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The references to the "earth" in Isaiah are far too many to consider here, even as a list,
and the study of its meaning and prophetic import must be reserved for a future article.
In the passage before us the reference to "judgment in the earth" is balanced by the
words, "and the isles shall wait for His law" (Isa. 42: 4).
The Hebrew "isle" is not necessarily "a piece of land entirely surrounded by water".
Jeremiah speaks of "The isles which are beyond the sea", which the margin renders
"region by the sea side". The word "isles" indicates the lands inhabited by the Gentiles,
without limiting those lands to the physical character of an "island".
Here, with the promise that judgment in the earth shall at last be established, we must
close our present study, reserving for our next article the second part of this prophecy
which comes under the heading, "WHOM I UPHOLD".
ISAIAH.
#26.
Isaiah 40: 12 - 42: 17.
The Covenant for Israel.
The Light for the Gentiles.
pp. 83 - 87
The section of Isa. 42: which is embraced by the words "I uphold", falls into
two parts:
(1)
I UPHOLD. RESULT. JUDGMENT (Isa. 42: 1-4).
(2)
I UPHOLD. RESULT. COVENANT (Isa. 42: 5-8).
We have considered some of the teaching of the first part; let us now give attention to
the second.
In an earlier study we have set out the distribution of the word "Covenant" in Isaiah,
and have observed that in the former part, chapters 1:-39:, the breaking of the
covenant is prominent, while in the latter part, chapters 40:-66:, the making and
keeping of the covenant is prominent.
The first occurrence reads: "They have . . . . . broken the everlasting covenant"
(Isa. 24: 5) and the consequent misery is described:
"The curse devoured the earth."
"They that dwell therein are desolate."
"The inhabitants of the earth are burned."
"Few men are left" (Isa. 24: 6).
The last occurrence reverses all this: "I will make an everlasting covenant with them"
(Isa. 61: 8), and the consequences are expressed in such terms as: