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Read the Bible

New King James Version

Isaiah 2:3

Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Gentiles;   Gospel;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Jesus, the Christ;   Temple;   Walking;   Wisdom;   Word of God;   Worship;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible, the;   Call, Divine;   Gospel;   House of God;   Paths, Right;   Right;   Teacher, Divine;   Word;   Word of God;   Worship;   Worship, True and False;   The Topic Concordance - Jerusalem;   Judges;   Last Days;   Law;   Nations;   Teaching;   War/weapons;   Word of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Access to God;   Heathen, the;   Jerusalem;   Jews, the;   Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;   Temple, the First;   Titles and Names of the Church;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Day of the lord;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Foreigner;   Israel;   King, Kingship;   Last Day(s), Latter Days, Last Times;   New Jerusalem;   Prophet, Christ as;   Sexuality, Human;   Teach, Teacher;   War, Holy War;   Work;   Zechariah, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Jesus Christ;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Temple;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Changers of Money;   Gentiles;   Haggai;   Israel;   Micah;   Noah;   Old Testament;   Regeneration;   Thousand Years;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Evangelism;   Gentiles;   Isaiah;   Jerusalem;   Salvation;   Word;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Micah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Eschatology (2);   Gentiles;   Paul (2);   Peace;   Progress;   Prophet;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Temple, the;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Kingdom of christ of heaven;   Kingdom of god;   Kingdom of heaven;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Judah;   Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Christ, Offices of;   Deuteronomy;   Eschatology of the Old Testament (with Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Writings);   Haggai;   House of God;   Isaiah;   Jehoiakim;   Jehovah-Jireh;   Joel (2);   Path;   Promise;   Salvation;   Teach;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Apulia;   Bari;   Colophon;   Didache;   God;   Hananiah (ḥanina);   Judaism;   Messiah;   Micah, Book of;   Optimism and Pessimism;   Patriarchs, the;   Proselyte;   Soncino;   Theology;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
People from many places will go there and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of the Lord , to the Temple of the God of Jacob. Then God will teach us his way of living, and we will follow him." His teaching, the Lord 's message, will begin in Jerusalem on Mount Zion and will go out to all the world.
New Living Translation
People from many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord , to the house of Jacob's God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the Lord 's teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
Update Bible Version
And many peoples shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
New Century Version
Many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord , to the Temple of the God of Jacob. Then God will teach us his ways, and we will obey his teachings." His teachings will go out from Jerusalem; the message of the Lord will go out from Jerusalem.
New English Translation
many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord 's mountain, to the temple of the God of Jacob, so he can teach us his requirements, and we can follow his standards." For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem.
Webster's Bible Translation
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
World English Bible
Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Yahweh, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
Amplified Bible
And many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house (temple) of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
English Standard Version
and 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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and many puplis schulen go, and schulen seie, Come ye, stie we to the hil of the Lord, and to the hous of God of Jacob; and he schal teche vs hise weies, and we schulen go in the pathis of hym. For whi the lawe schal go out of Syon, and the word of the Lord fro Jerusalem.
English Revised Version
And many peoples shall go and say, come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Berean Standard Bible
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. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Contemporary English Version
Many people will come and say, "Let's go to the mountain of the Lord God of Jacob and worship in his temple." The Lord will teach us his Law from Jerusalem, and we will obey him.
American Standard Version
And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
Bible in Basic English
And the peoples will say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will give us knowledge of his ways, and we will be guided by his word; for out of Zion the law will go out, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Complete Jewish Bible
Many peoples will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Adonai , to the house of the God of Ya‘akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim.
Darby Translation
And many peoples shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and Jehovah's word from Jerusalem.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
King James Version (1611)
And many people shall goe & say; Come yee and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs of his wayes, and we will walke in his pathes: for out of Zion shall goe forth the lawe, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem.
New Life Bible
Many people will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. Then He will teach us about His ways, that we may walk in His paths. For the Law will go out from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
New Revised Standard
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 instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And many people shall go, and say, Come, and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iaakob, and hee will teach vs his wayes, and we will walke in his paths: for the Lawe shall go foorth of Zion, and the worde of the Lord from Ierusalem,
George Lamsa Translation
And many people shall go and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Good News Translation
and their people will say, "Let us go up the hill of the Lord , to the Temple of Israel's God. He will teach us what he wants us to do; we will walk in the paths he has chosen. For the Lord 's teaching comes from Jerusalem; from Zion he speaks to his people."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And many peoples shall go and say - Come ye, and let us ascend Unto the mountain of Yahweh Unto the house of the God of Jacob, That he may teach us of his ways, And we may walk in his paths, - For, out of Zion, shall go forth a law, And the word of Yahweh out of Jerusalem;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And many people shall go, and say: Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall come forth from Sion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Revised Standard Version
and 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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And a multitude of people shall go, speakyng [thus one to another] come, let vs ascende to the hyll of the Lorde, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he wyll instruct vs of his wayes, and we wyll walke in his pathes: for out of Sion shall come a lawe, and the worde of the Lorde from Hierusalem:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And many nations shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will tell us his way, and we will walk in it: for out of Sion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.
Christian Standard Bible®
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.He will teach us about his waysso that we may walk in his paths.”For instruction will go out of Zionand the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Hebrew Names Version
Many peoples shall go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Ya`akov; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths. For out of Tziyon the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Yerushalayim.
King James Version
And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord , to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Lexham English Bible
many peoples shall come. And they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob, and may he teach us part of his ways, and let us walk in his paths." For instruction shall go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.
Literal Translation
And many people shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mount of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach from His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion the Law will go forth, and the Word of Jehovahfrom Jerusalem.
Young's Literal Translation
And gone have many peoples and said, `Come, and we go up unto the mount of Jehovah, Unto the house of the God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we walk in His paths, For from Zion goeth forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
speakinge thus one to another: vp, let us go to the hill of the LORDE, and to the house of ye God of Iacob: yt he maye shewe us his waye, and yt we maye walke in his pathes. For ye lawe shal come out of Syon, and the worde of God from Ierusalem,
New American Standard Bible
And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go out from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.
Legacy Standard Bible
And many peoples will come and say,"Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh,To the house of the God of Jacob,That He may instruct us from His waysAnd that we may walk in His paths."For from Zion the law will go forthAnd the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

Contextual Overview

1 Micah 4:1-5">[xr] The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. 3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. 5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the LORD.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Come ye: Jeremiah 31:6, Jeremiah 50:4, Jeremiah 50:5, Zechariah 8:20-23

he will teach: Deuteronomy 6:1, Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9, Matthew 7:24, Luke 11:28, John 7:17, Acts 10:33, James 1:25

for out: Isaiah 51:4, Isaiah 51:5, Psalms 110:2, Luke 24:47, Acts 1:8, Acts 13:46-48, Romans 10:18

Reciprocal: Numbers 10:29 - come Deuteronomy 33:19 - call the people Psalms 16:11 - path Psalms 25:4 - General Psalms 48:1 - mountain Psalms 51:13 - ways Psalms 55:14 - We took sweet counsel together Psalms 68:15 - of God Psalms 72:16 - upon Psalms 87:1 - the holy Psalms 94:10 - teacheth man Psalms 102:16 - When Psalms 115:14 - Lord Psalms 119:35 - the path Psalms 119:64 - teach Psalms 121:1 - lift up Psalms 122:1 - Let us go Psalms 128:5 - bless thee Psalms 132:7 - will go Proverbs 8:20 - lead Isaiah 2:5 - come ye Isaiah 25:6 - in this Isaiah 27:13 - and shall Isaiah 30:29 - the mountain Isaiah 32:17 - quietness Isaiah 48:17 - which teacheth Isaiah 49:12 - these shall Isaiah 49:22 - Behold Isaiah 54:13 - all Isaiah 56:7 - them will Isaiah 65:1 - I am sought Jeremiah 16:19 - Gentiles Jeremiah 17:3 - my Jeremiah 26:18 - the mountain Jeremiah 42:3 - General Ezekiel 17:22 - upon Ezekiel 20:40 - in mine Ezekiel 40:2 - a very Ezekiel 47:1 - from under the threshold Daniel 2:35 - became Hosea 6:1 - and let Micah 3:12 - the mountain Micah 4:2 - and say Zechariah 8:3 - the mountain Matthew 8:11 - That Mark 4:31 - is less than Luke 2:44 - in Luke 13:19 - and it John 1:41 - first John 4:22 - for John 6:45 - And they John 8:32 - ye shall Acts 10:24 - and had Acts 15:17 - the residue 1 Corinthians 14:36 - came Galatians 4:26 - Jerusalem Ephesians 2:10 - walk 1 Thessalonians 1:8 - from Titus 2:11 - hath appeared Hebrews 8:11 - they shall Revelation 7:9 - a great Revelation 11:15 - The kingdoms Revelation 22:17 - let him that heareth

Cross-References

Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Genesis 2:4
This is the history [fn] of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
Genesis 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Genesis 2:10
Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads.
Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.
Genesis 2:12
And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there.
Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush.
Genesis 2:14
The name of the third river is Hiddekel; [fn] it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And many people shall go and say,.... This is a prophecy of the numerous conversions among the Gentiles in the latter day, and agrees with Zechariah 8:20 and even the author of the old Nizzachon p interprets it of the gathering of the people to the Messiah.

Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; the church of Christ, so called;

Zechariah 8:20- :. This expresses the concern that truly gracious souls have for the house of God, and his worship in it; they go up to it, considering it both as their duty and their privilege; and which they do frequently and constantly, with much spiritual pleasure, though sometimes with difficulty, finding their account in it, and knowing it is for the glory of God; and not content with so doing themselves, they encourage others to do so likewise; either professors of religion with them, who are negligent and backward through a spirit of slumber and slothfulness on them; through lukewarmness, coldness, and leaving their first love; through an over love to the world, and the things of it; and through a vain conceit of themselves, as being as knowing as their teachers, or wiser than they: or else such who have made no profession, who are quite ignorant of divine things, these they endeavour to bring with them, out of love to their souls, that they may be under the means of grace, in order to their conversion; and such as are inquiring the way to Zion, with their faces toward it, these they encourage to join with them in holy fellowship; and in all they set an example by a constant attendance themselves; they do not stir them up to go alone, either one or other, but propose to go with them. See Psalms 122:1

and he will teach us of his ways: that is, the Lord the God of Jacob, the covenant God and Father of his church and people, who often in this prophecy go by the name of Jacob; he is the teacher, and there is none teacheth like him; and happy are they who are taught of God, and who have heard and learnt of the Father, and come to Christ: he taught men by his Son, when here on earth; who was a teacher that came from God, taught the way of God in truth, and with authority, as the Scribes and Pharisees did not: and then by his Spirit, sent after him to teach all things, and bring all things to remembrance; and since by his apostles and ministers, who have gifts, and a commission to teach men; though all human teachings are of no avail, without a divine blessing, unless accompanied with the anointing, which teacheth all things; and which will be abundantly bestowed in the latter day, when all the children of Zion, and that come to the house of the Lord, will be taught of God. Kimchi says, the teacher here is the King Messiah; the "us" to be taught are Gentiles, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, whom Christ, under the Gospel dispensation, has given his ministers a commission to teach; and here design such as are humble souls, and sensible of their ignorance, and who know something of Christ, and believe in him; yet, as they know but in part, they desire to know more. The things taught them are the "ways" of the Lord; his ways of love, grace, and mercy, in the salvation of men; the steps he took in eternity towards it, by consulting and contriving the best method of it, forming it in his Son, and agreeing with him in covenant about it, and choosing the persons in him he designed to save: and also his goings forth in time, by sending his Son into this world, to obtain salvation for them, and his Spirit into their hearts, to apply it to them; likewise the ways which he prescribes and directs his people to walk in, such as the ordinances of the Gospel, and every path of duty: and the place where these are taught is the church of God, and to this school all that desire to learn should go; and there is ever something more and more of these ways to be learnt; for they are not all learnt at once, only part of his ways; and it is but a small portion, we know of these in the present state, which God has taken in order to bring about our salvation.

And we will walk in his paths; in Christ, the way, by faith, and in all his ordinances and paths of duty, according to the rule of his word; in imitation of him, and as he walked; in a dependence on his wisdom, grace, and strength, continuing therein; for walking is a progressive motion, and designs a series and course of obedience and perseverance in it:

for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem; by which is meant the law or doctrine of the Messiah, Isaiah 42:4 for the Hebrew word תורה signifies any doctrine, and so the evangelical one, the law or doctrine of faith, of justification by faith in Christ's righteousness, Romans 3:27 together with all other doctrines of the same kind; called the "word of the Lord", which the Lord Christ is the author, preacher, sum, and substance of; the word of righteousness, peace, reconciliation, life, and salvation by him. This first began according to his commission and direction to be preached at Jerusalem, and from thence it went forth into all the world; and it is in Zion, in the church of God, it is now preached, and will be more clearly and fully in the latter day; and so is an argument and an encouraging reason to engage persons to go up thither and hear it.

p Apud Wagenseil. Tela ignea, p. 29.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And many people shall go - This denotes a prevalent “desire” to turn to the true God, and embrace the true religion. It is remarkable that it speaks of an inclination among them to “seek” God, as if they were satisfied of the folly and danger of their ways, and felt the necessity of obtaining a better religion. In many cases this has occurred. Thus, in modern times, the people of the Sandwich Islands threw away their gods and remained without any religion, as if waiting for the message of life. Thus, too, the pagan not unfreguently come from a considerable distance at missionary stations to be instructed, and to receive the Bible and tracts. Perhaps this is to be extensively the mode in which Christianity is to be spread. God, who has all power over human hearts, may excite the pagan to anxious inquiry; may show them the folly of their religion; and may lead them to this “preparation” to embrace the gospel, and this disposition to “go” and seek it. He has access to all people. By a secret influence on the understanding, the heart, and the conscience of the pagan, he can convince them of the folly of idolatry and its vices. He can soften down their prejudices in favor of their long-established systems; can break down the barriers between them and Christians; and can dispose them to receive with joy the messengers of salvation. He can raise up, among the pagan themselves, reformers, who shall show them the folly of their systems. It cannot be doubted that the universal triumph of the gospel will be preceded by some such remarkable preparation among the nations; by a secret, silent, but most mighty influence from God on the pagan generally, that shall loosen their hold on idolatry, and dispose them to welcome the gospel. And the probability that this state of things exists already, and will more and more, should be an inducement to Christians to make more vigorous efforts to send every where the light of life.

He will teach us of his ways - He will make us acquainted with his will, and with the doctrines of the true religion.

For out of Zion - These are the words of the “prophet,” not of the people. The prophet declares that the law would go from Zion; that is, Zion would be the center from which it would be spread abroad; see the note at Isaiah 1:8. Zion is put here for Jerusalem, and means that the message of mercy to mankind would be spread “from” Jerusalem. Hence, the Messiah commanded his disciples to tarry ‘in Jerusalem until they should be endued with power from on high.’ Luke 24:49. Hence, also, he said that repentance and remission of sins should ‘be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’ - perhaps referring to this very passage in Isaiah; Luke 24:47.

The law - This is put here for the doctrines of the true religion in general. The law or will of God, under the reign of the Messiah, would proceed from Zion.

The word of the Lord - The message of his mercy to mankind; that which he has “spoken” respecting the salvation of men. The truth which is here taught is, “that Zion or the church is the source of religious truth, and the center of religious influence in the world.” This is true in the following respects:

(1) Zion was the source of religious truth to the ancient world. Knowledge was gained by travel; and it is capable of about as clear demonstration as any fact of ancient history, that no inconsiderable part of the knowledge pertaining to God in ancient Greece was obtained by contact with the sages of distant lands, and that the truths held in Zion or Jerusalem thus radiated from land to land, and mind to mind.

(2) The church is now the center of religious truth to the world around it.

(a) The world by its philosophy never originates a system of religion which it is desirable to retain, and which conveys any just view of God or the way of salvation.

(b) The most crude, unsettled, contradictory, and vague opinions on religion prevail in this community called ‘the world.’

(c) If “in” this community there are any opinions that are true and valuable, they can in most instances be traced to “the church.” They are owing to the influence of the pulpit; or to an early training in the Bible; or to early teaching in the Sabbath-school, or to the instructions of a pious parent, or to the “general” influence which Christianity exerts on the community.

(3) The church holds the power of “reformation” in her hands, every cause of morals advancing or retarding as she enters into the work, or as she withdraws from it.

(4) The pagan world is dependent on the church for the knowledge of the true religion. There are “no” systems of truth that start up on a pagan soil. There is no elastic energy in a pagan mind. There is no recuperative power to bring it back to God. There is no “advance” made toward the truth in any pagan community. There is no well-spring of life to purify the soul. The effect of time is only to deepen the darkness, and to drive them farther from God. They only worship mere shapeless blocks; they bow down before worse looking idols; they enter less elegant and more polluted temples. The idols of the pagan are not constructed with half the skill and taste evinced two thousand years ago; nor are their temples built with such exquisite art. No idol of the pagan world now can compare with the statue of Minerva at Athens; no temple can be likened to the Parthenon; no sentiment of paganism in China, India, or Africa, can be compared with the views of the sages of Greece. The pagan world is becoming worse and worse, and if ever brought to better views, it must be by a “foreign” influence; and that influence will not go forth from philosophy or science, but “from the church.” If light is ever to spread, it is to go forth from Zion; and the world is dependent on “the church” for any just knowledge of God and of the way to life, The ‘law is to go forth from Zion;’ and the question whether the million of the human family are to be taught the way to heaven, is just a question whether the church can be roused to diffuse abroad the light which has arisen on her.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 2:3. To the house — The conjunction ו vau is added by nineteen of Kennicott's, thirteen of De Rossi's MSS., one of my own, and two editions, the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, Arabic, and some copies of the Targum; AND to the house. It makes the sentence more emphatic.

He will teach us of his ways — Unless God grant a revelation of his will, what can we know?

We will walk in his paths — Unless we purpose to walk in the light, of what use can that light be to us?

For out of Zion shall go forth the law — In the house of God, and in his ordinances only, can we expect to hear the pure doctrines of revelation preached.

1. God alone can give a revelation of his own will.

2. We must use the proper means in order to know this will.

3. We should know it in order to do it.

4. We should do it in order to profit by it.

5. He who will not walk in the light when God vouchsafes it, shall be shut up in everlasting darkness.

6. Every man should help his neighbour to attain that light, life, and felicity: "Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord."


 
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