Read Isaiah 2
The Mountain of the Lord
2 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 In the last days
the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
5 Come, descendants of Jacob,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord
6 You, Lord, have abandoned your people,
the descendants of Jacob.
They are full of superstitions from the East;
they practice divination like the Philistines
and embrace pagan customs.
7 Their land is full of silver and gold;
there is no end to their treasures.
Their land is full of horses;
there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is full of idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their fingers have made.
9 So people will be brought low
and everyone humbled—
do not forgive them.
10 Go into the rocks, hide in the ground
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty!
11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled
and human pride brought low;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
12 The Lord Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
(and they will be humbled),
13 for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty,
and all the oaks of Bashan,
14 for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,
15 for every lofty tower
and every fortified wall,
16 for every trading ship
and every stately vessel.
17 The arrogance of man will be brought low
and human pride humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 and the idols will totally disappear.
19 People will flee to caves in the rocks
and to holes in the ground
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
20 In that day people will throw away
to the moles and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks
and to the overhanging crags
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.
22 Stop trusting in mere humans,
who have but a breath in their nostrils.
Why hold them in esteem?
Go Deeper
For Israel, it would one day be the best of times (v. 1-5), but it was about to be the worst of times (2:6-3:26). God had high hopes for Israel (v. 1-5), but due to sin, “The Day of the Lord” (v. 6-22) was coming. Let’s look at a couple of the different movements in today’s reading.
First, we see a reference to the “last days” (v. 2). Traditionally, for Christians, the “last days” refers to the time when Jesus the Messiah will return for His church. This is the only place in Isaiah where the phrase is used. Isaiah may have had such a future period of time in mind, or he may have been referring to a time in the near future of the ancient Israelites to whom Isaiah originally prophesied. Regardless, a humbled and repentant heart which trusts in God can always look forward to a future time of restoration.
Next, we see a reference to a pruning hook, a device used to prune vines (v. 4). The transition from weapons of war to agricultural implements indicates a transition from fear and stress to peace and security. The future would one day be bright for Israel, but unfortunately, for the ancient Israelites, “The Day of the Lord” was coming (v. 6-22). Briefly, the “Day of the Lord” represents a time when God personally intervenes in history to accomplish a specific aspect of His plan. It conveys a sense of terrible judgment for the ungodly, but salvation and deliverance for the righteous.
In our text, Israel was called to live as a people distinct from the other people groups in the world. Unfortunately, they had adopted the ways (v. 6 “superstitions”, “divination”) of other nations, and relied on them rather than on the Lord. To “embrace pagan customs” (v. 6) has also been translated to “clasp hands with pagans”, and may have signified the striking of a bargain with these foreign nations. Israel was seeking economic and military self-sufficiency, and was no longer depending on God. Israel had forsaken its true citizenship.
Scripture often contrasts our heavenly citizenship with that of the world. Paul writes in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” In John 17:14, Jesus states, “I have given them [believers] your word and the world has hated them, for they [believers] are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” Paul in Romans 12:2a states, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” In John 18:36, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” In James 4:4b, we read, “…anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
When God acts in judgment, it is often to upset human values so that everything can be seen from a divine perspective. The “dread of the Lord” (v. 19, 21) is the terrifying revelation of the glory, power, and judgment of the one true God. The purpose of such a revelation is to establish a proper sense of values and to expose the worthlessness of idols, gold, and silver.
God, through his prophet Isaiah, exposes the utter frailty of man “who has but a breath in his nostrils.” This is in contrast to the eternal majesty of God. In Revelation 4:8, the apostle John writes, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Later in Revelation 4:11, John writes “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things.” We should always remember that we are the creatures, and He is the creator.
Questions
- Are you worshiping any idols?
- Are there any ways in which you are “friends” with the world?
- What does it mean to be in the world, but not of the world?
Keep Digging
Interested in learning more about the phrase “Day of the Lord”? Check out this helpful article from GotQuestions.org.
4 responses to “Isaiah 2”
8 Their land is full of idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their fingers have made.
When was this written? 2026?!
Some things never change! Our human nature is so strongly drawn to idols, the work of our hand!
Vs.3and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law,and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
A new heaven and new earth. That is amazing thoughts but what about the thought of You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Can you imagine being in a place where we love and serve each other so unconditionally? It will happen but it should be a prioity for us now to make heaven on this earth. I am not there but oh my I do love to imagine being able to worship God so freely and to sing with all my might Holy Holy Holy!!! And thinking about how being together with the people that also are worshipping, sharing, loving, serving, working for the glory of God, WOOHOO!! Oh what a day that will be!!!
God thank You for the wonderful thoughts of what is to come. God help me to share Your Gospel to others so that the new heaven and earth will be full. God thank You for the minutes of this day, that I can bring honor and glory to You in all the things I think, say and do in Jesus name amen.
20 In that day people will throw away
to the moles and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.
Living with moles and bats is living pretty low. It is an interesting contrast to what Isaiah will later say in Chapter 40 about those who trust in the Lord mounting up with wings like eagles.
Praise God!
“The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear” (v17-18).
As in the day of Isaiah, I’m certain that arrogance and pride are rampant today revealing our idols. I must continually keep my heart in check to stay humble and rooted in Christ. For me it means setting healthy boundaries for external influences and choosing instead to dwell “in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91).