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Owing to the exigencies of space we must be content either to give scant attention to
these blessed features, or to devote another article to their consideration. We trust that no
reader is of two minds over this matter, and that all will gladly concur with the course
taken of giving this great subject a respectful hearing. Accordingly, fuller comment is
reserved until the necessary space can be devoted to these verses, which we hope will be
in the next article of the series.
ISAIAH.
#21.
The Second Advent. Its Rule and its Reward (40: 10, 11).
pp. 117 - 121
The reader will remember that we found in Isa. 40: 10 and 11, an expansion of the
comfort and good tidings of verse 9 implied in the words, "Behold your God!"
The first thing we observe is that "Your God" is now expressed as "The Lord God".
The Hebrew title here is Adonai Jehovah. Adonai is one of three related titles, which the
Companion Bible distinguishes as follows:
Adon is the Lord as Overlord or Ruler.
Adonim is the Lord as Owner.
Adonai is the Lord as Blesser.
Adon is the Lord as Ruler in the earth.
Adonai is the Lord in His relation to the earth; and as carrying out His purposes of
blessing in the earth. With this limitation it is almost equivalent to Jehovah.
Indeed, it was from an early date so used, by associating the vowel points of the
word Jehovah with Adon, thus converting Adon into Adonai. (Appendix 4, 8:).
The first occurrence of Adonai in the Scriptures is extremely suggestive. It is found in
the response of Abraham to the Lord's assurance.
"Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said,
Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?" (Gen. 15: 1, 2).
When therefore the Prophet expanded the title "Behold your God!" by the added
words "Behold, the Lord God will come", he was but following a legitimate train of
thought. "The Lord God" was indeed the God of Israel, for He was the God of Abraham,
to whom promises had been made that could not be broken, and it is the glory of Isaiah's
prophecy to shed a beam of heavenly light across the dark interval of man's failure,
rebellion and doom.
Isaiah's vision of the coming of the Lord God is twofold. He comes to rule with
strength, and He comes to lead, as a Shepherd. At His first coming John the Baptist
pointed Him out as the Lamb of God, but, even then, he saw that, associated with this
lamb-like character, was another characteristic, that of inflexible righteousness, for, while
John records The Baptist's words, "Behold the Lamb of God" (John 1: 29), Matthew