이사야 Chapter 2

Translation: ESV

1

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

Key Message

Isaiah's prophecy is a vision received from God, conveying the divine word concerning the present reality and future of Judah and Jerusalem.

▸Chapter 2 opens with a new prophetic unit.

Chapter 2 opens with a new prophetic unit. If chapter 1 provided the framework of judgment and restoration, chapters 2-4 deal with the eschatological glory of Zion (2:1-4), the present judgment (2:5-4:1), and the future purification and restoration (4:2-6).

Related Verses

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains.
2

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,

Key Message

In the last days Zion will become the cosmic center to which all nations gather, and God's salvation is directed toward the whole world beyond Israel.

▸This eschatological vision depicts Mount Zion rising above all mountains as all nations stream to it.

3

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 the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Key Message

The vision of nations voluntarily coming to learn God's word is the archetype of mission—the gospel spreading throughout the entire world.

▸This is a beautiful vision of the nations voluntarily ascending to Zion to learn God's law, encouraging one another to come.

4

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for 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 anymore.

Key Message

Under God's rule a world of universal peace arrives where war weapons become farming tools, and this is the vision of eschatological shalom.

▸When God adjudicates disputes among nations, war weapons are converted into farming tools—a vision of universal peace.

5

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Key Message

The future eschatological vision demands present obedience, and Israel must live the vision ahead of time by walking now in the light of the LORD.

▸This is the pivot connecting the eschatological vision of verses 2-4 to a present exhortation.

6

For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners.

Key Message

Dependence on foreign divination and alliances rather than God is spiritual apostasy that severs the relationship with God.

▸This is the present corrupt state of Israel, contrasting with the eschatological vision of verse 2.

7

Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots.

Key Message

When material prosperity and military might become objects of dependence that replace God, they become the cause of spiritual decay.

▸Israel's material prosperity has made them dependent on it rather than on God.

8

Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made.

Key Message

Bowing down to idols made by one's own hands is the most fundamental self-deception and rebellion against God.

▸Adding idolatry to economic and military power completes the catalog of Israel's sins.

9

So man is humbled, and each one is brought low—do not forgive them!

Key Message

Idolatry spread to all social classes represents the total moral collapse of the entire community and the inevitability of divine judgment.

▸Both the lowly and the great bow before idols, indicating that the corruption has spread to all levels of society.

10

Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty.

Key Message

On the day of God's judgment there is no place to hide, and repenting before God now is the only refuge.

▸This is a warning that there is no place to hide when the day of God's judgment comes.

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.

Key Message

On the Day of the LORD all human pride is humbled and God alone is exalted, and this is the ultimate purpose of history.

▸'That day' connects with the concept of the Day of the LORD that frequently appears in Isaiah.

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—

Key Message

On the Day of the LORD all human pride and arrogance is brought low, for this is the day when God's absolute sovereignty is restored.

▸Verses 12-17 form a long catalog of proud objects, showing all the symbols of human grandeur that will be brought low on God's day.

13

against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan;

Key Message

Even the natural grandeur and strength that humans boast of will be humbled before God, for these are symbols of human pride.

▸The cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan were the most majestic and resilient trees of the ancient world, symbols of power and glory.

14

against all the high mountains, and against all the lofty hills;

Key Message

All topographical grandeur is also brought low before God's day, for God alone is truly high and exalted.

▸High mountains and hills are symbols of topographical grandeur and strength.

15

against every lofty tower, and against every fortified wall,

Key Message

Even man-made military fortresses cannot guarantee safety before God's judgment; true protection comes from God alone.

▸The focus shifts from natural features to man-made structures.

16

against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft.

Key Message

Even the symbols of economic prosperity and artistic achievement are humbled before God's judgment; material success does not guarantee spiritual safety.

▸Tarshish refers to a distant western port (Spain or Sardinia), and the 'ships of Tarshish' denotes large merchant vessels for long-distance trade.

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.

Key Message

The humbling of all human pride and the exaltation of the LORD alone is the ultimate purpose of history.

▸A repetition of verse 11, declaring once more after the catalog of pride (verses 12-16) the core result of judgment.

18

And the idols shall utterly pass away.

Key Message

Idols are not eternal; they shall utterly pass away on the day of God's judgment.

▸A concise but powerful declaration.

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.

Key Message

There is no refuge before God's judgment, and no human hiding place can block God's presence.

▸A repetition of verse 10, depicting humans hiding from the terror of God's presence.

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,

Key Message

On the day of judgment people themselves will discard their idols, recognizing they cannot save, and the folly of idolatry will be exposed.

▸On the day of judgment, people will themselves discard the idols they made.

21

to enter the caverns of the rocks and 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.

Key Message

When God rises to terrify the earth, all creation trembles in hiding, and this is the form of the Day of God's judgment that will be completed.

▸The third repetition of verses 10 and 19.

22

Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?

Key Message

It is foolish to trust in man who has only breath in his nostrils; God alone is the worthy object of trust.

▸The conclusion of all of chapter 2.