27/08/17 Isaiah 11:10-16 “The remnant of Israel will return to the Messiah”

Isaiah 11:10 – And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

root – a literal root; or can mean that which endures forever – that is, permanence.

It has the idea of something that just won’t die away; eternalness. It refers to the Branch in Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah who will reign over His eternal, everlasting kingdom. It means “a shoot from the root”.

stand – stand; remain; endure; continue; abide.

It is the same term as used for “remain” in Isaiah 10:32, where it probably meant – tarry; delay; cease; stand still; make a stand; hold one’s ground.

ensign – banner; ensign; standard; something lifted up as a rallying point. See Isaiah 5:26

people – am (nation, people, usually refers to God’s people)

Gentiles – goy (nation, people, usually refers to other than God’s people)

glorious – honour; abundance; riches; splendour; dignity; glory.

And in that day (the day of the Branch, the Messiah) there shall be a shoot from the root (or stock?) of Jesse (see Isaiah 11:1) which will stand (remain; endure; will not die away again) as a rallying point for God’s people (here probably means Israel) to gather together; the Gentiles (those of the other nations) will also seek (resort to; enquire of [God]) at this ensign (the shoot from the root of Jesse), this rallying point; and His (the root of Jesse; the Branch; the Messiah) rest (or resting place; note the sabbath rest of Hebrews 4:1-11) will be glorious (with honour, abundance, riches, splendour, majesty, dignity, glory).

Immanuel, the Messiah, will be the rallying point for the gathering of God’s people Israel; the Gentile believers will also be drawn to this rallying point, for the sabbath-rest of God will be glorious and abundant.

Romans 8:21 – Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Note that there is a caution to labour and not fall in order to enter that rest.

Hebrews 4:11 – Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Isaiah 11:11 – And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

in that day – While we looked at what was probably the new heavens and the new earth last week (Isaiah 11:1-9), this passage appears to relate to the gathering of all Israel together for the millennium as per Ezekiel 37-39.

recover – can be translated “redeem”.

At that time God will lift up His hand (again) a second time, in order to redeem the remnant of His people (Israel) that yet remain from among all the countries or nations of the earth. It is unclear what the first gathering was. The first gathering would have to be either the Exodus (which wasn’t from the nations as such) or the return of the Jews from Babylon (which wasn’t all 12 tribes).

Ezekiel 36:24 – For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Pathros – Upper Egypt.

Cush – probably Ethiopia.

Elam – to the east of Babylon and the Tigris River, capital Susa.

Shinar – the ancient name for Babylon.

Hamath – a city of Assyria

the islands of the sea – probably coastlands or islands of the Mediterranean Sea.

Isaiah 11:12 – And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

And God shall set up (lift up) an ensign (banner; standard; rallying point) for the nations (goy – Gentiles) to gather to. Either the Gentiles will be drawn to the ensign (who is the Messiah – see Vs 10 above) or the Gentile nations will release or deliver Israel to this gathering point – see the following:

Isaiah 49:22 – Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in [their] arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon [their] shoulders.

At His second coming, the Messiah will stand on the Mount of Olives (which will split into two), following His victory over the armies of the world at Armageddon. This either refers to the rallying point, or leads directly to the rallying point (ensign) above.

Zechariah 14:2-4 – ² For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. ³ Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. ⁴ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which [is] before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, [and there shall be] a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

They (the outcasts of Israel [down-cast ones] and the dispersed of Judah [shattered ones]) will be gathered from the four corners of the earth (from all directions).

Ezekiel 37:21-25 – ²¹ And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: ²² And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: ²³ Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. ²⁴ And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. ²⁵ And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever.

Isaiah 11:13 – The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.

Ephraim’s envy (jealousy) will depart (be removed; come to an end) and the adversaries (enemies) of (that is, belonging to) Judah will be cut off.

Ephraim was jealous of Judah because the temple was in Jerusalem, requiring worship to be carried out in Judah (actually Benjamin!), so much so that Jeroboam had golden calves made for them to worship instead, at Bethel and at Dan.

1 Kings 12:26-31 – ²⁶ And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: ²⁷ If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, [even] unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. ²⁸ Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves [of] gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. ²⁹ And he set the one in Beth–el, and the other put he in Dan. ³⁰ And this thing became a sin: for the people went [to worship] before the one, [even] unto Dan. ³¹ And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

It is unlikely that Judah would have been jealous of Israel. Judah had the temple; Judah was not destroyed when Samaria was overthrown; Judah did not go into captivity when Israel did. The adversaries, however, could have been from Ephraim against Judah, but the parallelism of this verse requires that it be an action of Judah against Ephraim in return for Ephraim’s envy of Judah. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, nor shall Judah vex Ephraim (where, in this verse, “vex” is the same as the word translated as “adversaries”).

That is, in that day, when the Messiah returns to draw all to Him, all strife such as envy and enmity will cease between the 10 tribes of Israel and the 2 tribes of Judah.

Ezekiel 37:22 – And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:

(Note “Prince of peace” – Isaiah 9:6)

Isaiah 11:14 – But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

But they shall fly (swoop) upon the shoulders of the Philistines in the west; they shall spoil (plunder – bazaz) those in (literally “the children of”) the east together (altogether; alike). They shall lay (stretch forth) their hand (strength; power) upon Edom (to the south of Judah) and the children of Ammon (of Lot) (to the east of Judah) shall obey them (be their subjects).

them of the east – literally “children or sons of the east”, used of desert Arabs.

The picture here is of a sweeping and sudden victory by Israel upon all sides, apparently to take possession of their promised land; note the gathering again for the second time in Vs 11 above. (See Ezekiel Ch.38 & 39) Israel will be gathered (the outcasts of Israel and the dispersion of Judah) and their traditional border enemies will be defeated or subdued. This appears to depict the commencement of the millennium.

Isaiah 11:15 – And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make [men] go over dryshod.

tongue – wedge shaped area of bay or sea, here it would mean the Gulf of Suez, or the larger body of sea it joins, that is, the Red Sea.

the river – normally this would refer to the Euphrates River, but with Egypt in mind and an allusion to the crossing of the Red Sea in the Exodus, it may well refer instead to the Nile River.

smite it in the seven streams – of the Nile Delta.

This could literally mean Egypt or it could, more likely, refer to what happened in Egypt in the Exodus being applied instead to a pathway being opened up between Assyria and Israel. Vs 16 below seems to be saying that as it was in the days of the Exodus from Egypt, so shall it be in that day when the Messiah returns to rule His people during the millennium.

The extent of the land promised to Abraham (that is, to his descendants) stretched from the river of Egypt (the Nile) to the Euphrates River. That is, from Egypt to Syria.

Genesis 15:18 – In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

While Nineveh was east of the Euphrates (on the Tigris River), Babylon would have been within these boundaries. And, while Israel was taken captive to Assyria, Judah was taken to Babylon which was under the control of Assyria at the time of Israel’s captivity.

dryshod – literally sandals; shoes. The idea seems to be that if the river had water in it, you would take your shoes or sandals off to avoid damaging them. Going through a river wearing shoes or sandals meant there was no water to get them wet.

The picture here is of the drying up of all major water courses and bodies of water to enable people to travel without being held up by any water crossings.

Isaiah 11:16 – And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

Now we apply Vs 15 to this verse to get a highway, a thoroughfare that permitted quick travel between two points. But, instead of the highway being from Egypt to Israel, here it seems to be from Assyria to Israel. However, Isaiah later on says that there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, allowing people to go from one end of this highway to the other, literally from Egypt to Assyria.

Isaiah 19:23 – In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

Thus people will be able to travel from Egypt (at one end of the future Israel) to Assyria (at the other end of the future Israel).

There is an important connection in all of this: that Assyria was where Israel was taken to in captivity in 722 BC; Israel has never returned. Judah did return after their captivity, yet only to be dispersed among all the nations, yet Israel never even came back after their captivity. Vs 12 above mentions the return of both outcast (downcast or downtrodden) Israel and dispersed Judah (from all the earth) to their land. The dispersion represents Israel (Judah) as spread out over all the world, for that is where they have gone. On the other hand, the last we know officially of Israel is that they have remained in captivity in Assyria. This captivity must have ended at some time, yet nothing official has been noted about Israel’s fate here. However, Judah is recorded as having returned after their captivity.

Thus, according to the context of Vs 16 above, the highway from Assyria to Israel may be symbolic of the return of Israel (the remnant from Assyria), just as the drying up of the Red Sea (and other water bodies) is used as a symbol of this highway of the future. Israel one day will symbolically return from Assyria and Judah will symbolically return from their world-wide dispersion.

And there shall be a highway (highway; raised way; public road) for the remnant of God’s people (Israel), those who yet remain, from Assyria. It will be like the Exodus when Israel (the Hebrews) came forth from their bondage in the land of Egypt.

The highway was often used (or else made) for the purpose of getting armies quickly from one place to another. It was a place of travel from one place to another.

Isaiah 19:23-25 – ²³ In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. ²⁴ In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, [even] a blessing in the midst of the land: ²⁵ Whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed [be] Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

Isaiah also spoke of a highway known as the way of holiness.

Isaiah 35:1-10 – ¹ The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. ² It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, [and] the excellency of our God. ³ Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. ⁴ Say to them [that are] of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come [with] vengeance, [even] God [with] a recompence; he will come and save you. ⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. ⁶ Then shall the lame [man] leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. ⁷ And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, [shall be] grass with reeds and rushes. ⁸ And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein]. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor [any] ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk [there]: ¹⁰ And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

It is not easy to discern the difference between the millennium and the new heavens & new earth eras. This passage today seems to be about the millennium, while last week’s passage (which appears to lead into this passage) seems to have been about the new heavens & new earth. Because it is largely yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy, it is unwise to be too dogmatic about interpretations in places. However, Scriptural consistency should give us some idea concerning the actual timeline. The most important thing about this chapter is that it concerns Israel in the future, no longer two kingdoms but one combined 12 tribe kingdom under the Messiah, who will sit on the throne of David His ancestor. Then all will be handed over to the Father in its entirety when all things have been fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 15:24-25 – ²⁴ Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

Now for a few more notes on that commentary by Gill on Isaiah 11:7.

And the cow and the bear shall feed
That is, together, in one church state, at one table, or in one pasture, upon the wholesome food of the Gospel, the salutary doctrines of Christ; who though before of different dispositions, the one tame and gentle, useful and profitable, dispensing the milk of the divine word, and gracious experience; the other cruel and voracious, barbarous and inhuman, worrying the lambs and sheep of Christ; but now of the same nature, and having no ill will to one another, and being without fear of each other:

It is impossible to avoid seeing the implications (by Gill) in this concerning the “reformed” or “nicer people” (the puritans) eating in accord with those who once persecuted them (catholic persecutors or Gill’s preferred term - Papists). Of course, Gill (on Isaiah 11:6) says that this is like Saul the persecutor, “through converting grace”, becoming “as gentle and harmless as lambs, and take up their residence in Christ's fold.” That is, Saul the tormentor becomes Paul the lamb. But the analogy is somewhat flawed, in that if Saul is a bear tormenting the cows, then, as Paul, he must remain a bear feeding with the cow in Isaiah 11:7. However, Paul didn’t just become a “nicer” bear; he changed (a new creation) from being a bear to a cow, or, in this case, a sheep of the sheepfold. For both to remain separate yet eating in peace (in accord) at the one table, it can only mean that the two separate groups have remained two separate groups. The bear remains a bear (albeit a nicer bear!) and the cow remains a cow! But the Christian is a new creation, so Scriptural consistency cannot accept this explanation by Gill concerning this verse. Thus, for Gill to be right, we must now have two cows eating together!

So, the question now is: Just why has Gill delivered such an awkward explanation? The third rule of Biblical interpretation (the first two deal with context and facts presented) is as follows:

“When the plain sense of scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in light of related passages and axiomatic and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”

The actual literal meaning (which makes sense) of Isaiah 11:7 is that the context of Ch.11 is about the future of a literal Israel. Most calvinists (which included Gill) do not believe in a literal remnant of Israel returning, preferring to teach that the church has either taken over the role of Israel, or has become Israel herself.

Gill names “Judah” in Vs 13 as God’s professing people, and their adversaries as the Turks and Papists. In Vs 14 Gill relates the victories to those of Christ’s church. In Vs 15 Gill says that the drying up of the river signifies the destruction of the Turks or the Ottoman empire. And in Vs 16, Gill says that the highway signifies the removal of all hindrances and obstacles, leading to the Mahometan, Pagan and Papal kingdoms being destroyed.

This is typical amillennial teaching (based upon Augustine’s teachings) which claims that the millennial reign of Christ the Messiah has been going on in the spiritual realm, starting sometime after the resurrection and finishing one day perhaps in the future (although some views have the tribulation already finished over 200 or more years ago!). Amillennialism teaches that all millennial prophecies are allegorical and not literal. It teaches that the millennial kingdom is manifested in the hearts of saints who have died, and/or the hearts of those of the church on earth. The tribulation is also a past event, but also spiritual rather than physical. Amillennialists rarely clearly define a timeline for the tribulation and millennium, often saying only that they occur somewhere between the crucifixion and the end of this present age. Saints are not resurrected physically but spiritually. The spiritual millennial kingdom was when the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers. There is no literal Israel; the church is raptured and goes straight into the new heavens & new earth era.

Thus, a genuine calvinist (who must be amillennial by logical consequence of his beliefs, being based upon Augustinian teachings) cannot accept that Israel is still on the timeline, and so must make up analogous explanations for all those passages where literal explanations have to assume a literal Israel in the future. Gill is merely conforming to the limitations of his amillennial beliefs. He cannot admit to a literal future Israel, so is forced to teach otherwise. This can become quite confusing and misleading in many places, as the above Gill commentary shows. (And it is probably why MacArthur calls himself a leaky dispensationalist, desperately trying to be seen as more acceptable to the evangelical fundamentalist church, while remaining a typical amillennialist!)

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