Isaiah 26:18

Analysis & Commentary

We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind. This poignant metaphor employs childbirth imagery to express Israel's spiritual futility and disappointment. The Hebrew harah (הָרָה, "with child") and chul (חוּל, "writhe in pain") describe the intense labor and expectation of bringing forth new life. Yet the devastating conclusion—"brought forth wind" (ruach, רוּחַ)—reveals that all their efforts produced nothing substantial, only empty breath.

The confession "we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth" uses yeshuah (יְשׁוּעָה, "salvation/deliverance"), acknowledging human inability to accomplish redemption through self-effort. The parallel phrase "neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen" means Israel failed to conquer their enemies or establish God's kingdom through their own strength. This represents profound theological humility—recognizing that spiritual fruit comes only through divine enablement, not human striving.

This verse establishes critical truths:

1. religious activity without God's empowerment produces nothing eternal
2. genuine salvation comes from God alone, not human effort
3. spiritual labor must be God-directed and God-empowered to bear fruit
4. honest self-assessment reveals our absolute dependence on divine grace.

Jesus echoed this in John 15:5: "without me ye can do nothing."

Historical Context

Isaiah 26 constitutes a prophetic song of praise anticipating Judah's future deliverance and restoration. Written against the backdrop of Assyrian threats (8th century BCE), this chapter contrasts the strong city God provides (26:1) with human attempts at security and deliverance that fail. The childbirth metaphor was common in ancient Near Eastern literature to describe both hope and disappointment, creative effort and futility.

Israel's history repeatedly demonstrated the pattern described here: zealous religious activity (sacrifices, festivals, prayers) coupled with moral failure and idolatry produced no lasting deliverance from enemies or spiritual transformation. The Northern Kingdom fell to Assyria (722 BCE) despite religious fervor; Judah would later fall to Babylon (586 BCE) despite temple worship. Human religiosity without genuine repentance and reliance on God proved worthless.

This confession anticipates the gospel truth that salvation comes through God's provision, not human achievement. The barren womb motif appears throughout Scripture (Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth), always requiring divine intervention to bring forth life. Historically, Israel's exile and restoration demonstrated that God alone could accomplish what human effort never could—genuine spiritual renewal and covenant faithfulness.

Questions for Reflection

• In what areas of your spiritual life are you laboring in the flesh rather than depending on God's power and grace?
• How does this honest confession of futility challenge contemporary emphasis on human potential and self-improvement?
• What does it mean practically to acknowledge that "without Christ we can do nothing" in your daily ministry and relationships?
• How can you distinguish between Spirit-empowered service and mere religious activity that produces only "wind"?
• In what ways does understanding human inability to accomplish salvation deepen your gratitude for God's gracious provision of redemption through Christ?