Question: Please explain Isaiah 51:4 (especially the last part of the verse); and also Daniel 12:7.
Answer: Isaiah 51:4 is part of a passage referring to the salvation of Christ especially to the Gentiles. Verses 4-6 contain the passage particularly to the Gentiles. The statement in the last part of verse 5 confirms this. It says, “…The isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.” But who are the isles? It could not refer to Israel because they were in Canaan which did not incorporate any of the isles. Isaiah 60:9 says, “Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far,…” The 72nd Psalm through the 17th verse contains a prophecy of Christ’s glorious kingdom and His salvation and verse 10 says, “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.” In Psalm 2:8, God the Father says to Jesus Christ the Son, “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” The entire 2nd Psalm is a prophecy of Christ and His triumph and of His glorious kingdom. All these texts and many more sum up to the influx of the Gentiles into the Church.
The first three verses of the 51st chapter of Isaiah probably refer more particularly to Israel but there is a statement in verse two which also is important to this passage we are considering now. God mentions here about Abraham and how He called him, blessed him and multiplied him. The blessing that God pronounced upon Abraham was not for the Jews only, for God said unto him in Genesis 22:18, “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;…” Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, argued this in Galatians 3:8-9 where he applies the promise of Genesis 22:18 to the Gentiles through Christ who was that SEED. And in verse 14 he spells it out specifically “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;…”
Now I will consider particularly the last part of Isaiah 51:4, “…And I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people,” which is the specific part of the verse the question deals with. I consider all I have said before as important to a proper understanding, interpretation and emphasis on this.
First we will consider the term “judgment” because that is the subject of this phrase. In Isaiah 42:4 it is said, “He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” Adam Clarke in his comments on this verse in regard to the term “judgment” says that “judgment” takes on a great latitude of signification. It means rule, form, order, model, plan; rule of right, or of religion; cause, trial, sentence, condemnation, acquittal, deliverance, mercy, etc. He further says that in this place “It certainly means the law to be published by Messiah, the institution of the gospel.” Then “judgment being set in the earth” would certainly refer in this text to the confirming and establishing of the law and government of God in all its latitudes and the full institution of all necessary facilities for the successful and efficient operation of the church, His kingdom, the promulgation of the gospel of Christ and the salvation of immortal souls to the ends of the earth. It would also mean the same thing in Isaiah 51:4.
In Matthew 12:18 it is said concerning Jesus that He would show judgment to the Gentiles. Verses 20 and 21 say, “A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.” Here we see Jesus setting the judgment of God in the earth and see that judgment is calculated to bring victory to souls. It will only bring condemnation if it is rejected by souls. Jesus came to save; not to condemn. Those were only condemned who loved darkness and rejected the light of the world, Jesus.
In Isaiah 51:4 it is said “…I will make my judgment to rest…” But what does it mean for His judgment to rest? Let me illustrate by a certain procedure in the courts of our judicial system. At a point in the trial the attorney on one side of the case (either one) will say to the judge “we rest.” What this means is that we have presented all of our evidence, we have heard testimony from all of our witnesses, we have completed all of our argument, there is nothing more we can do to strengthen our case. From this point on, the disposition of the case rests with the jury or the judge however the case is being tried.
It is the same case with God. He said in Isaiah 42:4, “…Till he have set judgment in the earth:…” He is saying the same thing here that He was saying in Isaiah 51:4. In one case He set judgment in the earth and in the other He made judgment to rest. It was through Jesus Christ that God set His judgment in the earth and it was confirmed in Him in all of its aspects. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. God’s judgments incorporate love, mercy, salvation, forgiveness and pardon the same as wrath, indignation and condemnation against sin and impenitent sinners. Jesus Christ absorbed the full measure of God’s wrath and vengeance against sin in Himself at Calvary. But He also commended God’s love or confirmed it to sinful men by His dying for us. God’s judgment of mercy, love, pardon, redemption and salvation for every person of Adam’s race from the river to the ends of the earth was set in the earth that day and confirmed in Christ that day. He tasted death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9.)
Since full provisions have been made for mercy, pardon, redemption and salvation for all men; no one is excluded, not a one; and it has all been confirmed. Qualified witnesses have been called and their testimony given, and all the evidence is in and the argument is completed and there is absolutely nothing more I can do to strengthen my case with mankind; therefore I rest and my judgment rests with me and is set in the earth through the preaching of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God for the full duration of the earth. The case now rests in the hands of the people of the earth as to how they respond to the overtures of mercy and love of God in Christ.
We read in Genesis 2:2 that at the conclusion of all of God’s work in the creation of this material universe and everything in it, God rested. Then God launched another project of the NEW CREATION. In this NEW CREATION He makes all things new, and every redeemed soul in Christ Jesus is made a new creation (II Corinthians 5:17) and when it was all finished and completed Jesus said it was finished at Calvary (John 19:30). The plan of salvation was complete and finished and just a few days hence the Church would be established as an efficient, operating body as the arm of God in the earth and the kingdom of God would be confirmed and established by the coming of the Holy Ghost. When God had finished the first material creation, He looked it all over and determined it to be “very good.” (Genesis 1:31). Then He rested because it was all complete and nothing could be added to it; neither could any improvement be made upon it. Deuteronomy 32:4 says “…his work is perfect:…” Likewise, when He had completed His NEW CREATION (the Church, the kingdom of God, the plan of salvation) He looked it over and was satisfied with it. Isaiah 53:11 says, “He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:…” It was all complete and the sacrifice to confirm it was acceptable and perfect. He said in Isaiah 5:4, “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” It was all complete and perfect; nothing could be added to it nor any improvement made upon it so He rested having His judgment fully set in the earth and made His judgment to rest.
Daniel 12:7 in its entirety reads thus: “And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
There are different texts both in Daniel and the Revelation which incorporate this same time period. In the seventh chapter of Daniel, Daniel had a vision of four beasts with the fourth beast being different from all the others and claiming Daniel’s special interest. It was explained to him in verse 17 that these four beasts were four kings (kingdoms) which should arise out of the earth, but Daniel’s attention was focused on that fourth beast and he made special inquiry concerning it. I refer the reader to Daniel 7:15-25 for a description and discussion of this beast. Please read.
Verse 23 describes his fierceness treading down, breaking in pieces and devouring the whole earth. The ten horns out of this beast are declared in verse 24 to be ten kings which shall arise, but there was a little horn that came up among the ten horns and subdued three of them (verse 8). Verse 24 also describes another king rising up among these kings which shall be diverse from them. Verse 25 describes this king and his blasphemies against God and his boastfulness and exaltedness. The times were to be given into his hands for a time, times and the dividing of time. This is the same time period used in Daniel 12:7. Both of these powers are described as doing the same work and accomplishing the same thing. Daniel 7:25 says he shall wear out the saints of the most High; and Daniel 12:7 says he shall accomplish to scatter the power of the holy people. Inasmuch as the agents in these two passages of scriptures are allotted the same time period and do the same work and accomplish the same thing, we conclude they are the same. The seventh chapter gives us a better handle to work on, in that it gives a good description and identification of the power, so we will found our discussion from there.
The scriptures describe four universal kingdoms Babylon, Meda-Persia, Greece and Rome. According to Daniel 7:23, this fourth beast was kingdom number four which was the last one. This was Rome. It is declared in this verse to be diverse from all the others. It was so in that it was a politico/religious combine with power to enforce its laws and decrees by carnal and military means. The little horn which rose up out of this kingdom from among the ten horns was the Roman Catholic power which subdued three of the other horns or kings and then went on to establish its power and rule over the whole earth and his fury was exceeding hot against the saints and he made war with them and wore them out and scattered their power. Prophetic time is reckoned thus: TIME, one year, TIMES, two years, and half a time or dividing of TIMES, a half year. So we have in the time period allotted here 3 ½ years, 42 months or 1260 days. Prophetic time was also reckoned a day for a year which time period here would amount to 1260 years which is the time allotted in the Revelation for the Roman Catholic power to continue. So now we will go over to the Revelation and pick up a few points there.
In the eleventh chapter of Revelation verse one says the Revelator was given a reed and was told to measure the temple and altar and those that worshiped therein. This temple was a symbol of the spiritual temple of God which is His church and the worshippers were the saints and the reed like unto a rod represented the Word of God by which all spiritual things must be measured. We must all face up to that measurement. He was told to leave out the court which was without the temple and not measure it because it was given unto the Gentiles and they would tread the holy city under foot forty and two months (verse two).
We notice here that the time period is the same as was discussed in the two prophecies of Daniel, (42 months 1260 days) so we can be certain that they are both speaking of the same thing. This scripture did not say that the temple was given to the Gentiles. There was still the true Church in existence worshipping in the temple, but the court which lay outside the temple was said to be given to the Gentiles. In other words, the apostate church (so called) Gentiles, uncircumcised in heart, unregenerated, false is what claimed the spotlight and focus in the eyes of the world while the real, true Church was concealed from public view within the temple itself during this entire period of time. This is the same identical thing as is described in Revelation 12:14, where we read, “And to the woman [true church; Revelation 12:1, etc.] were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Revelation 12:6 measures the woman’s time in the wilderness as 1260 days. This is the same time period attached to the other references discussed so we know we are still talking about the same thing. Also there are identifying marks common to the fourth beast of Daniel 7 and the beast of Revelation 13 which connects them together and identifies them as the same.
I insert here a quote from F. G. Smith’s book “The Revelation Explained,” page 185. “This mighty transformation to a church containing nothing but uncircumcised Gentiles was fully accomplished during the latter half of the third century, from which date we must look for the true disciples of the Lord as entirely separate from the hierarchy.” This explains the Gentiles treading down the court with the true Church concealed from public view in the inner temple. The vast Roman Church with its grand display of the form of godliness but without the power of it became the visible church to the public view and tread under foot the court of the temple and the holy city (the visible phase of the Church).
Then on the same page of the same book the author inserts a quote from D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation, Book 1, Chapter 1. “The living church retiring within the lonely sanctuary of a few solitary hearts, an external church was substituted in its place, and all its forms declared to be of divine appointment. Salvation no longer flowing from the Word, which was henceforward put out of sight, the priests affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms they had themselves invented, and that no one could obtain it but by these channels.” This explains the flight of the woman (the true Church) into the wilderness and is the same as the scattering of the power of the holy people in our subject text (Daniel 12:7).
It was given to this false church to make war with the saints and to overcome them (Revelation 13:7 and Daniel 7:21). Daniel 7:25 says this power would wear out the saints of the most High. There was severe persecution of the true disciples of Christ through this long 1260 year period of papal night and millions upon millions became martyrs of the Christian faith. The fury and extent of this persecution is shown in Revelation 17:6 where it says, “And I saw the woman (a symbol of this apostate church) drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:…” How sickening this is but it actually happened and the true Church was driven underground (went into the wilderness) and went into seclusion and the power of the holy people was scattered during this period
