Original Secession Magazine Isaiah 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. I. THE GREAT WORK WITH WHICH CHRIST, AS THE FATHER'S SERVANT, IS HERE DECLARED TO BE ENTRUSTED. It is the work of setting judgment in the earth, so that the isles shall wait for His law. As the Father's Servant in the economy of redemption, Christ has been set King upon the holy hill of Zion, and constituted Head over all things for the Church which is His body. 1. What is it to set judgment in the earth? By "judgment" here and in the preceding verses, we are evidently to understand true religion — the faith of the Gospel — Christianity in its widest acceptation, as embodying the rule of Christ's righteous administration — the grand regulating principles of all His administrative acts. And so to set judgment in the earth means to establish the Christian religion throughout the world. The term "law" in the latter clause of the text, while it has much the same meaning as judgment, may be viewed as denoting, in particular, God's written Word, considered specially as a rule of life and duty. For this the "isles" — a poetical expression for the distant Gentile nations — "shall wait." That is, either they shall wait with a vague unconscious longing until it come to them, they remaining in darkness and spiritual death till its blessed life-giving light dawn upon them; or, the meaning more probably is, when judgment is being set in the earth, the nations shall embrace it as the means of their enlightenment and regeneration, and shall wait on Christ as their King, to receive and submit to His law as the supreme rule of all their conduct. So in Matthew we find this clause paraphrased thus — "In His name shall the Gentiles trust." 2. That there is most urgent need for this work of setting judgment in the earth, and bringing the isles to wait for Christ's law being done, is what none will question who believe that God made man upright, but that he hath sought out many inventions. Men individually in their natural condition, and the nations of the earth in their national capacity, are in a state of open determined revolt against the Most High. But has nothing been done in the way of fulfilling this hope-inspiring prediction? Since these words were uttered, not a little has been effected in this direction. Most evident it is, however, that aa yet it is but the day of small things in this work. 3. And truly a stupendous task this is — a task which none but He on whose shoulder the government has been laid, and to whom it has been entrusted, could ever hope to effect — the task of setting judgment "in the earth"; not in one land or over one continent only, but in every land and among every people under heaven, whatever their condition and character. 4. Not less beneficent in its character is this work than stupendous in its nature. For it involves the present highest well-being of men as individuals, as families, as Churches, and as nations, as well as the future eternal welfare of untold myriads of precious souls. This mighty, beneficent, God-glorifying work of setting judgment in the earth includes — (1) The world-wide diffusion of the Word of God and proclamation of the Gospel of Christ, and the needed opening up of the way for these. (2) The believing acceptance of the saving truths of the Gospel by those who hear it. (3) As the result of the universal diffusion of the Gospel, accompanied by the working of God's Spirit upon men's minds and hearts, there must come a world-wide profession of faith in Christ and subjection to His authority, along with practical godliness in the daily life. (4) "And the isles shall wait for His law." These words clearly teach us that the setting of judgment in the earth includes, or will issue in, the universal subjection of the nations to the law of Christ as the rule of their conduct. The Statute-books of the nations will be purged, and nothing but laws fully sanctioned by, and consistent with, the law of Christ shall find a place there. Regulated by Christ's law in all their national transactions, the nations in which judgment is set, will, out of regard to the honour of their Divine Governor, be solicitous to choose and appoint as rulers only those who possess the character and qualifications which God's Word prescribes. II. THE MANNER AND SPIRIT IN WHICH THIS STUPENDOUS WORK IS TO BE CARRIED ON AND THE CERTAINTY OF ITS ACCOMPLISHMENT. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged till He have set judgment in the earth." 1. How is all this to be brought about? Not miraculously, but through human instrumentality, accompanied by the prospering blessing of God's Spirit. As to the spirit in which this work was to be carried on by Him to whom it was entrusted, we learn something both from the text and the preceding context. But if this was the Messiah's spirit, as it is His spirit still, it was not because He lacked strength or courage to assert Himself against His enemies. As He does not conquer by violence, but by gentleness, so He shall not be arrested and conquered by violent opposition. No foe that comes against Him, and no weapon formed against His cause and kingdom, shall ever prosper. 2. Notice the blessed certainty of the accomplishment of this great work, which the emphatic form of expression here employed holds out to us. "He shall not fail nor be discouraged." And why shall He not fail? God has promised it and confirmed His promise with an oath, and what God has promised and sworn can never fail of accomplishment. All power has been given to Christ as Mediator for this very purpose. And He makes this cheering fact the foundation on which He rests the great commission to His Church. "All power is given unto Me — go ye therefore and disciple all nations." For the accomplishment of this blessed work on earth the whole Church has been looking and longing, praying and labouring, are after age, ever since she was called into existence; and these longing anticipations — these fervent prayers — these earnest labours, the result of supernatural influence, shall not be in vain. Conclustion — (1) This subject shows us what is the grand duty of the Christian Church as a whole, and in all her sections and members; it is just, as workers together with Christ, to labour zealously, unweariedly, in the noble enterprise of setting judgment in the earth. (2) In carrying on her great mission in the world, the Church in all her parts and members should seek to be brought into fuller sympathy with her living Head and to drink more and more deeply into His spirit. (3) Greater encouragement to take part in the on-carrying of this great work, and to persevere unweariedly and hopefully in it, in the face of all discouragement and opposition, we could not have, than what is here given us. (4) Is it so that Christ shall not fail nor be discouraged? And are we enlisted under His banner and leadership? Then surely we ought not faint-heartedly to fail or be discouraged in holding fast the truth as it is in Him, and in exhibiting a testimony in its behalf. (5) Nor should we fail or be discouraged in holding forth the Word of life to our benighted and .perishing fellow-men, but should persevere and abound yet more and more, in our missionary efforts at home and abroad. (6) He who as Lord of all is engaged in this mighty work of setting judgment in the earth, is also the Advocate with the Father, pleading His people s cause, and securing that their prayers shall be heard. (Original Secession Magazine.) Parallel Verses KJV: He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. |
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