Isaiah 2:1-22
Q.1. How significant will Mount Zion be in future? What will be its appeal to the nations? Who will be reigning? What changes will be implemented? – (Isa.2:1-5)
At His First Coming, Jesus came as a humble servant. He will come as the undisputed Ruler at His Second Coming (Rev.19:15). Similarly, Zion has often been trampled under the foot of enemies, but after Christ’s return, it will become the most prominent of all mountains, thus bringing to reality what God has spoken – 13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. 14 “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it (Ps.132:13-14 c.f. Isa.2:2). It will be Christ’s dwelling place, from where He will reign and teach His ways –And many peoples will 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 concerning His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa.2:3). He will be a magnet, just as He was at His incarnation, when – they were amazed at His teaching, for He was teaching them as One who had authority and not as the scribes (Mk.1:22). It would be impossible to calculate the wastage of lives and resources spent on wars. However, for most of the millennium in which Christ reigns – … they will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (Isa.2:4). Isaiah made a desperate appeal to the nation – Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the Lord (Isa.2:5).
Q.2. What is Israel’s present state? Why was the nation ripe for judgment? What would happen to the proud? Did the prophet feel the judgment was justified? – (Isa.2:6-11)
Sadly, Israel was (and still is) alienated from God, because of its refusal to walk in His ways. They turned to other nations and their gods. That was in spite of the abundance Israel enjoyed, while trusting in the Lord. This guaranteed that God’s judgment would fall – 10 Enter the rock and hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and from the splendour of His majesty. 11 The proud look of man will be abased, and the loftiness of man will be humbled, and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day (Isa.2:10-11). Isaiah had done all in his power to face the nation up to its plight. However, being the man of God that he was, he sided with God against his own people, as he cried out – … But do not forgive them (Isa.2:9).
Q.3. Was God’s judgment restricted to Israel? Who was especially singled out for judgment? What indication do we have that this prophecy is yet future? – (Isa.2:12-22)
Israel had the benefit of God’s Law, and the prophetic voice of Isaiah drawing them back. God was not being unreasonable with them – For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased (Isa.2:12). Isaiah went on to pronounce God’s judgement against all who puff themselves up like the mighty cedars of Lebanon, and the oaks of Bashan, and also those who rely on their trade, like the people of Tarshish. The descriptions line up with the N.T. prophecies of the last days – 19 Men will go into caves of the rocks and into holes of the ground before the terror of the Lord And the splendour of His majesty, when He arises to make the earth tremble … 21 In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs before the terror of the Lord and the splendour of His majesty, when He arises to make the earth tremble (Isa.2:19 c.f. 2 Ths.1:8-10; Rev.6:16).