Isaiah 2

CHAPTER 2THEME: Prophecy concerning the last days: the Kingdom and the Great TribulationIsaiah chapters 2 through 5 constitute one complete prophecy. These chapters look beyond the present time to the last days concerning Israel (the total nation of twelve tribes). As we move through these chapters, God makes it clear that He is speaking of all the tribes of Israel which will be brought back together. God always thinks of Israel as one nation. The last days of Israel need to be distinguished from the last days of the church. God is not talking about the church in these chapters. There is no way of making what He says applicable to the church. We can be sure of this fact, because in the New Testament Paul says that the church was a mystery which was not revealed in the Old Testament at all. In writing to the Romans, Paul makes this very clear: “Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began” (Rom_16:25). Now if Isaiah had known about the church, it would not have been a new revelation in Paul’s day. From Paul’s day to the present time the church has been God’s agency through which He is giving His message to the world. However, the church will be removed from the world at the time of the Rapture. Isaiah’s message looks beyond the time of the church to the day when God will begin to move in a new way. We call it the Great Tribulation period, at the close of which He will set up His Kingdom.

Isaiah 2:1

PREVIEW OF THE FUTURE FOR JUDAH AND JERUSALEMWhen Isaiah speaks of Israel, Judah, and Jerusalem, he means exactly these people and places. Judah means Judah, Israel means Israel, and Jerusalem means Jerusalem. If Isaiah uses figures of speech, he will make it perfectly clear that they are figures of speech. The prophet will let you know when he is making a different application. Beware of the fallacy of spiritualizing prophecy in conformity to some outmoded theological cliche which fits into some church’s program.

Isaiah 2:2

“It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains.” Again let me say that this is not speaking of the last days of the church. The last days of the church pertain to the time of spiritual apostasy. Paul makes this clear in his pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith …” (1Ti_4:1). You can see that the “latter times” of the church and the “last days” of Israel are not identical, nor are they contemporary, although there is some overlapping. Certainly they do not refer to the same period of time. It is important to note this.

The “last days” in this verse refer to the Great Tribulation period. The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear, when His disciples asked Him, “When shall these things be?” (Luk_21:7 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem) that by the “last days” He meant the Great Tribulation period. The Great Tribulation ends with the coming of Christ to earth and the setting up of His Kingdom. The first section of Isaiah, chapters 2-5, deals with the Great Tribulation period and the Kingdom that shall be set up on this earth. “The mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains.” This pertains to the nation of Israel after the church has been removed. The word mountain in Scripture means “a kingdom, an authority, or a rule.” Daniel makes this clear in his prophecy. “The LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains"that is, above all the kingdoms of this earth. The kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will be King of kings and Lord of lords. One of the reasons that today Israel is such a hot spot and such a sensitive piece of real estate is because it is the very spot that God has chosen to be the political and religious center of the world during the Kingdom Age. Speaking of those days Daniel says, “Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth” (Dan_2:35). God’s Kingdom will be exalted above the kingdoms of this world.

Isaiah 2:3

Both government and religion will center in Jerusalem. The Lord Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne of David. One of the primary concerns of those who inhabit the earth will be to discover and do the will of God. They will seek to learn His ways and walk in His paths.

Isaiah 2:4

“He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people.” The period of the reign of Christ on the earth during the Millennium is another trial period for mankind. And there will be a great many judged during that period; and, of course, multitudes will be saved during that time also. “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks"the rule of the Lord upon earth at this time will be righteous, and He will compel the nations to practice justice and fairness with each other. For the first time all countries will dwell together in peace. Only during the Kingdom Age will the people be able to beat their swords into plowshares. Joe_3:10 tells us that during the Tribulation just the opposite will be true: the people will beat their plowshares into swords. In fact, we are living in times like that right now. The idea of disarming nations and disarming individuals is, in my judgment, contrary to the Word of God.

In the New Testament the Lord Jesus said, “When a strong man armed keepeth his palace …” (Luk_11:21). If you are going to have peace and safety, you must have law and order. The prophecy of beating swords into plowshares will be fulfilled during the Millennium, when the Lord Jesus is reigning. Then you will be able to take the locks off of your doors, and you will be able to walk the streets at night in safety. You will not be drafted, because there will be no more war. There will be no more need for weapons for defense.

The Kingdom that the Lord is going to establish upon earth will be one of peace. He is the Prince of Peace. It is futile, nonsensical, and asinine for any man or nation to promise to bring peace upon the earth today. The United Nations, which was founded to help bring peace on earth, is one of the greatest places to carry on battles. It has proven how impotent it is. It cannot bring peace on earth. It has only increased dictatorship on the earth. We do not have peace in the world. If you are a child of God with your thinking cap on and begin to think God’s thoughts after Him, you will find that you are living in a big, bad, evil world. If you expect to see a brotherhood of all men, you are doomed to disappointment, because man is not capable of bringing peace to this earth. There will be no peace as long as there is sin in the hearts of men and an overweening ambition to rule over other people.

Isaiah 2:5

In view of the future that is coming, certainly we should walk in the light of the Lord. This is the only way of peace. When you leave God out, you will never have peace.

Isaiah 2:6

Judah adopted new ideas from the heathen and incorporated them into their own religion. They embraced all kinds of ways from Assyria and Babylon. Before long they had joined the rest of the nations in worshiping the creature more than the Creator.

Isaiah 2:10

God intends to break down the proud manthe man who thinks he can rule himself and the man who thinks he can rule the world without God.

Isaiah 2:13

The cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan represent, I believe, the pride of man.

Isaiah 2:14

This has reference to government and society.

Isaiah 2:15

This is a reference to the military, which will be judged.

Isaiah 2:16

Commerce and art are going to be judged.

Isaiah 2:17

God is going to put down all of the pride and pomp of men.

Isaiah 2:18

God is going to get rid of all false religion.

Isaiah 2:19

The Book of Revelation repeats what man will do in that day of judgment: “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev_6:15-16). All you see on television today has to do with the political economy, government, commerce, art, the pomp and pride of manand the religion of man. The day is coming when all of man’s pride is going to be brought low, and the Lord Jesus Christ will be exalted on earth. Today He is not being given His proper place in government, in society, in business, in art, or in the pomp and ceremony of the worldor even in the religion of the world. He is left out today. When He comes again, men are going to run for the caves of the earth. I don’t know whether men were ever cavemen or not, but a day is coming in the future when men are going back to the caves.

Isaiah 2:20

“When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth” is the time of the Great Tribulation.

Isaiah 2:22

Don’t put your confidence in man. You and I exhale, but we don’t know whether we are going to inhale the next breath. That is the frailty of manif he misses one breath he is out of the picture. Multitudes today going about their daily business will have fatal heart attacks and disappear from the earth’s scene. Don’t put your confidence in man. Put your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ today.