in the phrase עליו, (gnālāiv) upon him; as it is frequently said that the wicked are taken “in the snares which they have laid” (Psalms 9:16), or “in the pit which they have digged” (Psalms 57:6). Therefore, the meaning is that all the injuries inflicted will fall on the heads of those who were the authors of them.

The earth also shall disclose her blood. This is also highly emphatic. When innocent blood is shed and trodden underfoot by wicked men, the earth drinks it up and, as it were, receives it into her bosom. Meanwhile, the death of the godly appears to be forgotten and blotted out forever from remembrance, so that it will never be seen even by God himself. Men indeed think so, but God makes a widely different declaration, for he declares that those murderers will one day be “disclosed” and brought to judgment.

For this reason, he calls it “the blood, or bloods, of the earth,” which the earth has drunk up. Similarly, it is said that “the earth opened her mouth” when the blood of Abel was shed (Genesis 4:11). In that passage, the Lord strongly emphasizes the aggravation of that guilt by saying that the earth was polluted with that blood. Therefore, he shows how “precious in his sight is the death of the saints” (Psalms 116:15), how great is the care which he takes of them, and that ultimately he will not permit their death to go unpunished.

The earth itself will take up arms to avenge the murders and cruelties which the godly have endured from tyrants and enemies of the truth; not a drop of blood has been shed for which they will not have to give an account. Therefore, we ought to recall this consolation and keep it constantly before our eyes when the wicked slay, mock, and ridicule us, and inflict every kind of outrage and cruelty upon us. God will ultimately make known that the cry of innocent blood has not been uttered in vain, for he can never forget his own people (Luke 18:7).