Genesis 10 describes the 3 sons of Noah and some of their sons and grandsons from which the Bible says all people of all nations physically now on earth are descended. Although quite a few specific nations are mentioned not all the nations or grandsons of Noah are probably mentioned such as those included under the islands (coastlands) of the sea. In Hebrew the original language of the Old Testament including Genesis the word for islands can also be translated coastland. Specifically the entry in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew English dictionary is as follows: ee a habitable spot (as desirable); dry land, a coast, an island: country, isle, coast. This probably includes China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia and the rest of the Far East, India and the Indian subcontinent, Siberia, and the Americas and Oceania and other islands. The general term islands of the sea in reference to Israel also means these are places and people that are far from Israel and not mentioned specifically in the other sons or grandsons of Noah or not as easily connected to one of the mentioned grandsons although the places and the islands of the sea are from Japheth one of the sons of Noah. Some of the corresponding nations or peoples given in the following parapraph are from the book After the Flood The Early Post Flood History of Europe Traced Back to Noah by Bill Cooper New Wine Press, Chichester, West Sussex, England, United Kingdom. The scripture reference from Genesis 10 of the ancestry of the places and peoples of the islands (coastlands) of the sea from Japheth is as follows:
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer (Wales and Germanic people), and Magog, and Madai (Medes or Iran), and Javan (Greece), and Tubal (regions around current Tobolsk, Russia and Tbilisi, Georgia), and Meshech (region around Moscow, Russia), and Tiras (region around Tiranna, Albania and the Balkans). And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz (Germanic people), and Riphath, and Togarmah (Turkey). And the sons of Javan; Elishah (that gives the expression Hellenic with respect to Greece and, probably gives rise to the expression the Elysian fields, and Tarshish (southern Spain and Portugal from the announcement some time ago on the BBC of archaeological remains of concentric circles with a rectangular building in the middle similiar to Plato's description in his book Critias near Cadiz in southern Spain), Kittim (Cyprus), and Dodanim (region in Turkey around the Dardanelles Strait). By these were the isles (coastlands) of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. Genesis 10:1-5
During the Persian Empire when Persia centred on what is now Iran what its height of power and influence, as it says in the beginning of the book of Esther, it had 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. This also included some islands (possibly including coastlands) of the sea. This would only be the part of the islands (coastlands) of the sea close to Persia and in this case in contrast to some other references in the Bible to the islands of the sea not the entire world that was far from Israel. These islands (coastlands) of the sea referred to in this scripture verse were under Persian control and influence at that time included the obligation to pay taxes to the Persian king Ahaseures and his empire. The scripture reference in Esther 10 to the islands of the sea that were under tribute to King Ahaseures of Persia is as follows:
And the king Ahaseures laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Esther 10:1
Although it isn't as clear as some other references in the Bible, but for the full reality of this verse and its chapter context to be the case, it has to be seen it context of taking place in the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom of the LORD (God the Father) and His Messiah (Jesus) reigning with His people over all the earth. Although this first verse and the whole chapter might have happened in a limited extent under Israel at its height under King David and King Solomon and in a limited and figurative way in the present Church Age, for a complete, literal realization it needs to be seen in the context of the Messianic Age when God and Jesus will be personally ruling over all the earth and have elimiated all gods and idolatry and will have persuaded or compelled all people of the islands (coastlands) of the sea including places like the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and the Americas to worship him alone. In God's righteous, peaceful and gracious rule there will also be general joy and gladness in Him and in serving and worshipping him by the people of the isles (coastlands) of the sea. The scripture reference in Psalm 97 of the LORD reigning over all the isles (coastlands) of the sea and their people rejoicing in him is as follows:
The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Psalm 97:1
This verse describes the people of Tarshish (Spain and Portugal) and the people of the isles (coastlands) of the sea which would include China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, the rest of the Far East, the India and the Indians subcontinent, Siberia and the Americas bringing presents or bloodless sacrifices to the LORD (God the Father) and His Messiah - the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem in His Temple or House on the Temple Mount. The kings or Sheba (southern Arabia) and Seba will also come to the LORD and His Messiah in Jerusalem to offer gifts in the Messianic Age. The scripture reference from Psalm 72 of the people of the islands (coastlands) of the sea coming to the LORD (God the Father in His glory) and His Messiah Jesus in His Temple or House to offer presents in Jerusalem is as follows:
The kings of Tarshish and of the isles (coastlands) shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Psalm 72:10
The day in verse 10 that is referred to is the Messianic Age especially the beginning of it when there shall arise a root out of Jesse. This refers to Messiah (Christ) Jesus who was a direct descendant of Jesse who was the father of King David as can be seen in Jesus' geneaologies in Matthew 1 or Luke 3 and this would refer to Jesus also being a descendant of King David and a recipient of the Davidic throne and right to rule Israel especially when Jesus didn't have any children and the dynasty ended with Him. Jesus in the Messianic Kingdom will be both an ensign or flag to the Jews and to His flag or symbol or His reign the Gentiles or people of the nations will seek. It also says His Jesus' rest when He will have overcome all his ungodly demonic and human foes and cause a time of glory of God through Jesus fully exercising His grace, righteousness, peace and justice and prosperity. At the beginning of this Messianic Age Jesus will reach out a second and final time to bring his chosen earthly people the Jews from Assyria (region around northern Iraq and southern Turkey), and Egypt(northern Egypt), from Pathros (southern Egypt), from Cush (Ethiopia and region), from Elam (eastern Persia, Pakistan and western India), from Shinar (southern Iraq), from Hamath(Lebanon and Syria) and from the islands (coastlands) of the sea (China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, Siberia, India and the Indian subcontinent, the Americas and perhaps distant areas of Europe and Africa in this case). The first time God reached out to gather his people from the nations was after they returned to Israel following the invasion of the Assyrians of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and then by the Babylonians of the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 587 BC with a decree for the Jews to go to rebuild their temple by King Cyrus of Persia in 538BC of the Persian king Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in 445BC. The gathering of the Jews the second time began in earnest when the nations of Israel was reestablished in 1948 but will be completed in the early part of the Messianic Age. The scripture reference in Isaiah 11 of Jesus establishing His Messianic Kingdom and calling out His chosen eartly people the Jews from the islands (coastlands) of the sea and other parts of the earth is as follows:
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. 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. Isaiah 11:10-11
God says in the scripture here that the nations are as insignificant as a drop in the bucket or like the dust on a balance and the islands (coastlands) of the sea are as a very little (insignificant) thing (or of little consideration in grandeur compared to God's work in the earth and the heavens elsewhere in this chapter. These things also apply in comparison of the people and their gods of the islands (coastlands) of the sea to God elsewhere in this chapter. This scripture reference is especially to the time of the prophet's writing about 700 BC but for the comparison of the nations and their people with God could apply at any time including the Messianic Age although the comparison of the nations and their false gods to God could only apply before the Messianic Age including the present time. The scripture reference from Isaiah 40 of the insignificance of the nations and islands (coastlands) of the sea in comparison to God is as follows:
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles (coastlands) as a very little thing. Isaiah 40:15
Jesus the Messiah (Christ) is the servant of the LORD (or God the Father) as He was in his first coming in his humility but still will be in his glory in his second earthly ministry after his second coming in the Messianic Age. Jesus in his second earthly ministry will then in glory be God's elect representative representative on earth during the Messianic Age and the one the LORD (God the Father) (especially) delights in. God's spirit will be on Jesus then to a special extent and he will bring justice to the Gentiles or nations at this time. In the next verses (2 to 4) there is no doubt they refer to Jesus as he quoted them as referring to himself in his first coming in Gospel of Matthew 12:18-21 although some of these things will refer more to his second yet future earthly ministry. The bruised reed he shall not break and the smoking flax he shall not quench speaks of the the meek or gentle disposition of the servant or annointed one (Christ or Messiah) in Jesus of the LORD especially in Jesus' first coming. Although Jesus brought judgment or justice for our sins in his first coming by his death on the cross, the claims of his bringing judgment (justice) unto truth and that he will set judgment in the earth look forward to His second coming and His personally visibly ruling the earth from the temple in Jerusalem to completely fulfill this prophecy. Also it should be noted that Jesus at His first coming stopped quoting this passage before the phrase the isles shall wait for his law most likely meaning that this is part of this prophecy that await their fulfillment in his second coming and second earthly ministry in the 1000 year Messianic Age. Again the isles would refer especially to the regions and people of China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia and the rest of the far east, the Indian subcontinent, Siberia and the Americas and the islands of the Pacific or other oceans and can also mean coastland. The scripture reference in Isaiah 42 of Jesus being the servant of the LORD (God the Father) in his first coming but especially in his second coming in the Messianic Age to bring justice to the nations and for the (people of) islands to wait for his law in Isaiah 42 is as follows:
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles (or coastlands) shall wait for his law. Isaiah 42:1-4
God says to Israel and the nations that he is the LORD or the self-existent one and that is his name or what characterizes him and that he won't give including let people give the glory due to him to another god or person or to carved images or other idols. Part of the reason God gives that he is the true and living God and the only one worthy of the worship of the nations (and Israel) is that he accurately fulfills prophecies or predictions he makes in his word the Holy Bible and in many cases now including about Jesus the servant of the LORD's first coming God has already done so. God says this is one thing that makes him worthy of all the people of the earth including of the islands or coastlands of the sea to sing a song to or to praise him. God further urges the inhabitants of the wilderness or desert or desolate regions of the earth and of the cities to praise him and also from the top of the mountains and the rock and the villages of Kedar (in Arabia). God then emphasizes that people from all these regions, practically all the earth, and again the people of the islands or coastlands should declare his praise. This will all be realized fully in the Messianic Age when God is visibly ruling all the Earth including the islands of the sea through His servant or Messiah Jesus from his temple in Jerusalem and secondarily through his saints and holy angels throughout all the earth including present Church Age saints or born again Christians. Also the devil and all the demons or evil spirits will be bound in the bottomless pit and unable to influence for evil or ungodliness anyone on earth for the 1000 year Messianic Age and all people who initially populate the Messianic Kingdom of God through His Messiah (Christ) Jesus will be believers as unbelievers from the tribulatation will be removed from earth to hell at the Battle of Armageddon and the immediately following judgment of the nations (judgment of the sheep and the goats). The scripture in Isaiah 42 of the people of the islands (or coastlands) and all the earth to praise God and His Messiah Jesus in the Messianic Age is as follows:
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands. Isaiah 42:8-12
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