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"Listen O Isles unto Me." The Hebrews used the word translated "Isles" in three
senses:
(1)
Dry land as opposed to water, "I will make the rivers islands" (Isa. 42: 15).
(2)
Land surrounded by water, "The isles of the sea" (Esther 10: 1).
(3)
All countries divided from Palestine by the sea.
This wider usage is the earliest, for we meet it in Gen. 10: 5: "By these were the isles
of the Gentiles divided in their lands", and in Jer. 25: 22 where the A.V. reads "The
isles which are beyond the sea", the margin reads: "region by the sea side".*
[* - The reader should be safeguarded against a specious interpretation that seizes upon
the English word "isle" in order to bolster up a theory concerning Britain and Israel.]
Continuing our study, we read in verse 12:
"Behold, these shall come from far: and lo, these from the north and from the west;
and these from the land of Sinim."
Sinim is probably China. Some writers have suggested that the word refers to Egypt,
others to the inhabitants of Syene, but it seems improbable that the translators of the
Septuagint would be ignorant of this if such were the case. Instead, we read in the
Septuagint: "and others from the land of the Persians". Persia extended to the borders of
India, and consequently it would be but one step more to China itself. The Arabian knew
the Chinese as "Sin", and the Syrians knew them as "Tsini". It is not vital to the
understanding of the prophecy, whether Sinim refers to China, Persia or any land in
particular. The important point being that here is a reference to Gentiles, living in some
remote parts of the earth who are to respond to the call and be gathered to the Lord. If we
grasp the significance of this fact, we have grasped the key thought of this section.
If we glance at the structure given on page 148 (see above) we shall see that not only
have we in the opening and closing members an emphasis upon the Gentiles, but we find
that the central member uses a word which is not often applied to the nation of Israel, the
Hebrew Goi. The plural Goyim is generally used of the Gentiles, and indeed is the word
so translated in Isa. 49: 6, the juxtaposition of these two references is more than
suggestive:
"I will also give Thee for a Light to the Gentiles (Goyim)" (Isa. 49: 6).
"To Him Whom the nation (Goy) abhorreth" (49: 7).
It is a demonstrable fact that as the people of Israel began to pass off the scene, the
Gentile nations are brought nigh, a feature that forms the basis of the Apostle's argument
in Rom. 11: which the reader should consult. As every reader may not be able to refer to
the original or be in possession of means to verify the references, we give a selection of
passages where Goy is used in Isaiah, we say a selection, for the word occurs nearly 70
times in that prophecy:
Used of Israel.
"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity" (1: 4).
"I will send him against an hypocritical nation" (10: 6).