3. To make reconciliation for iniquity.The word here translated “reconciliation” is usually rendered
“atone”, but according to Strong’s Concordance it expresses also the thought of appeasing or reconciling.
We shall, therefore, assume that our translators had good reason for using the word “reconciliation.” If,
however, it be taken that “atonement” is the better rendering, the conclusion would not be affected; for
both atonement and reconciliation were made by the death of Christ upon the cross.
15
The need of reconciliation arises from the fact that man is by nature not only a sinner, but also an enemy
of God (Romans 5:8, 10). Moreover, it is because he is a sinner that he is also an enemy. As a sinner he
needs to be justified; and as an enemy he needs to be reconciled. The death of Christ as an atoning sacrifice accomplishes both in the case of all who believe in Him. In Romans 5:8–10 these two distinct, but
closely related, things are clearly set forth. For we there read, first, that “while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us”, and second, that “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of
His Son”.
Reconciliation has to do directly with the kingdom of God, in that it signifies the bringing back of those
who were rebels and enemies into willing and loyal submission to God. In this connection attention
should be given to the great passage in Colossians 1:12–22, which shows that, as the result of the death of
Christ, those who have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (verse 14), are also translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (verse 13), Christ “having made peace for them through the
blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself”; and the apostle adds, “And you, who were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh,
through death” (verses 20–22).
It is certain, therefore, that, when Christ Jesus died and rose again, atonement for sin and reconciliation
for the enemies of God were fully and finally accomplished as a matter of historic fact. It is important, and
indeed essential, to a right interpretation of this prophecy, to keep in mind that atonement and reconciliation were to be accomplished, and actually were accomplished, within the measure of seventy weeks
from the going forth of the decree of King Cyrus.
It is thus seen that the prophecy has to do with the great and eternal purpose of God to establish His
kingdom — and to bring pardoned and reconciled sinners into it as willing and loyal subjects of Christ,
the King. And when the time drew near the kingdom was proclaimed by the Lord and by His forerunner
as “at hand.” The Lord’s own words, when taken in connection with the prophecy of Gabriel, are very significant. He said: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). The time
whereof He spoke was that declared in this great prophecy; which is the only prophecy which gives the
time of His coming. Hence His words were really the announcement of His approaching death, resurrection and enthronement in heaven, as the heavenly King of God’s heavenly kingdom.
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness.Righteousness is the most prominent feature of the kingdom
of God. To show this we need only cite those familiar passages: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness” (Matthew 6:33); “the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost” (Romans 14:17). One characteristic of God’s righteousness, which He was “to bring in” through
the sacrifice of Christ ((Romans 3:21–26), is that it endures forever; and this is what is emphasized in the
prophecy. A work was to be done, and now has been done, which would bring in everlasting righteousness
— everlasting because based upon the Cross, as foretold also through Isaiah, “My righteousness shall be
forever” (Isaiah 51:8). Jesus Christ has now been made unto US “righteous” (1 Corinthians 1:30); and
this is in fulfillment of another great promise: “behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise
Unto David a righteous Branch, and a King reign and prosper And this is His Name whereby He shall be
called JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5–6).
5. To seal up vision and prophecy.This we take to mean the sealing up of God’s word of prophecy to the
Israelites, as part of the punishment they brought upon themselves. The word “seal up” sometimes
means, in a secondary sense, to make secure, since what is tightly sealed up is made safe against being
tampered with. Hence some have understood by this item merely that vision and prophecy were to be fulfilled. But we are not aware that the word “sealed up” is used in that sense in the Scriptures. For when
the fulfillment of prophecy is meant, the word “to fulfill” is used. We think the word should be taken here
in its primary meaning; for it was distinctly foretold, as a prominent feature of Israel’s punishment that
both vision and prophet — i.e., both eye and ear — were to be closed up, so that seeing they would see not,
and hearing they would hear not (Isaiah 6:10).
Moreover, this very sealing up of vision and prophecy as a part of the chastening of Israel was foretold by
Isaiah in that great passage where he speaks of Christ as the Foundation Stone (Isaiah 28:16). Following
this is a prediction of “woe” to the city where David dwelt (29:1). So we have here a prophecy which is parallel to that of Gabriel. The latter spoke of the cutting off of Messiah to be followed by the destruction of
Jerusalem; and Isaiah also spoke of Christ as God’s Foundation Stone, laid in Zion (resurrection) and
16
then of the overthrow of the earthly Zion. As to this overthrow God speaks through Isaiah very definitely
saying, “And I will camp against thee round about and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and raise
a fort against thee, and thou shalt be brought down” (Isaiah 29:1–4). Then the prophet speaks of a coming storm and tempest and devouring fire and also of the multitude of the nations that were to fight
against the city (verses 6–9). And then come these significant words: “For the Lord God hath poured out
upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets’ and your rulers, the seers, hath
He covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed” (verses 10–11).
This manifestly corresponds with Gabriel’s words “to seal up vision and prophet.” Moreover, the word
“sealed,” in Isaiah 29:11, is the same as in Daniel 9:24. These words of Isaiah also give a remarkably accurate description of the spiritual blindness of the people and their rulers in Christ’s day, who, though they
read the prophets every Sabbath day, yet because they knew not their voices, fulfilled them in condemning Him (Acts 13:27).
The fulfillment of Isaiah 6 also comes in here. For the Lord Himself declared that, in His day, was fulfilled
the word “Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their
eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah
6:9–10; Matthew 13:14–15). John also quotes this prophecy and applies it to the Jews of his day (John
12:39–41); and Paul does the same (Acts 28:25–27).
Hence we should note with deep interest the question which this sentence of judgment prompted Isaiah
to ask, and the answer he received. Evidently the prophet understood that the judgment pronounced in
the words quoted above was to be one of terrible severity, for he at once inquired anxiously, “How long”
the period of judicial blindness was to last. The answer was, “Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far
away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 6:11–12).
Here we have a clear prediction of that which Christ Himself prophesied when the desolation of Judea,
and the scattering of the Jews among all nations (Luke 21:24).
“atone”, but according to Strong’s Concordance it expresses also the thought of appeasing or reconciling.
We shall, therefore, assume that our translators had good reason for using the word “reconciliation.” If,
however, it be taken that “atonement” is the better rendering, the conclusion would not be affected; for
both atonement and reconciliation were made by the death of Christ upon the cross.
15
The need of reconciliation arises from the fact that man is by nature not only a sinner, but also an enemy
of God (Romans 5:8, 10). Moreover, it is because he is a sinner that he is also an enemy. As a sinner he
needs to be justified; and as an enemy he needs to be reconciled. The death of Christ as an atoning sacrifice accomplishes both in the case of all who believe in Him. In Romans 5:8–10 these two distinct, but
closely related, things are clearly set forth. For we there read, first, that “while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us”, and second, that “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of
His Son”.
Reconciliation has to do directly with the kingdom of God, in that it signifies the bringing back of those
who were rebels and enemies into willing and loyal submission to God. In this connection attention
should be given to the great passage in Colossians 1:12–22, which shows that, as the result of the death of
Christ, those who have “redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (verse 14), are also translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (verse 13), Christ “having made peace for them through the
blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself”; and the apostle adds, “And you, who were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh,
through death” (verses 20–22).
It is certain, therefore, that, when Christ Jesus died and rose again, atonement for sin and reconciliation
for the enemies of God were fully and finally accomplished as a matter of historic fact. It is important, and
indeed essential, to a right interpretation of this prophecy, to keep in mind that atonement and reconciliation were to be accomplished, and actually were accomplished, within the measure of seventy weeks
from the going forth of the decree of King Cyrus.
It is thus seen that the prophecy has to do with the great and eternal purpose of God to establish His
kingdom — and to bring pardoned and reconciled sinners into it as willing and loyal subjects of Christ,
the King. And when the time drew near the kingdom was proclaimed by the Lord and by His forerunner
as “at hand.” The Lord’s own words, when taken in connection with the prophecy of Gabriel, are very significant. He said: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). The time
whereof He spoke was that declared in this great prophecy; which is the only prophecy which gives the
time of His coming. Hence His words were really the announcement of His approaching death, resurrection and enthronement in heaven, as the heavenly King of God’s heavenly kingdom.
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness.Righteousness is the most prominent feature of the kingdom
of God. To show this we need only cite those familiar passages: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness” (Matthew 6:33); “the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost” (Romans 14:17). One characteristic of God’s righteousness, which He was “to bring in” through
the sacrifice of Christ ((Romans 3:21–26), is that it endures forever; and this is what is emphasized in the
prophecy. A work was to be done, and now has been done, which would bring in everlasting righteousness
— everlasting because based upon the Cross, as foretold also through Isaiah, “My righteousness shall be
forever” (Isaiah 51:8). Jesus Christ has now been made unto US “righteous” (1 Corinthians 1:30); and
this is in fulfillment of another great promise: “behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise
Unto David a righteous Branch, and a King reign and prosper And this is His Name whereby He shall be
called JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5–6).
5. To seal up vision and prophecy.This we take to mean the sealing up of God’s word of prophecy to the
Israelites, as part of the punishment they brought upon themselves. The word “seal up” sometimes
means, in a secondary sense, to make secure, since what is tightly sealed up is made safe against being
tampered with. Hence some have understood by this item merely that vision and prophecy were to be fulfilled. But we are not aware that the word “sealed up” is used in that sense in the Scriptures. For when
the fulfillment of prophecy is meant, the word “to fulfill” is used. We think the word should be taken here
in its primary meaning; for it was distinctly foretold, as a prominent feature of Israel’s punishment that
both vision and prophet — i.e., both eye and ear — were to be closed up, so that seeing they would see not,
and hearing they would hear not (Isaiah 6:10).
Moreover, this very sealing up of vision and prophecy as a part of the chastening of Israel was foretold by
Isaiah in that great passage where he speaks of Christ as the Foundation Stone (Isaiah 28:16). Following
this is a prediction of “woe” to the city where David dwelt (29:1). So we have here a prophecy which is parallel to that of Gabriel. The latter spoke of the cutting off of Messiah to be followed by the destruction of
Jerusalem; and Isaiah also spoke of Christ as God’s Foundation Stone, laid in Zion (resurrection) and
16
then of the overthrow of the earthly Zion. As to this overthrow God speaks through Isaiah very definitely
saying, “And I will camp against thee round about and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and raise
a fort against thee, and thou shalt be brought down” (Isaiah 29:1–4). Then the prophet speaks of a coming storm and tempest and devouring fire and also of the multitude of the nations that were to fight
against the city (verses 6–9). And then come these significant words: “For the Lord God hath poured out
upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets’ and your rulers, the seers, hath
He covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed” (verses 10–11).
This manifestly corresponds with Gabriel’s words “to seal up vision and prophet.” Moreover, the word
“sealed,” in Isaiah 29:11, is the same as in Daniel 9:24. These words of Isaiah also give a remarkably accurate description of the spiritual blindness of the people and their rulers in Christ’s day, who, though they
read the prophets every Sabbath day, yet because they knew not their voices, fulfilled them in condemning Him (Acts 13:27).
The fulfillment of Isaiah 6 also comes in here. For the Lord Himself declared that, in His day, was fulfilled
the word “Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their
eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed” (Isaiah
6:9–10; Matthew 13:14–15). John also quotes this prophecy and applies it to the Jews of his day (John
12:39–41); and Paul does the same (Acts 28:25–27).
Hence we should note with deep interest the question which this sentence of judgment prompted Isaiah
to ask, and the answer he received. Evidently the prophet understood that the judgment pronounced in
the words quoted above was to be one of terrible severity, for he at once inquired anxiously, “How long”
the period of judicial blindness was to last. The answer was, “Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men far
away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 6:11–12).
Here we have a clear prediction of that which Christ Himself prophesied when the desolation of Judea,
and the scattering of the Jews among all nations (Luke 21:24).
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