23. How does he personally view this “fear of Jehovah”?

²³ This “fear of Jehovah” is not a bothersome thing to the King, interfering with his free, unrestrained action as King. He enjoys having such fear, and it is a pleasure for him also to see such “fear of Jehovah” in the hearts of his subjects. Isaiah’s prophecy goes on to say: “And there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah.” (Isaiah 11:3) Byington’s translation reads: “And he will scent by fear of Jehovah.” The Jerusalem Bible reads: “The fear of Yahweh is his breath.” Rotherham’s translation reads: “So will he find fragrance [draw breath] in the reverence of Yahweh.”​—Margin.

A JUDGE WHO DELIVERS THE OPPRESSED

24, 25. As further described by Isaiah, what kind of judge does the Messianic King prove to be?

²⁴ A judge who renders his decisions in the fear of Jehovah God can be depended on to see that justice is done. Righteously disposed people of the whole earth have been waiting and longing for such a judge. That is the kind of judge that Jehovah’s Messianic King proves to be. After telling of the King’s “fear of Jehovah,” the prophet Isaiah continues on to say:

²⁵ “And he will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears.

Isaiah 11:3-5.

26. How will the fact that “he will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears” assure justice?

²⁶ Think of what the earth will be with a global judge as the one here described, the exalted Jesus Christ! There will be no fooling of him. He will be able to see beneath the surface appearance of things, beneath all pretense. He will not be misguided by deceptive talk, as by the specious arguments of defense attorneys. Mere words will not count with him; the condition of the heart will count, and this he will be able to read. He will not depend upon a petit jury or a grand jury of imperfect men and women to determine the innocence or guilt of the one on trial. He will have that same spirit that operated in the case of the Christian apostle Peter, when he saw through the deceitful appearance and words of the hypocritical Ananias and Sapphira and informed them that they must suffer death for trying to lie to God’s holy spirit.​—Acts 5:1-11; compare Matthew 22:15-22.