ISAIAH CHAPTER TWO, cont’d
OBSERVATIONS: & INVESTIGATIONS:
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(I'm trying to keep the recordings to about 10 minutes...oops, this one is a little longer, but there were some great cross references and structure to point out!)
ISAIAH 2:10-21 -- 10 Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD,
and from the splendor of his majesty. 11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and
the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 12 For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; 13 against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; 14 against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; 15 against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; 16 against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. 17 And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. 18 And the idols shall utterly pass away. 19 And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. 20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, 21 to enter the caverns of the rockand the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his
majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
22 Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?
ISAIAH 2:10-21 - House of Jacob invited to enter into the rock for protection in the day when God comes to terrify the earth
This section has a very interesting structure. I will try and detail it here:
As noted above each section in this chapter starts with an imperative/command verb, followed by a “for,” explaining why they are being commanded to do such and such.
Verses 5 - 9 was a call for the house of Jacob to come to the light of the LORD for He has rejected His people because of their rebellious idolatry with no end. The proud idolators are warned that each one will be brought low.
Then, here in verse 10, God’s people are commanded to “Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD….” Why? “For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud…”
So here’s the structure I see:
V. 10 - Enter into the rock…from before the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of his majesty.
V. 11 - …haughty looks of man… brought low…lofty pride of men humbled…the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
V. 12 - 16 - For the LORD of hosts has a day…against (a list of 10 “lofty”
things)
V. 17 - haughtiness of men…humbled…lofty pride of men brought low…the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. (Repeated almost word for word from v. 11)
V. 18-And the idols shall utterly pass away.
V. 19 - And people shall enter the caves of rocks and the holes of the ground/dust…from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. (Repeated from verse 10)
V. 20 - In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold…to the moles and to the bats
V. 21 - to enter the caverns of the rocks…from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. (Bookended with verse 10 at the beginning of the passage and repeated in verse 19).
Condensed:
-Enter rock, from terror of LORD (v. 10)
- lofty pride brought low (v. 11)
- LORD has day against all “lofty” things (v. 12-16)
- lofty pride brought low (v. 17)
- idols shall utterly pass away (v. 18)
-Enter rock, from terror of LORD, when he rises to terrify earth (v. 19)
- idols cast away (v. 20)
- Enter rock, from terror of LORD, when he rises to terrify earth (v. 21)
The repetition here is certainly making a point. Let’s see what we can unpack…
The reader has been set up thus far to see that the rebellious people of God have earned judgment and destruction for their idolatry with no end.
Here in verse 11 the theme of “the day of the LORD” is introduced. This phrase is familiar throughout the Biblical timeline and although the phrase is not specifically used in these verse, it is alluded to:
Verse 11 - “in that day”
Verse 12 - “the LORD of hosts has a day”
Verse 17 - “in that day”
Verse 20 - “In that day”
We are also given a glimpse of the significance of “that day”
Verse 19 - “when he rises to terrify the earth.”
Verse 21 - “when he rises to terrify the earth.”
V. 10 - The house of Jacob (still the audience from verse 5) is being called to “Enter into the rock and hide in the dust.” In that day, as the LORD rises to terrify and bring destruction against the “lofty” things of the earth, this call to “enter the rock” is a call to hide from the destruction…that you may be saved. Don’t be proud and lofty, but humble yourself to enter the rock and hide in the dust that you may be the repentant, protected remnant and avoid the terror and destruction of the LORD coming in that day.
“Enter into the rock” may also remind the original reader of another rock in their spiritual heritage from Exodus 17:6 - “Behold, I [YHWH] will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And this verse may remind the readers on this side of the cross of 1 Corinthians 10:4, referring to Ex. 17:6 - “ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” THE ROCK WAS CHRIST! These three verses in early in Isaiah (2:10, 19, 21), point us to THE ROCK! They invite us to enter into THE ROCK. They invite us to be hidden in THE ROCK. They invite us to be protected by THE ROCK. They foreshadow the salvation we will have because of being hidden in THE ROCK as the terror of the LORD terrifies the earth, in that day.
As I went about my day yesterday, after meditating on this, I reminded myself to allow myself to enter into THE ROCK, to allow myself to be hidden in Christ. That He can protect me from the overwhelm. From the anxiety that threatens my peace. From the discouragement that threatens my joy. This is a place of humility, admitting I cannot do life on my own. This is a place of trust, believing Christ will meet all my needs according to His riches (Phil. 4:19).
This idea of hiding to be protected by the LORD also reminds me of Rahab hiding the spies in Joshua 2 and David hiding in a cave from Saul. Our God is a God of protection.
“Terror of the LORD” - this phrase specifically is found only in this chapter, but “terror” and “Lord” in the same passage occurs 21 times, mostly in the prophets warning of the coming terror that the Lord will bring as a sign of judgment. They are also found together in Exodus and twice in Deuteronomy referring to the deeds of terror, signs, and wonders the LORD did as warning and judgment on the Egyptians and deliverance for His people. His people are well aquainted with those deeds of terror in their history and thus this warning of the terror of the LORD coming “in that day” is intended to enter into the rock and hide in the dust for protection and deliverance, like the days in Egypt.
“Splendor of his majesty” - a word search of “splendor” and “majesty” brings forth the idea of the beauty, awe, royal power, magnificent grandeur that you might expect. Thus, I think it is intentional that the author couples “terror of the LORD” (warning of destruction) with “splendor of his majesty” (beautiful, magnificent grandeur). For the humble, you will experience the splendor of his majesty. But for the haughty, you will experience His terror. The LORD will be both simultaneously. You are invited to come and hide so that you can experience the splendor of his majesty and you don’t have to experience His terror, you only have to witness it from the protection of the rock and not experience the LORD’s terror bring you low.
V. 11 - This verse is pretty straight forward. Calling out the haughty and the proud. The LORD will put them in the proper place and He alone will be exalted in that day. This is about the LORD being worshipped in His proper place of exaltation. Then the next five verse expand on that reality.
V. 12-16 - Right after verse 11 ends with “in that day,” it is clarified that “the LORD of hosts has a day.” Specifically, the “LORD of hosts” - imaging his angel army ready for attack. He has a day…against…
“against” is repeated 10 times (a number of totality) in these five verses, presented in five pairs, two of each type of “lofty.” Each of them articulates something that seems “lofty,” but that the LORD is against and will bring low.
Against all that is proud and lofty
Against all that is lifted up
Against all the cedars of Lebanon
(known to be the tallest trees)
Against all the oaks of Bashan
(symbolic of tall and strong trees…
God can even bring down the strongest tall trees)
Against all the lofty mountains
Against all the uplifted hills
Against every high tower
Against every fortified wall
Against all the ships of Tarshish
(large merchant ships)
Against all the beautiful craft
(possibly meaning: valuable sloop/warship?)
Not just proud men, but all lofty things. “All” and “every” used in each of the ten named, to indicate the totality of God’s wrath on “lofty” things, highlighting His rightful exaltation. Trees, mountains, hills, towers, walls, the “highest” of the trades (ships of Tarshish and beautiful craft)...all things that either He created (trees, mountains, hills) or He enabled to be created (towers, walls, ships). Whether natural (trees, mountains, hills) or created (towers, walls, ships), if you put your trust in their height or strength, it is idolatrous and vain.
V. 17 - Repeated from v. 11 - the haughty shall be humbled and the lofty pride of men brought low and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. (Because He has brought low all the lofty - trees, mountains, hills, towers, fortified walls, ships, and beautiful craft.) One interesting difference is that in verse 11 the haughty looks of man will be brought low and the pride of men will be humbled and here the haughtiness of men will be humbled and the pride of men will be brought low. Possibly another literary way to indicate the totality of the humbling and being brought low. Verses 11 and 17 bookend the five verse list of the 10 types of things the LORD will bring low from their lofty places…that He alone will be exalted in that day.
Then in…
V. 18 - “And the idols shall utterly pass away.” This one line stands out. And is followed by a repetition of verse 10. It seems to be highlighting that all those “lofty” things are idols. And the word “utterly” again points to totality. And then the following verse (after the one repeated from verse 10), is verse 20 that notes idols being cast away again. The repeated themes, emphasize main points of the author. And in a rather lengthy, repeated, detailed account of “that day,” a short sentence set apart is like a staccato to get our attention - “And the idols shall utterly pass away.” Idols…utterly…pass away. Vain trusts…totally…gone. The LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
V. 19 - Repeated from v. 10 - with a few differences:
“Enter into the rock”(v. 10) → “And the people shall enter the caves of the rocks” (v. 19)
“And hide in the dust” (v. 10) → “and the holes of the ground” (v. 19) - holes of ground like dust, both places low and places of humility.
“From before the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of his majesty” (same in both v. 10 & v. 19)
V. 19 - adds “when he rises to terrify the earth.”
It’s like verse 10 was the call to “enter” and now the destruction is unfolding. Verse 12 tells us he “has a day.” Verse 17 tells us that the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. And here verse 19 tells us “...when he rises to terrify the earth.” We are being warned of what is coming…and those who take a place of humility (caves of rocks, holes of ground)...will be saved.
V. 20 - “In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship to the moles and to the bats, (v. 21) to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs…”
In v. 18, the idols just utterly passed away. Here mankind is casting them away. “Idols of silver and gold” point pack to verse 7, the idol of treasure their land was filled with. “Made for themselves” echoes verse 8, “they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.” And there seems to be an irony that they cast away their idols…to the moles and to the bats – creatures that lives in the holes of the ground and the caves of rocks that the people have entered (v. 19). They cast them to the moles and to the bats, “to enter the caverns…” as if they are payment to the creatures to enter. They are desperate enough to enter that they are paying with their silver and gold idols…to creatures…of which silver and gold idols are worthless to as well!
There is also this idea that they are “casting them away” like a burden. What was once of value to them (silver and gold idols) is now a worthless burden to cast away! Picture of repentance. Casting away your burden, turning toward and entering that which will save you…turning away from the terror of the LORD, turning toward the splendor of his majesty!
V. 21 - This passage ends as it began…entering the rocks…from before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth (repeated from verse. 19). This is where the salvation for the few survivors (the remnant) will come from, when the LORD comes to bring ruin to His rebels in that day.
SUMMARY
(2:10-21)
The LORD of hosts is against falsely lofty things and has a day that He will bring them low in order that He alone will be exalted, so cast away idols and the “lofty” things you are haughtily trusting in and enter the rock (of Christ:)) and humbly hide from the terror of the LORD on the day He terrifies the earth, that you may be delivered before the splendor of His majesty!
PRAYER
O LORD of hosts, we know that You go before us and You fight for us. And we also know that it didn’t
always used to be this way. We have acted as your enemies in rebellion. We have been prideful and
idolatrous, trusting in
things that seemed lofty like reputation and money and power and apparent protection. And yet, You are
above
them all. Thank you for sending Jesus as the solid rock to perfectly obey Your will and offer refuge and
salvation
in Himself. May Your Holy Spirit convict us when we are tempted by these other idols. May we be
humble and
repentant and rest in the splendor of Your majesty, worshiping You alone as the exalted One.
Through the powerful and merciful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Chapter 2:1-21 IMPACT - to Print Study Guide, Click HERE
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