a.  Based on His Delight in Fearing Yahweh. Isa. 11:3a

• "And He will delight" – "And He will delight" is the Hiphil Infinitive Construct of the verb rûwach (7306) literally "to smell," here, metaphorically, in the sense of a pleasing aroma, "to take pleasure in." (See Gen. 8:21; 27:27 for the connotation of "taking pleasure in.")

• "in the fear of the LORD" – The Messiah will not find fear of Yahweh a burdensome or alienating chore. He will take pleasure in fearing Yahweh! "In fear" is the noun yir'âh (3374) with the prefixed preposition "in." (See the previous discussion of "fear of the LORD" on Page 1.) Because the Messiah takes pleasure in "fear of Yahweh" He will exercise a just and righteous reign as King. He will not take bribes or lobby for popular approval. His reign will provide equal justice for all, no matter if they are rich or poor, powerful or of lowly status. Social Justice under the reign of Messiah will not be a code word for enforcing Marxism, but for meeting the standards of a pure and holy God. It will not bode well for sinners in the reign of Messiah!
  

b.  Based on His Omniscience. Isa. 11:3b

• "And He will not judge by what His eyes see"

• "Judge" is the Qal Imperfect of shâphát (8199), to act as law-giver, arbiter, adjudicator over the law. In the Millennial Kingdom the Messiah will constitute the Supreme Court, not only of Israel, but of the entire world. Now a mere man often times makes decisions on the basis of how things appear to be. But the Messiah is God-come-in-the-flesh, and He is omniscient. That is, He knows everything (Psa. 139:1-4; Isa. 46:9-10). He knows a man's heart (1 Sam. 16:7). So He will not judge by what appears to be true, but He will know the actual truth, and will render just and fair verdicts. He will not be swayed by mere appearances.
  

• "Nor make a decision by what His ears hear"

• "Make a decision" is the Hiphil Imperfect of the verb yâkách (3198), meaning here, to adjudicate, render a verdict, judge. It stands as a synonym for "judge," shâphát (8199), in the previous line. The Messiah will be the Supreme Arbiter, not only over Israel, but over the entire world. He will constitute the World Court of Last Appeal. There will be witnesses who stand before Him. But He will unerringly know the truth, even if witnesses give convincing eye-witness testimony that is misleading. We all know that many times witnesses "cherry pick" the facts which they reveal. They reveal only facts which will support their own agenda. They will withhold facts which bring their agenda into question. But no one will fool this Judge. He knows everything!
  

c.  Illustrated by His Righteous and Fair Treatment of the Poor and Afflicted. Isa. 11:4a

• "But with righteousness He will judge the poor, (Isa. 11:4a)
  

• The line in Hebrew reads literally, "But He will judge with righteousness poor (people)."
  

• "with righteousness" is the noun tsédeq (6664), that which is in accordance with fairness, justice, truth. We have this perception in America that wealthy people can oftentimes buy their way out of potential litigation, and that wealthy, powerful people of a certain political persuasion are frequently exempt from prosecution. That will not be true in the Millennial Kingdom. Righteous judgment in accordance with reality will prevail. And reality is the way God views matters here upon earth.
  

• "He will judge" is the Qal Perfect of the verb shâphát (8199), to adjudicate, render a verdict.

• "the poor" is the plural of dal (1800) without the article, "poor" (people). It is most frequently translated "poor," contrasted with "rich" (Ruth 3:10), and occasionally translated with the connotation of being "helpless" (Psa. 41:1) or "weak" (Psa. 82:3). Poor people are often powerless to defend themselves before a wealthy litigant or opponent. Unscrupulous wealthy people try to take advantage of poor people. But in the Kingdom of the Messiah, He will not permit this to happen. He will render verdicts and institute policies with righteousness and fairness!

• "and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;" (Isa. 11:4a)
  

• "decide" is the Hiphil Perfect of the verb yâkách (3198), meaning here, "to adjudicate," "render a verdict" (see Isa. 2:4; 11:3). It includes the idea of rebuking those at fault (Lev. 9:17; 2 Sam. 7:14; 2 Kings 19:4; 1 Chron. 16:21; Psa. 6:1, etc.). The person who will "decide" is the Messiah.

• "with fairness" is the noun mîyshôr (4334). This noun is most often translated as "plain" (Josh. 13:9, 16, 17, 21; 20:8; Isa. 40:4; 42:16, etc.) or occasionally "plateau" (Deut. 3:10; Jer. 48:8). In a moral or ethical context, as here, it refers to a level playing field, even-handedness, a "level path" (Psa. 26:12; 27:11; 143:10), "uprightness" (Psa. 45:6; 67:4; Mal. 2:6). The idea is that the Messiah will not give special, favorable treatment to the rich and powerful. All will stand on a level playing field with this Judge. He will give equitable legal treatment to the poor and afflicted as well as to the rich and powerful. This Judge is the paragon of Fairness, Truth, and Virtue. He cannot and will not be bribed or influenced by people of wealth or power.
  

• "for the afflicted of the earth" – "for the afflicted" is the plural of the adjective ‛ânâyv (6035). Its most frequent translations are "humble" (Num. 12:3; Psa. 10:17; 25:9; 34:2, 11; 69:32; 76:9; Amos 2:7; Zeph. 2:3), and also, as here, "afflicted" (Psa. 9:12; 10:12; 22:26; 147:6; 149:4; Prov. 3:34; Isa. 11:4; 29:19; 61:1). Once it is translated as "poor" (Prov. 14:21). It refers to those who, perhaps by virtue of birth or personality or giftedness or circumstance do not have the means to assert themselves in life, are not wealthy, and cannot defend themselves adequately against those seeking to take advantage of them. In the Kingdom of the Messiah, these people will have an equal standing before the Law and before the Judge. The wealthy, powerful will get no better treatment than the humble and afflicted, those who are susceptible to being taken advantage of. Fairness and Equality before the Law will be the Platform of the Great King.
  

• Elsewhere in his prophecy, Isaiah predicted a time when the Messiah would announce that the Spirit of God had anointed Him to bring good news to the afflicted ânâyv (6035) (Isa. 61:1). Jesus read Isaiah 61:1,2 in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-19), and announced, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing!" (Luke 4:21). Moments later, the people of the synagogue tried to kill Him! (Luke 4:22-30).

• Moreover, Isaiah predicted a time in the still distant future that the afflicted ânâyv (6035) "will increase their gladness in the LORD, and the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 29:19). That will come true during Messiah's reign in His Millennial Kingdom.
  

• "of the earth" – 'erets (776) here likely refers to the entire earth (Gen. 1:1, 2) not merely to the land (Gen. 13:12, 15) of Canaan. This King will rule over the entire globe, not merely over the land of Israel.
  

d. Illustrated by His Execution of the Wicked by Verbal Command. Isa. 11:4b

• "And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth" (Isa. 11:4b). Because the Messiah delights in the fear of the LORD, and because He operates on a platform of righteousness, He will exercise tight control over evil and wickedness in His Kingdom.

• "And He will strike" is the Hiphil Perfect of the verb nâkâh (5221), to strike, smite, deliver a blow. This verb is used 501 times in the OT. 482 of these employ the Hiphil.

• "the earth" is once again the noun 'erets (776), appearing as the Direct Object of the verb "He will strike." The term 'erets can refer to the entire globe, to a particular land, or rarely, to the ground. The context of Isa. 11 indicates that we are best to understand that Isaiah had the entire earth in mind, not merely the land of Israel, and certainly not "the ground." See the two occurrences of Isa. 11:4; see also Isa. 11:9, 12. The lone exception in this chapter is Isa. 11:16, where the land of Egypt is stipulated. The subsequent line in this verse indicates it is not literally the earth, the physical planet, that the Messiah will strike, but rather the wicked people of the entire earth. The Messiah's global rule is confirmed in Psa. 2:8, where He will be given the very ends of the earth ('erets) as his possession.

• "with the rod of His mouth." "Rod" is the noun shêbet (7626). It refers to a rod, staff, or club. This is a figurative use here because Isaiah defines this rod as the rod of the Messiah's mouth, peh (6310). This is picturesque language, and we are not to think that the Messiah will walk around with a literal rod protruding from his mouth any more than we are to think the returning Christ will descend from heaven with a literal sharp sword protruding from His mouth (Rev. 19:15, 21). But without a doubt Isa. 11:4 is a parallel passage to Rev. 19:15, 21. Both indicate that the Messiah will verbally decree blows upon the wicked throughout the entire earth. He who can decree worlds into existence (Heb. 11:3) can decree the death of the wicked of the earth.

• One Biblical example of the way in which the Messiah will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth is to be found in Zechariah 14:16-19. During His Kingdom, nations who survive the Tribulation and the Judgments at the end will be required to worship the King and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. Whichever of the families of the earth who fail to travel to Jerusalem to worship the King will receive no rain. That will be the plague with which the LORD smites (Qal Imperfect of the verb nâgáph, 5062) those nations.
  

• "and with the breath of His mouth He will slay the wicked" (Isa. 11:4b). This line stands in synthetic parallelism with the previous line, fleshing out a specific way in which the Messiah will "strike the earth with the rod of His mouth." We in the West today have a great aversion to capital punishment for evil people. But the Messiah will employ God's righteous standards, not the pseudo-righteous standards of America and Western Europe. God decreed capital punishment for murderers in Genesis 9:5-7 in order to protect the image of God in which man was created. We in the west routinely permit murderers to live but we adopt a murderous policy against innocent, unborn children. For this we will certainly reap God's judgment.

• "and with the breath of His lips" – "breath" is the noun rûach (7307), here to be translated "breath," not "spirit." King Jesus will simply utter a decree, and He will end the lives of the wicked. "Lips" is the Dual noun sapháh (81983), meaning, in this context, literally, "lips" (Isa. 6:5, 7), and in other contexts, "language" (Isa. 19:18) or "speech" (Isa 33:19).

• "He will slay the wicked." "Slay" is the Hiphil Imperfect of the verb mûth (4191), to kill, put to death, terminate the life of – here, literally, "wicked (person)," the singular Adjective râshâ´ (7563), a wicked person or criminal. Graphic illustrations of the Messiah's terminal disposal of wicked people include the following:

• Isaiah 63:1-6. The Warrior, Messiah, marches from Edom  (Isa. 63:1), representative of the enemies of God and Israel, clothed with apparel stained with the blood of His opponents (Isa. 63:3). This day, yet future, will be a day of vengeance upon the enemies of God (Isa. 63:4, 6), but of redemption and salvation for Israel, and, indeed, for all God's people (Isa. 63:4, 5). The blood-stained apparel of this Divine Warrior is to be equated with the robe dipped in blood worn by the returning Christ (Rev. 19:13). This is not the blood of the Messiah, but the blood of His enemies.
  

• Zechariah 14:1-4, 9, 12-15. This passage describes the universal hostility of all nations against Israel, God's chosen nation, in the Tribulation period. God will gather all nations against Jerusalem for battle. The city will be captured and occupied, with unspeakable horrors perpetrated against the Israelis (Zech. 14:2). But it is a trap. Yahweh Himself will fight against those nations (Zech. 14:3). The returning Messiah will stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4), providing an escape route for the beleaguered citizens of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:4, 5). Messiah will come and all the holy angels of His army with Him (Zech. 14:5). Yahweh, in the person of Messiah, will reign over the entire earth (Zech. 14:9). He will strike the enemy nations with a plague. Their flesh, eyes, and tongues will rot rapidly (Zech. 14:12), and they will, in a panic, begin killing off one another (Zech. 14:13). This plague will also destroy the enemies' animals used for transportation and food (Zech. 14:15).
  

• Matt. 25:30, 41, 46. The extended passage of Matt. 25:1-46 describes Christ's future judgment of both Israelis and Gentiles who somehow survive the horrors of the Tribulation. Matt. 25:1-30 describes Christ's judgment of survivors of the Nation of Israel, while Matt. 25:31-46 outlines Christ's judgment of Gentle survivors. In the Jesus' second parable in the Jewish section, Jesus described "A Man, His Journey, and His Three Slaves," (Matt. 25:14-30). In the parable, the third slave represented those who failed to trust the slave-owner, and had not invested the money entrusted to him. The master's decree was horrible. "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 25:30). The worthless slave would be put to death and consigned, ultimately, to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone (Mark 9:47-48; Rev. 20:10, 14, 15).
  

• 2 Thess. 1:7-9. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church of the time "...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power ...." This process represents a series of judgments and, ultimately, consignment to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone (Mark 9:47-48; Rev. 20:10, 14, 15).

• 2 Thess. 2:8. The Apostle Paul also wrote to the Thessalonians of the unveiling of a "man of lawlessness," also called "the son of destruction (2 Thess. 2:3)," and "that lawless one" (2 Thess. 2:8). During the Tribulation this lawless person will take his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God (2 Thess. 2:4). The Lord Jesus will slay him "with the breath of His mouth" at His return to earth (2 Thess. 2:8).
  

• Rev. 19:11-21. This vision, revealed by the Lord to the Apostle John, describes Christ's return to earth mounted on a white horse (Rev. 19:11) with His armies (Rev. 19:14) in power and great glory. We are told that from His mouth protrudes a sharp sword (Rev. 19:15), with which He will "strike down the nations" and "rule them with a rod of iron" (Psa. 2:9; Rev. 19:15). He will tread "the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty" (Rev. 19:15). John saw "the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army" (Rev. 19:19). The beast and the false prophet were seized and "thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone" (Rev. 19:20). "And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh" (Rev. 19:21). The "sword" symbolism means, of course, that Christ merely commands, and His opponents are liquidated by whatever means He chooses.
  

• Rev. 20:9. During the Thousand-Year Reign of Christ, Satan will be bound and confined in the Abyss so that he will be unable to deceive the nations of the earth (Rev. 20:1-3). All the believing survivors of the Tribulation entered Christ's Millennial Kingdom in their natural bodies. They will believe in the Messiah, but not all of their children will. During Christ's Kingdom they will submit to Him outwardly, but not inwardly. In other words, they will not trust Him. They will comprise a fertile soil for the Devil to work his deceitful magic. He will be released from his prison (Rev. 20:7). He will convince these unbelievers the King is really evil, and they will follow Satan's bidding. They will join forces to attempt to destroy the King and His administration in Jerusalem (Rev. 2:8, 9). They will fail catastrophically, for the judgment of God will fall on them. Fire will rain down from heaven and obliterate them (Rev. 20:9). God will have used the Devil to unmask the unbelieving hearts of those who are deceived by him. The text does not state specifically that Jesus Christ calls down fire from heaven. But it would not surprise me in the least if that is exactly what will happen.
  

• Rev. 20:15. Following the Satanically-inspired, abortive attempt of earth's unbelievers to overthrow the King at the end of the Millennium, the entire sin-cursed universe, including planet earth, will be destroyed by fire (2 Pet. 3:7, 10, 12; Rev. 20:11). There will appear, somewhere, an enormous white throne (Rev. 20:11). The one sitting on this throne will be Jesus Christ, the Judge of all the earth (John 5:22, 23, 25-30). The dead, great and small, will stand before this throne. I believe those who appear were not part of the first resurrection (Rev. 20:6), and so they will be subject to the "Second Death" (Rev. 20:6). Books will be opened, and another book will be opened, the Book of Life (Rev. 20:12). The resurrected dead will be judged by their deeds according to that which is recorded in these books (Rev. 20:12). None of the wicked dead of all ages will miss this judgment. The sea will give up her dead. So will Death and Hades. Every one of them will be resurrected to stand at this judgment, and will be judged, each, according to his deeds (Rev. 20:13). Death and Hades will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, also identified as the Second Death (Rev. 20:14). If anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:5). Since Jesus Christ is the Judge at this "Great White Throne Judgment," it is He who will be responsible for the eternal torment of all whose names are not found written in the Book of Life.
  

e. Springing from His Own Personal Righteousness and Faithfulness. Isa. 11:5

• "Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, (Isa. 11:5)
  

• "righteousness" is the noun tsédeq (6664), meaning the quality of moral and ethical fairness and justice. "Righteousness, justness, fairness." We have already been told that the Messiah will judge even the poor with righteousness, tsédeq (6664), and the afflicted with fairness (Isa. 11:4).
  

• "will be the belt around His loins" – In Hebrew culture a belt tied everything together that a person wore (Constable). "Righteousness according to God's standards would be the hallmark of the Messiah's reign and legal decisions.
  

• "And faithfulness the belt about His waist." (Isa. 11:5)
  

• "faithfulness" is the noun 'ěmûnâh´ (530). It refers to "firmness, steadfastness, fidelity" (BDB); more frequently, to "faithfulness" and sometimes, to "truth" (NASB).

• "the belt about His waist." Isaiah is saying that, together, "righteousness" and faithfulness – faithful, unshakable adherence to truth and to Yahweh's covenants and promises and character will be that which will characterize the rule of the Messiah. He will operate according to character. His character is the very personification of righteousness and faithfulness. Nothing and no one can deter Him from operating according to God's standards and requirements, which epitomize truth, fairness, and justice. What a relief that will be from the present corruption, bribery, extortion, and leftist political correctness we see in present day American politics!

• The Apostle Paul borrowed from both of these lines and applied them to the Christian's defense against the formidable powers of darkness. He wrote, "Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness" (Eph. 6:14).