Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 2

Verses 1-4

Isa 2:1-4

This chapter has three paragraphs. The first (Isaiah 2:1-4) speaks of the proclamation of the Kingdom of God from Mount Zion by God himself in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; the second (Isaiah 2:5-11) is a call for apostate Israel to repent and heed the word of God; and the third (Isaiah 2:12-22) reveals the inevitability of the "Day of Jehovah," namely the Great and final judgment identified with the second advent of the Son of God.

Isaiah 2:1-4

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established upon the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 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. And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and 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 any more."

This is one of the most important passages in the Word of God, so important, in fact, that God gave the same message through two different prophets. Micah 4:1-3 has this:

"But in the latter days, it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow into it. And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and 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; and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off; and 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 any more."

It is a great hoax among critical commentators in this era of Biblical exegesis to engage in very erudite and scholarly guessing as to who copied whom, whenever very similar, or identical passages are encountered. To us, such scholarly doodlings are ridiculous. All such allegations are founded on the incredible proposition that God could never have given the same message to more than one prophet. Where is any authority for a canard like that? Jesus gave identical, or nearly identical, teachings on many occasions, as witnessed by the two records of the Lord’s prayer in Matthew and in Luke, and also his repeated prophecies of his Passion. As An example of the critical comment offered on passages like this, we cite the words of Rawlinson:

"The resemblance of this prophecy to Micah 4:1-3 is so close as to necessitate the conclusion that either one of the two prophets copied from the other or that both copied from an earlier document.”

The tremendous importance of these passages in Micah and Isaiah is such that there cannot possibly be any wonder that God gave the same message twice. In the first place, this teaching is not talking about the earthly Jerusalem at all, but the "heavenly Jerusalem" which is our mother (Galatians 4:26). God simply was not speaking of the literal Jerusalem, nor of the Law of Moses in any sense whatever in this passage. Moses’ law never went forth from Jerusalem, but from Sinai; and "many peoples" have never flowed unto the literal Jerusalem, but unto the spiritual Jerusalem which is Mount Zion (Hebrews 12:22).

That God Himself actually revealed this prophecy to Isaiah is affirmed in Isaiah 2:1, and no believer has a right to understand it any other way.

"It shall come to pass in the latter days ..." "Whenever the latter times are mentioned in Scripture, the times of the Messiah are always meant; and, with regard to this passage, nothing could be more clear and certain.”

It is significant that here is revealed the earthly center from which the true authority would be issued, that being here designated as Jerusalem, and not Rome, Salt Lake City, Boston, or any other "source" of true religion.

"Jehovah’s house shall be established ..." This is not a reference to the Jewish temple, but to the Church of Jesus Christ. As an apostle expressed it, addressing a faithful church, "Ye are the temple of God" (1 Corinthians 3:16). Other passages that identify God’s "house" are Hebrews 12:18-23,1 Timothy 3:5.

Perhaps the most difficult portion of this prophecy to understand is the last portion of it which speaks of beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, which is often misunderstood to teach that war shall pass away as an instrument of national policy and that universal peace on earth shall prevail. This is totally in error. Christ himself taught that "there shall be wars and rumors of wars" throughout the current dispensation" (Matthew 24:6). What we actually have, therefore, is a statement of the way it will be among the citizens of the kingdom of God, or the church of Messiah.

Here the prophet is certainly not speaking of the world, for its peoples will war continually, but rather of the all nations and many peoples who will come to Jehovah’s house. He is describing the citizens of the new kingdom.

The fulfillment of this prophecy is seen in the general practice of believers in all generations. Except for the example of the apostate Medieval church’s acceptance of war as an instrument used to further their secular ends, God’s people have consistently rejected war as an instrument of evangelism or for any other purpose. This is a sure indication that denies authenticity, in the sight of Christ, to the followers of Mohammed.

Homer Hailey’s writing on the subject of the swords and plowshares is by far the best that we have encountered on this subject. The new kingdom would not be extended or defended by the weapons of carnal warfare’ because the apostle Paul gave us a list of our spiritual weapons in Ephesians 6.

Another most important teaching of these verses is the call of the Gentiles to be co-members with the old Israel in the new kingdom of God which was announced by John the Baptist in Matthew 3. This is the specific teaching of verse 3 in this chapter (above).

An example of the teaching of Millennialists is the following: "All will be governed by Christ’s judicial decision; weapons of war will be converted to tools of peace; the Millennial kingdom will be a warless society.”

All such postulations are founded upon a mistaken view of the Millennium, which contrary to popular superstition has already been in progress ever since the resurrection of Christ. The present dispensation is, without doubt, the Millennium of Scripture; and, as we learn from the Book of Revelation, it is not a time of universal peace, but of conflict. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse give the true picture of this Millennium. The White Horse indeed continually goes forth conquering and to conquer in the preaching of the Gospel; but he was followed by the Red Horse of war and carnal conflict. Contrary to the popular current myth, the sacred prophecy did not depict that Red Horse as disappearing from history, but as going all the way to the end, followed by the Black Horse of famine and the Pale Horse of death.

Of course, we are aware of the urgent postulations of critical enemies of the Bible who, because of their a priori dictum that the Messianic hope did not enter the minds of Jewish prophets until after the exile, are determined not to allow the true interpretation of countless Old Testament prophecies that contradict their silly rules. The ultimate hope of the heavenly Messiah was not invented by post-exilic prophets. It shines in the great Protoevangelium of Genesis 3:15, in the prophecy of Jacob that the scepter should not depart from Judah until the coming of Shiloh (Genesis 49:10), and in that magnificent prophecy of Micah 5:2 which speaks of that great Ruler of Israel "whose goings forth have been from of old, even from everlasting!" Pray tell, WHO in heaven and earth could this Ruler be if not the Messiah. NO! As Eiselen pointed out, "One cannot escape the suspicion that specific objections (to prophecies like these we have just cited and to many others in Isaiah...J.B.C.) are meant simply to bolster up the assumption urged by many scholars that the pre-exilic age did not know any Messianic hope." Of course, this is a profound fact; and, unless one wishes to be deceived, his first duty is to reject the arbitrary, irresponsible, and unbelieving rules of exegesis laid down by the critical enemies of Christianity.

All of the fog about multiple Isaiah’s and the ridiculous late-dating of various chapters in this prophecy are nothing at all except the efforts of unbelievers to identify the genuine prophecies of Isaiah with their post-exilic nonsense about the origin of Messianic Hope, which was most certainly known by Moses in his great prophecy of" A PROPHET LIKE UNTO ME."

That the eighth-century Isaiah did indeed prophecy repeatedly of the Holy Messiah is abundantly testified in the New Testament, where our Lord and the New Testament writers quoted Isaiah, duly crediting him with literally dozens of quotations! One of the great joys which we unhesitatingly promise believers is the study of many of those wonderful Messianic prophecies in this incredibly beautiful prophecy.

Isaiah 2:1-2 THE TIME: In the latter days of Judah and Jerusalem as the exclusive covenant people of God. “Latter days” does not refer to the end of time or the Second Advent of Christ or the so-called millenium. The N.T. definitely and clearly applies the phrase “latter days” to that period of time which began to run its course with the first advent of Christ (Cf. Acts 2:17 with Joel 2:28; Hebrews 1:2; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:5; 1 Peter 1:20; 2 Peter 3:3 and 1 John 2:18). Literally the phrase is, “the last parts of the days,” and means, “the end of the ages” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 10:11). So the Lord’s house is to be established in its glorified and pre-eminent state in the last parts of the days of the Jewish Dispensation. In these “last days” of Judah, Herod the Great was King and he was the first foreigner ever to be King over Judah. This is a fulfillment of Genesis 49:10, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh (Christ) come; and unto Him shall the obedience of the people be.” It is not the present upon which the eyes of the Israelites are to be directed, but a time which is the end or goal of the contemporary course of events, when the Messiah will have come and the breach which sin had introduced between man and God will be healed (Cf. Daniel, chapter 9). The figure of Zion being exalted above the hills is significant. At the time when Isaiah spoke, the very reverse was the case—many other “hills” were “higher” than Zion (Cf. Psalms 68:16). The Temple in Isaiah’s day was situated on Zion, but the false gods had their mountains as well: the Captiol, Olympus, Albordash, Meru, and Zaphon. But Zion, which, in Isaiah’s day and up to Christ, was comparatively insignificant will one day surpass all others. Even Sinai, the mount of law, will recede into the background, for the new covenant is superior to the old. This is the meaning of Hebrews 12:18-24 where Sinai represents the old covenant and Zion represents the new covenant, or the church. See also Daniel 2:35; Daniel 2:44; Jeremiah 31:12 a; Jeremiah 51:44.

Isaiah 2:2 THE SCOPE: All peoples! No longer exclusively to the Jews. A constant accession of converts streaming, (flowing) from all parts of the world upward to God’s house. This high and pre-eminent mount (Zion—the church) is to serve as a unifying force for the whole world. It is to be a reversal of the dispersion (Babel). (Cf. Matthew 8:10-11; Luke 13:29; John 10:16; Acts 13:44-47, etc.).

Isaiah 2:3 THE NATURE: Enlightment! The “law” here is not the law of Moses for that went forth from Sinai. It is the “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” It is the “perfect law of liberty.” It is the word of the Lord that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in Christ’s name beginning from Jerusalem (Cf. Luke 24:47). It will be missionary and evangelistic! “Many people will go and say, Come ye . . .” No national or racial boundaries. It will be didactic and doctrinal. Those who come to it will necessarily be taught His way. As a consequence of being taught, men will want to walk in God’s way. True doctrine places within one’s heart the desire to walk in the law of God. Truth leads to godliness, and when one has been truly instructed, he will want to do God’s will. One must be instructed first before he can walk in God’s way. Doctrine and ethics must go hand in hand. There can be no right obedience nor any right worship, until first one has learned of God (Cf. Hebrews 8:8-13; Acts 20:32; Titus 2:11-15; John 6:44-46). It is through the church that the manifold wisdom of God is to be declared (Ephesians 3:10). The church’s work is to produce a ministry for evangelizing and edifying (Ephesians 4:11-16). God’s Word is the only source and foundation of truth. Those who preach must preach the Word! This passage teaches that what unbelievers need above all else is teaching which is indoctrination. The missionary and evangelistic activity of the church must be doctrinal in character. The great need of the world is the preaching of revealed absolutes (restrictive and difficult though it may be). The world does not need speculative and theoretical philosophies and theologies of men. There will be some who will reject His Way (Cf. Jeremiah 6:16-21; Isaiah 42:24; Acts 9:2, etc.).

Isaiah 2:4 THE RESULTS: Peace! is the result of this establishing of the Lord’s house. When men are brought into the kingdom of God, the church, they are brought to peace—peace with God and peace with their fellow citizens of the kingdom (Cf. Ephesians 2:11-22; Colossians 3:15; John 14:27; John 16:33; Acts 10:36; Romans 14:17, etc.). It does not necessarily demand the cessation of all literal human or physical war for the fulfillment of this prophecy. There will be war between human beings as long as there are unregenerate people. But if all men knew and did the will of God war would cease. Peace comes through knowing and doing (voluntarily, not by force) the will of God. There can not be war in the kingdom of God, the church, for it is recreated in the image of God and knows no man anymore after a human (unregenerate) point of view (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21). If the peace of Christ rules in our hearts (Colossians 3:15), this will arbitrate any disagreement we might have as Christians (Cf. 1 Corinthians 5:9 to 1 Corinthians 6:8). The Christian, “if possible, so far as it depends upon him, must live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). When the exalted, universal house of the Lord is established and people are so taught His Way that they want to walk in it, the result will be peace and productivity. The instruments of their bodies, the talents they have, formerly used for unrighteousness, will now be “beaten into plowshares and pruning hooks” and used for productive profitable ends (glorifying God and serving others) (Cf. Romans 6:12-23).

Verses 5-11

Isa 2:5-11

Isaiah 2:5-11

"O house of Jacob, Come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah. For thou hast forsaken thy people, because they are filled with customs from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is brought low: therefore forgive them not. Enter thee into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, from the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day."

This paragraph, despite its being addressed to the "House of Jacob" with an appeal for them to walk in the ways of Jehovah, is principally devoted to a recital of wretched apostasy into which the whole nation of Israel had fallen.

"Customs from the east ..." These were largely the idolatrous customs imported and adopted from foreign nations.

"Strike hands with the children of foreigners ..." This is a reference to business partnerships, marriages, and other types of fellowship with sinful and idolatrous nations. The extensive wealth, the reliance upon military strength, as indicated by the mention of horses and chariots, and the widespread idolatry of the people were all earmarks of Israel’s apostasy; and the words "forgive them not" show that the apostasy of the chosen people had, at this point in their history, reached a status of hardening. This judicial hardening of Israel introduced here by Isaiah was a subject to which he would return later in the prophecy.

"A proud look," cited in Proverbs 6:17 as something that is hated by God Himself, is mentioned here in Isaiah 2:11, along with the haughtiness and arrogant looks of sinful men, such an attitude being common to sinful and rebellious men of all generations. Isaiah then referred to the fact that there would be a "day" when only Jehovah would be exalted. The mention of that day in Isaiah 2:11 seems to have set the tone for the third paragraph of this chapter.

As Hailey exclaimed with references to the last few verses, "What a lesson this should be to the godless, materialistic world of today.”

"Their land also is full of idols ..." Isaiah used a word here for idols (Isaiah 2:8) which Cheyne translated not gods. It is the Hebrew word [~’ililim], which has also been translated "nonentities." Kidner also commented on this, saying that, "The word is a favorite of Isaiah, perhaps because it is identical with the word worthless.”

There is no reason to trust the guesses of scholars as to the date when various prophecies of Isaiah were written, because there is practically no agreement among the participants in such futile activity; but we do like the opinion of Payne who placed the date of this prophecy, "very early in Isaiah’s career.”

The mention of "that day" (Isaiah 2:12) has been recognized for ages as, "The world’s judgment day;” but there were to be many typical fulfillments, much more immediately, each of them in turn being a type of that eternal and cataclysmic morning when Almighty God in righteous anger will at last terminate the rebellious race of Adam in the final judgment, when he will arise and cast evil out of his universe! Archer understood this as follows:

"Here the immediate reference is to the historical judgments of the Assyrian and the Chaldean invasions. Not only Israel and Judah, but all the heathen nations of that age as well were to experience the crushing blows of disaster, as each successive empire rose and fell.”

Throughout history, God has repeatedly judged and destroyed apostate, heathen, and degenerate cultures; and in each instance, whether stated or not, there is a foreshadowing, a type, for that terminal judgment of the Great Day, prophesied in Genesis 2:17. This lies behind the Saviour’s prophecy of (1) the end of the world and (2) of the destruction of Jerusalem with one set of prophecies, the latter most certainly being a type of the former (Matthew 24). Furthermore, there is no need to doubt that, as time progresses, God will further execute his judgments upon excessively wicked and rebellious cultures until, at last, when the cup of human iniquity is full, there will fall upon wretched humanity the terminal judgment of Zephaniah 1:1-3, in which prophecy God said, "I will wipe this Adam off the face of the earth."

Isaiah 2:5 THE APPEAL TO WALK IN THE LIGHT: In view of the vision which has just preceded this of the Gentiles voluntarily coming to walk in the ways of Jehovah, Isaiah attempts to provoke the house of Jacob to seek His ways. To walk in the light of Jehovah they would have to give up all their materialism and idolatry.

Isaiah 2:6 GOD HAS FORSAKEN THEM: This does not mean God would not turn and heal them should they repent, but it means He must forsake them as long as they forsake Him. If they will not have Him, He cannot have them. They are granted the freedom to choose whom they will serve—they chose the pagan superstition and idolatry of their eastern neighbors (Syrians, Assyrians, Ammonites, Babylonians, etc.) “Striking hands” (literally, “to clap hands with”) means to fraternize with, approve or associate with to the extent of cooperation, indulgence appropriation. It is not wrong in itself to be found in the midst of foreigners or sinners, but to participate in their sin is what the house of Jacob was doing and this is a rejection of Him. Judah was “filled” with heathen customs of all kinds: animism, sexual sins, human sacrifices, divination, etc. (Cf. Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10). It was not that God did not want them—they did not want God!

Isaiah 2:7 MATERIALISM: In the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 17:17) the king was forbidden to multiply silver and gold, for these would tend toward an indulgent and profligate life. Those who possess much silver and gold generally are never satisfied with what they have but always seek to procure more (Cf. 1 Chronicles 29:4; 2 Chronicles 8:18; 2 Chronicles 9:10). It is not the silver and gold in themselves which are condemned, but the filling of the land with them—they were money mad! When God’s people are filled with the fullness which the world offers, they are empty toward God (Cf. Luke 12:21). God’s people should be filled with those things in which the world is empty (Cf. Ephesians 5:18). They also filled their land with the machinery of war—horses and chariots. A standing army for the purpose of self defense is not wrong and is even advocated specifically in the O.T. and in principle in the N.T. But multiplying a “military-industrial complex” inevitably leads men to trust more in their own power than in God. The multiplication of horses and chariots was another prohibition of the Mosaic law for kings (Deuteronomy 17:17). The military might of a nation can be made into an idol by proud and vain men (Nazi Germany, Communist Russia and China, Roman Empire, etc.).

Isaiah 2:8 IDOLATRY: Generally speaking, it can be established that there was no national idolatry under Uzziah and Jotham. But by the time of Ahaz, there had been such a wide practice of private idolatry by the people, it had become a national policy. Ahaz promoted it personally. Showing the stupidity of idolatry is one of Isaiah’s recurring themes (Cf. Isaiah 40:18-31; Isaiah 41:21-29; Isaiah 44:9-20, etc.). The utter stupidity of bowing down and worshipping and asking help from a figurine which owes its existence to the one bowing down should be manifest to any intelligent being. Then to receive no utterance or oracle from a block of wood or granite should convince the idolator of his folly, (Cf. Acts 17:22-31). But men have continued for nearly as long as the world has existed to prostitute themselves to objects fashioned by their own hands, or the hands of others, and called them gods,

Isaiah 2:9 DEGRADATION: All classes of men are brought low and degraded as a result of Judah’s sin, Two Hebrew words for man are used here—adam, the general word or “mean” word for man (common mankind), and ish, the word for men of importance. All men, high and low, educated and uneducated, rich and poor, are bowing themselves before idols. It is a national disease. Therefore, the prophet commands (imperative), “forgive them not.” Isaiah asks that his message be vindicated—God is asked to withhold His forgiveness so long as Judah remains in stubborn rebellion and idolatry. This is what Isaiah proclaimed—now God will establish the truth of what Isaiah preached.

Isaiah 2:10-11 TERROR OF JEHOVAH: In view of the sin of Judah and the inexorable judgment of God because of it, Judah’s only recourse is to attempt to hide from God in the limestone rocks of Palestine which are filled with crevices in which people often took cover from threatened danger (Cf. Judges 6:2; 1 Samuel 13:6, etc.). Of course, it is impossible for man to hide from God. But Isaiah is emphasizing that the time for repentance is past—the only hope for Judah (which is no hope at all) is to try to hide. This is the judgment which is to come upon Judah in the devastation of the Babylonian captivities, but it typifies and foreshadows the final judgment of God (Cf. Revelation 6:15-17). The appearance of Jehovah in judgment is both glorious and terrible at the same time! God’s glory is manifested in His judgment as well as in His grace! Isaiah’s appeal to the fear of God’s judgment as a motive in preaching runs contrary to most modern psychological theories which assert that it is wrong to use fear as a motive in preaching and teaching. How different God’s methods! Judgment is set before sinful men as a terrible reality! Men must turn from sin if they are to escape such judgment. This is the only motive that will prevail with rebellious sinners. The only way to run from God is to run to Him!

Verses 12-22

Isa 2:12-22

Isaiah 2:12-22

"For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away. And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?"

Human pride will be destroyed in the final judgment; "Proud men will be humbled by the destruction of the things that minister to their pride." The question of what, exactly, are those things to be destroyed is somewhat ambiguous. They are mentioned in pairs: Cedars of Lebanon and oaks of Bashan; high mountains and hills that are lifted up; the high towers and fortified walls; and the ships of Tarshish and all pleasant imagery. Of course, the cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan might stand for prominent and powerful men; but the other pairs resist such an explanation. Leupold thought that there is a mingling of literal and figurative language in this place; and this is probably correct. Certainly, there will be literal destruction of practically everything on "that day," as indicated in Zephaniah, who stated that even the fishes in the sea shall be destroyed (Isaiah 1:3).

That the destruction to come upon the earth in the final judgment will have cosmic dimensions is everywhere apparent in God’s Word. Revelation speaks of every island and every mountain being moved out of its place (Revelation 6:12-17). The author of Hebrews also indicated that the shaking of the earth (mentioned twice in this paragraph) would ultimately refer to its removal (Isaiah 19:16; Isaiah 24:23).

"Ships of Tarshish and all pleasant imagery ..." It is hard to be sure just what is indicated by this. The word used here for "pleasant imagery" also means "pleasant pictures"; and Dummelow stated that a word closely akin to this one is used for "idolatrous imagery" in Numbers 33:52 and for "idolatrous images" painted on walls in Ezekiel 8:12. It seems fairly certain, "that works of art of some kind are meant,” very likely related to idolatry.

As Dummelow suggested, the fact of these pleasant images or pictures being mentioned so closely in connection with "ships of Tarshish" might be a reference to an ancient custom of embroidering sails with attractive designs.

The casting away of all idols to the "bats and to the moles" shows how worthless will be those things which cater to the pride, vanity, and idolatrous worship of evil men.

"Cease ye from man ..." "This must be regarded as an appeal for Israel to give up their trust in man, from which trust had flowed all of their other errors.” It will be remembered that the great apostasy of the Northern Israel was described as Ephraim’s taking the place of God; and this has always been a temptation for men to follow human leaders instead of the God of heaven and earth.

Isaiah 2:12-17 MAN, AND HIS PRIDE BROUGHT LOW: Isaiah announces the judgment of God upon a number of objects in which man had placed his confidence. The cedars of Lebanon—used in the Temple (1 Kings 5:6); for masts of ships (Ezekiel 27:5); as a symbol of beauty (Jeremiah 22:6; Zechariah 11:1 ff); particularly admired by Jews (Cf. Psalms 92:12; Psalms 104:16; Ezekiel 31:3). Because of man’s sin, even the great and beautiful things of creation will suffer His judgment. Things created by man’s hand—his buildings for wealth, show and fortification will never survive the judgment of God. One only has to read the notes of archaeologists to verify this statement. The greatest fortifications that the mind of man can devise and the hand of man can build can be destroyed by the least, most insignificant handiwork of God. God is able to direct and send the smallest insect to ruin and make helpless the most complex electronic defense instrument ever devised by man! God can shake the tallest and thickest wall or bridge or sky-scraper to rubble and dust through an earthquake. Objects which bring to man the necessities and luxuries of life—ships of commerce from Tarshish which was a critical lifeline of the nation of Judah would be cut off. Also the ships of pleasure which the rich people of Judah used for selfish pleasure would be destroyed. Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 2:17, beginning and ending of specifying judgments, emphasize that God’s eye of judgment is upon the evil of man and not on things. Man’s sin has perverted the object and the objects have become a cause of man’s sin and so God will remove the cause.

Isaiah 2:18-21 IDOLATRY TO BE DESTROYED: When God begins to act in judgment, the impotence of their idols and their own stupidity in trusting in them will be so evident the people will cast them away in shame. Also, the people will be so intent upon escaping during these terrible times they will consider their idols only hindrances, encumbering their attempts to escape, and they will leave them behind for the heathen to carry off as booty. The destruction of idols is mentioned last because idolatry is the root sin that causes all the rest. Covetousness (the desire to have more) is called idolatry in the N.T. The captives destroyed forever the practice of idolatry among the Jews.

Isaiah 2:22 TRUST IN MAN TO BE DESTROYED: Trust in idolatry is, in a sense, trust in man himself, for the idols are the products of his ingenuity and creative powers. But any trust in any man for salvation of the soul, for redemption is to be stopped! Man’s knowledge, limited by the finitude of his being, is not only unable to extricate him from his predicament, but when trusted in to the exclusion of God, buries man deeper and deeper in his own predicament—ignorance and immorality. Man’s life is extremely transitory (Cf. Psalms 146:3-4; Psalms 118:8; Psalms 104:29; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Psalms 33:10; James 4:13-17, etc.). What can man do against the wrath of God? The answer is: Nothing! Man without God is lost!