Tanak Foundations-Concepts in Isaiah-Chapter 2

Isaiah 2.1-22 tells us about how the kingship (kingdom) of God is established (Zech 14.9). Remember, as we move through these prophecies they need to be seen from the six reference points we already mentioned in the Introduction, but we will repeat them one more time here. They are the Historical, the Messiah’s first coming, the Messiah’s second coming, the Birth-pains of the Messiah, the Messianic Kingdom and the Olam Haba.

v 1…The word which Isaiah son of Amoz saw (a vision) concerning Judah and Jerusalem;

v 2…Now it will come about that in the last days (“acharit yamim” and this term is also known as the “Ikvot Mashiach” or the “Footsteps of the Messiah”-Mic 4.1-5; Psa 102.12-22; Gen 49.1. These two terms are eschatological terms for when the Messiah comes, so keep that in mind), the mountain of the house of Yehovah (Mount Moriah, the center of government) will be established as the chief of the mountains (“mountains” is an idiom for great nations and governments), and will be raised above the hills (smaller nations and governments); and all the nations (non-Jews) will stream into it (for worship).

v 3…And many peoples (non-Jews) will come and say (not like the lawless, non-Torah observant non-Jews today), “Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yehovah (Mount Moriah), to the house of the God of Jacob (this will be Ezekiel’s Temple-Ezek 40-48); that he (Yehovah) may teach us his ways (in the Torah), and that we may walk in his paths (in the Torah-these verses are the exact reversal of the story of Babel in Gen 11.1-9. Here, man is gathered in one place and one language for Yehovah’s name, not to make a name for themselves). For the law (Torah commands) will go forth from Zion, and the word of Yehovah (parallelism) from Jerusalem.

v 4…And he will judge between the nations (disputes between nations in the Messianic Kingdom will no longer be settled by war) and will render decisions for many peoples (Rev 20.4). And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks (the opposite of what is in Joel 3.10), nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war (there will be peace in the Messianic Kingdom. An idiom for the Kingdom is “sit under the fig tree” meaning people will be free from worry, not having to defend themselves anymore-Zech 3.10; 1 Kings 4.25; Mic 4.4; John 1.48; Song 8.5).

v 5…Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light (word) of Yehovah (Israel is to walk in the Torah, especially referring to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judah).

v 6…For thou hast abandoned thy people (more charges now), the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east (the use of “Jacob” here and not “Israel” reminds us that the old nature remains with us after we believe, as long as we are in the flesh. The “east” here is a reference to Babylon and Assyria-Gen 29.1; Ezek 32.11); and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners (accepted their ways-Jer 10.1-5; Matt 10.5; Deut 12.30; Psa 106.35-36).

v 7…Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end to their treasures (material wealth-Gen 14.10; Deut 32.13; Isa 45.3; Hos 12.1); their land has also been filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots (contrary to divine protection in Deut 17.14-17; economic prosperity and idolatry).

v 8…Their land has also been filled with idols (not only ancient Baalim and Asherim, but also today with Christian, Jewish and Moslem idolatry), they worship the work of their hands, that which their fingers have made (idols they have made-Rev 9.20).

v 9…So the man (common “adam”) has been humbled, and the man (of importance or “Ish”) has been abased (those born low or high, poor and rich will be brought low for idol worship), but do not forgive them (for their idolatry- we should compare Isa 2.9-22 with Isa 13.6-22 and Rev 6.12-17).

v 10…Enter the rock and hide in the dust (judgment has come-Rev 6.15-17) from the terror of Yehovah and from the splendor of his majesty (when Yehovah judges Judah and the world).

v 11…The proud look of man will be abased and the loftiness of man will be humbled (why should anyone be haughty, all we have comes from God anyway), and Yehovah alone will be exalted in that day (a term meaning “the day of the Lord” and “when Messiah comes”).

v 12…For the Lord of Hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or Lord of the Armies) will have a day of reckoning (another name for the day of the Lord) against everyone who is proud and lofty (in their own eyes), and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased (humbled-Joel 1.15, 3.4).

v 13…And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon (an idiom for mighty kings of the earth) that are lofty and lifted up, against all the oaks of Bashan (princes, nobles, governors, and inferior rulers).

v 14…Against all the lofty mountains (an idiom for great nations and governments), against all the hills (smaller nations and governments) that are lifted up.

v 15…Against every high tower, against every fortified wall (military support or defenses).

v 16…Against all the ships of Tarshish (world commerce), against all the beautiful craft (the arts, science, and refinements produced by man’s pride and ambition to satisfy the lust of the eyes, etc).

v 17…And the pride of man will be humbled (not only historically in the time of Isaiah, but the Birth-pains will destroy all of this in order to force man to see Yehovah and his lordship), and the loftiness of men will be abased (parallelism), and Yehovah alone will be exalted in that day (the day of the Lord, when Messiah comes).

v 18…But the idols will completely vanish (their emptiness is apparent now).

v 19…And men will go into the caves of the rocks (Rev 6.12-16), and into the holes of the ground before the terror of Yehovah and before the splendor of his majesty (like Moses in Exo 33.21-23) when he rises to make the earth tremble (Luke 22.30).

v 20…In that day (the day of the Lord, when Messiah comes) men will be cast away (attempting to hide them, etc) their idols of silver and their idols of gold which they made for them to worship, to the moles and bats (a name for demons-the wilderness is seen as the habitation of demons-Rev 18.2; Jer 50.3, 12.39; Isa 13.6; Matt 12.43; Isa 24.10; 23.13),

v 21…In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and clefts of the cliffs, before the terror of Yehovah and the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to make the earth tremble (with convulsions, and he will find his enemies who are blind or in darkness like the bat or mole who are hiding).

v 22…Stop regarding man (or trusting in man), whose breath of life is in his nostrils (who has no control over his life); for why should he (man) be esteemed (especially in light of the coming judgment; man’s weakness will be evident then).

Posted in All Teachings, Articles, Idioms, Phrases and Concepts, Prophecy/Eschatology, The Festivals of the Lord, The Tanak, Tying into the New Testament

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