ISAIAH CHAPTER TWO
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OBSERVATIONS: & INVESTIGATIONS:
ISAIAH 2:1-4 - Nations invited to dwelling place of God
Chapter 1 ends with the rebels and sinners and those who forsook the LORD consumed like tinder being burned in a fire.
Chapter 2 begins with the mountain of the LORD exalted and an invitation to come.
Chapter 2 echoes a call to “Come,” like chapter 1, verse 18.
V. 1 - Chapter two is introduced like chapter one, by describing a word from the Lord that Isaiah saw, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
V. 2 - The time is set: “in the latter days.”
A setting is established: the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be the highest, lifted above all hills.
Then a surprising twist: *all* the nations shall flow to it and many peoples shall come (plural “peoples,” meaning differing ethnic groups of people).
This word “flow” makes me think of the phrase that described the good land God was originally leading His people, “flowing with milk and honey.” Now those nations who the Lord was seeking to separate His people from are now the ones flowing to the dwelling place of God and the ones calling for people to, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob.” (v. 3a) (Clarifying, not just to any mountain of any God, but the mountain, which is the house/the dwelling place of THE “God of Jacob,” THAT God.
Why?
V. 3b - “that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
The people of the nations want to know and walk in God’s ways! They have witnessed the good and fruitful ways of the God of Jacob.
V. 3c - “For out to Zion shall go the law (or footnote says “teaching”), and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Here, there is an emphasis that the word comes from the LORD, from Jerusalem (where His mountain/temple/dwelling place is), and is the law (or teaching), which is what they are desiring to come for!
(v. 6 - There is another “for,” another reason to “why” in verse 6 - “For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob.” The nations are also being called/invited because God has rejected His own people due to their continuous rebellion.)
What will be the effects of His law and teaching that they will learn?
V. 4 - He shall judge between the nations
He shall decide disputes for many people
(His law discerns good/evil, right/wrong...justly)
And results in good from the people:
The people shall beat their swords into plowshares
And their spears into pruning hooks
(They will take their war weapons (swords and spears) and turn them into tools of fruitful production (plowshares and pruning hooks, which are used to produce a beautiful Garden…like in.the.beginning, as originally designed!))
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.
(There will be peace among all peoples, as originally designed. Cf. Gen. 11 - a reversal of the tower of Babel and reversal of the call to devote the wicked nations to destruction (Canaanites, Hititites, etc.)...because the nations want to learn the teachings of God and not learn war anymore!)
Is this not what most people agree on from liberals to conservatives to Miss America contestants…”World Peace.” And how does Isaiah say this world peace will be accomplished? That we may come to the house of God, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths!
SUMMARY
(2:1-4)
The word came to Isaiah again to foreshadow that in latter days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the highest, nations shall flow to it and many peoples will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD…that he may teach us…and we may walk in his paths.” The Lord shall judge between nations and they will turn war weapons into gardening tools, and be at peace.
PRAYER
LORD God, we praise you as the exalted God, whose dwelling place welcomes your people as well as sojourners. We praise you as a good judge. We praise you as a God of peace. We are hopeful for how you work in these ways in the latter days. LORD God, we know you are powerful and good and this passage gives us so much hope. I confess that in my fear of what others will think, I do not invite others with me on the journey much. Grant me boldness to invite others to, “Come…that you may teach us your ways…and we may walk in your paths.” LORD God, teach me, that I may walk in your path, and invite others to do the same. We thank you that this is possible through your son, Jesus, who you sent as the Prince of Peace to make all things right in your presence, so it is in the power of His name that we praise you, thank you, and ask these things. Amen.
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Isaiah 2:5-9 - Observations, Investigations,etc. - Click HERE for STUDY GUIDE
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