ISAIAH LVI by E. B. Saunders

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 15, 1868

ISAIAH LVI.

By E. B. Saunders

This chapter is one of the most familiar of the Bible to S. D. Adventists; but there are many just beginning to investigate the prophecies with a reference to the Sabbath question, and to benefit such, these few lines are written.

Most men have such a vague idea of the meaning of the Old Testament scriptures, that they fail to perceive that prophecy has a far greater scope than the few years in which the prophet lived, or the country where he dwelt. Hence many expositors give all the terrible threatenings, curses, &c., to those who lived contemporaneously with the prophet; but if they find blessings promised, they find no difficulty in applying them to men in our own times. But the fifty-sixth of Isaiah is an exception to this almost-general rule. Professing Christians are not so eager to appropriate the blessing spoken of in the second verse.

That this prophecy has its application near the close of probationary time is evident from the first verse, “Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice; for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.” In one sense Jesus is called the salvation of God, because it depends upon him; but it does not actually take place till this mortal shall put on immortality. Hence Peter speaks of it as the “salvation ready to be revealed in the last time,” 1 Pet. i, 5; and Paul refers to the time when Jesus shall “appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Heb. ix, 28. Therefore we apply this prophecy to the time when Jesus’ coming is nigh at hand.

Thousands and millions of the meek of the earth have been tortured to death at the stake, the rack, and by the sword. Everything that flesh could suffer, they suffered till their wails of agony ceased in death, and the world soon forgot that they had lived and suffered for the truth of God. Generations pass, and the wicked act as though God approved their hellish deeds; but God is not unrighteous, to forget his trusting saints or their labor of love. He will yet convince the wicked that he is a righteous God. His righteousness will be revealed in the terrible judgments to be visited upon Babylon. Rev. xviii, 5–8, 20, 24; and xix, 2.

Now while salvation for the righteous and righteous judgments upon the wicked are near, a blessing is pronounced upon the “man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” Verse 2. The Sabbath has been laid down as an antiquated Jewish institution; now, the blessing is on the son of man who takes it up again. “Also the sons of the stranger” (an expression in other places denoting the Gentiles, who seek the Lord are included in the promise. See verse 6. Not only are they to observe the Sabbath, but to take hold of the Lord’s covenant.

We may learn what the covenant is, which is here referred to, by reading Deut. iv, 13, where Moses says, “He declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments.” The law of God, long trampled down and regarded as Jewish, is to be taken hold of by the people of God when salvation is near to come. This accords with the last work of the church, as brought to view in Rev. xiv. The second coming of our Lord is brought to notice in verse 14, while verse 12 speaks of the waiting saints, thus: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

Also, in chap. xii, last verse, we read that the remnant people of God are to be persecuted while they “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” But the Dragon is not suffered to triumph over the waiting, commandment-keeping saints. John next sees them safe on the Mount Zion, singing a new song of deliverance. Rev. xiv, 1. This is what God has promised in the chapter under consideration; for of those who take hold of his covenant he says, verse 7, “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain [Mount Zion, or the New Jerusalem, Heb. xii, 22], and make them joyful in my house of prayer.” In verse 9, a call is made to the supper of the great God, “All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea all ye beasts of the forest.” This call to the supper of the great God is to be in connection with the coming of the King of kings. “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.” Rev. xix, 17, 18; also Eze. xxxix, 17–21.

The cases of the blind watchmen who do not discern the signs of the day of God, are brought to notice in the remaining portion of the chapter. Their condition is so vividly set forth that it needs no comment.

“His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs; they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.”

We leave the reader to judge whether this is not eating and drinking with the drunken, and crying, Peace and safety. E. B. SAUNDERS.