ISAIAH

Prophecies concerning the Nations

Judah and Israel

Chapter 2

TO BE REVISED

The mountain of the Lord (2:1-5)

These introductory verses resemble Micah 4:1-3, a contemporary of Isaiah, because both were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Before we go any further, it should be emphasized that in the prophecies of Isaiah, as well as in biblical prophecies in General, when a people is mentioned by name, the prophecy is directed specifically to these people, for example, Israel, Judah and Jerusalem. When Isaiah uses a figure of speech it says so clearly. We must avoid the tendency, very common nowadays, "spiritualizing" prophecy to accommodate them to some theological theory adopted by denominational churches or sects.

In the first verse of Chapter 2, is declared (in the original) that what follows is the "Word", or "matter" that Isaiah "saw". When the men speak, others listen; When God speaks the Prophet sees: it is supernatural. The visibility of the Word will allow the magnificent sight for Isaiah of the glory of the Lord in chapter six.

Isaiah now leaves the pitiful sight of Judah and Jerusalem of his days and reaches the "last days": the light of the other Bible prophecies comes from 1000 years in the Lord Jesus Christ shall reign in righteousness, with iron rod on all peoples of the Earth (Revelation 12:5, 2:27, 19:15), before the final judgment after which will replace the current world by "new heavens and the new Earth" (Isaiah 65:17 , 66:22, 3:13 2 Peter and Revelation 21:1).

During the Millennium, Jerusalem will be established as the political and religious capital of the world. "The mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it.” (Micah 4:1). The Nations of the Gentiles will make pilgrimages to Siam to worship and to divine instruction (Psalm 76:4, 5).

"Him shall the people, "a metaphor of the peaceful flow of a river, in contrast to the storms of the conflicts and disorders. The builders of Babel, which sought to establish a world centre, were punished with the confusion of their languages and were scattered around the world. Mount Zion and the House of the Lord will become a meeting Center for the Nations, in recognition of his power and of his claims.

There will be agreement and the decision of many Nations to go to mount Zion, "for the House of the God of Jacob," with a genuine desire to learn and walk in His paths: "because of Zion will come out the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem". (Genesis 22:14 will be fulfilled, see also Isaiah 51:4; MICAH 4:2; Zechariah 8:3). "And he will judge between the Nations".

The Lord will administer justice in relation to international issues and difficulties that currently are often grounds for war. He rebuke and will rectify the wrong and selfish ideas of many people, resulting in the end of manufacture of weapons of war and the flowering of agriculture. The resources previously spent on ammunition will be spent on agricultural equipment.

The prospect of the glorious Kingdom of Christ move Isaiah to call the people of Judah to repent immediately and walk in the light of the Lord.

The day of the Lord (2:6-22)

Speaking directly to God, Isaiah reports the sins that led the nation of Israel (downgraded to the title of "House of Jacob") the rejection by him. Instead of looking to the Lord, she was filled with diviners of the Orient and bringer of bad luck, like the Philistines. Made alliances prohibited people from other Nations. In disobedience to the law of God (Deuteronomy 17, 17:16), crowded for you financial treasures, horses and carriages, relying on these for your safety. Worshipped idols that they themselves had done. These are the reasons why God has humiliated and not forgiven – God cannot forgive.

In a sudden transition, Isaiah jumps forward in time to the judgments of the Lord's day that will precede the Kingdom of Christ. Addressing the people, the Prophet the instructs to go hide the presence of the Lord on the rocks and in the dust and explains, then:

• They abandoned the rock (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 17:10; 26:4; 30:29); so, should escape to natural stone and hide in the dust of the Earth, before the terror of the Lord's presence and "the glory of his Majesty".
• The proud must be turned into humility. They bowed to idols; now all that praise will be down, so that only the Lord is exalted. Where is not given to God his due place, everything falls into ruin.

From here until the end of the chapter we get out of the immediate circumstances and come to the end of the domination of the Gentiles, and feathers that should fall upon the Nations at the time of the second advent, preliminarily, for the establishment of the millennial Kingdom. The period is described as "the day of the Lord". The word "day", when used in this way, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, has the double meaning of time and period. The natural day brings to light what was in darkness. We are currently limited to the trial of the man (1 Corinthians 4:5), but the man is ignorant and often a wicked judge of things. There was "day of the Lord" judicial relations of God with Israel in the past, especially in victory over enemies (Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel 13:5; 30:3).

Here, however, as in Joel 2:31 and Malachi 4:5, the period shown is still future. It will be the complete overthrow of Gentile power (Isaiah 13:9-11; 34; Daniel 2:34, 44; Obadiah 15) and the release of the Jews. In Isaiah 2:13 the Cedars of Lebanon and the Oaks of Bashan, illustrative of glory and natural power, are symbolic of military leaders of Nations finally gathered against the Jews. In Isaiah 2:14 the mountains and hills, the same symbolic mode of natural power, represent the powerful kingdoms of the Nations. The Lord of hosts will deal with all the human arrogance, whether individuals (Cedars and Oaks), Governments (high mounds and hills high), military power (high tower and fortified wall) or trade (ships and all nau showy). The loftiness of man will be leveled and the Lord is exalted.

The idols will be abandoned, for the man to hidethe amazing presence of the Lord and the glory of his Majesty, when He gets up to haunt the Earth. " It will be clear, then, that the fleeting man is untrustworthy. Only the Lord is worthy of full trust of its people.

R David Jones

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