WWUTT 1834 Yahweh’s Day of Reckoning (Isaiah 2:1-22)

The Church is the instrument that God has chosen to preach His Word to the world.

So we must not be like the world, we must warn them of the judgment that is to come, and that our salvation is in Christ when we understand the text.

This is When We Understand The Text, a daily Bible commentary to help encourage your time in the

Word. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday we feature New Testament Study, an Old Testament book on Thursday, and our

Q &A on Friday. Now here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. In our study of Isaiah, we're on to chapter 2, and this chapter is broken up into three parts.

So I'm going to read each section as we come to it, and then do our exposition. Let me start off by reading verses 1 through 4.

I'll give an outline of the whole chapter, and then we'll come back through and look at what we've read. So this is

Isaiah 2, beginning in verse 1. Then hear the word of the Lord. The word which

Isaiah the son of Amoz beheld concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it will be that in the last days the mountain of the house of Yahweh will be established as the head of the mountains, and will be lifted up above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it.

And many peoples will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the

God of Jacob, that he may instruct us from his ways, and that we may walk in his paths.

For from Zion the law will go forth, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

And he will judge between the nations, and he will render decisions for many peoples.

And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.

So in this particular chapter, again as I said, it's divided into three parts. We have verses 1 through 4, which

I've just read. Part 2 is verses 5 through 11. And then part 3 is verses 12 through 22.

Part 1, you might think of something as being prophetic about the future. And indeed it is, especially as we started this section by reading.

Now it will be in the last days. But also what we're reading here is what God intended for Israel to be.

And this is not what they are. This is not what they have become. Contrasting this with what we've just read in chapter 1.

Chapter 1 was a little bit longer. It was 31 verses. But we had this stern rebuke of Israel because they had become like Sodom and Judah itself even.

Now there was the promise of God in the midst of this, though he was rebuking them for their evil and warning them of the judgment to come.

He said, your sins are as scarlet, but they will be white as snow. They are red like crimson, but they will be like wool.

If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land. That was verses 18 and 19.

And so in chapter 2, we even have a promise of something that is to come as this pertains to the last days.

But it's nonetheless what God had always intended Israel to be and what they are not, because they have gone after false gods instead of the true

God. So following that, we have the description of what Israel has become.

Here's what they here's what God intended them to be verses 1 through 4. But here's what they've become, verses 5 through 11.

And then there's the promise of a day of reckoning, verses 12 through 22. That's how chapter 2 is going to break up for us today.

So let's exposit here what we've just read in chapter 2, these first four verses.

The first verse is an introduction to this. The word which Isaiah, the son of Amoz, beheld concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

This is a prophecy that has been given to him by God. And remember something

I've said about prophecy. Prophecy is not predicting the future, although that's typically what we think of when we hear that word prophecy.

Prophecy is to reveal that which has already been decided. So that might be the future, but it can't even be things in the present or in the past.

Consider the story of Micaiah and Ahab in 1 Kings 22. Ahab's wise men told him to go into battle and he would have success.

But Micaiah said, now here's what's really happened. There's been a heavenly council that has taken place and a lying spirit has gone forth into the mouths of your deceitful wise men to convince you to go into battle where you will go and you will die.

This has already been decided. And Ahab was mad about that, but that's exactly what took place. So Micaiah reveals something that had already taken place, this meeting with God.

And he approved a certain spirit to go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab's wise men so that he would go into battle and die.

And everything that Micaiah told to Ahab is exactly what happened. It was revealing that which had already been decided.

That's really a more accurate description of what prophecy is. And so what we have here in chapter two, verses one through four, what is being described here will come to pass.

This isn't a probable future. This is an actual future. And I'm going to argue to you, it's a future that we live in, in the present.

Let's look at it again. Verse two, now it will be in the last days. When are the last days?

We're in the last days right now. First John 2, 18, children, it is the last hour.

And just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrist have appeared. From this we know that it is the last hour.

So we're in the last days now. The last days began after the Lord ascended into heaven. He commissioned his church to go out and spread the gospel.

So in these days, in these last days, the mountain of the house of Yahweh will be established as the head of the mountains.

Now this word for mountain is oftentimes another word for nation. It's not exactly synonymous with nation, but generally.

So the mountain of God being a nation that God is head over, it will be established as the head of the mountains.

We are part of that nation now. We who are Christians are a holy nation as described in first Peter 2, 9, and this mountain will be lifted up above the hills and all the nations will stream to it.

Is the church not present in every nation in the world? As the gospel has gone forth as we have obeyed and fulfilled the commission to go and preach the gospel to all nations, baptizing in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all that has been commanded, all that Christ has commanded.

So hasn't the church gone out into all the nations? All the nations have streamed to the mountain of the house of Yahweh.

And are we not that house? That's also in first Peter 2. We are a spiritual house being built up unto the

Lord. Verse three, and many peoples will come and say, come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh to the house of the

God of Jacob. That is his church, that he may instruct us from his ways and that we may walk in his paths for from Zion, the law will go forth and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

Now you might be tempted to say, oh, well, that can't be about the church Jerusalem's mentioned right there. Yeah. But who's the new

Jerusalem? That's the church. And even the apostle Paul talks to the

Galatians about Jerusalem being our mother. So we're talking about a spiritual Jerusalem in this sense.

The word of Yahweh goes out from Jerusalem. Where does the word of Yahweh go out from in these last days?

The church, the preaching of the word of God is in the church, and it will go out to all peoples, that people from every tribe, tongue and nation will come into the house of God, for we are his church.

Verse four, and he will judge between the nations and will render decisions for many peoples that judge.

There doesn't necessarily mean condemnation, but that he does sit in judgment even over his church.

He is the head of the church. They render decisions for many peoples. And do we not do that in the church as we encourage and admonish one another?

And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war.

So when you go from the nation that you live in into another nation and you enter into a church that's there, do you expect for them to stir up war against you?

Of course not. In Christ's true church, there is peace. There is not war. And so there is not war against nation in the house of God at the mountain of Yahweh.

So in the Lord, there is peace and we have peace with the people of God. Never again will we learn war.

Church is not going up against church in war, although, yeah, there's skirmishes and squabbles and stuff like that.

And we need to deal with that. But that is not acting out of Christ. That's acting out of the flesh or out of the ways of the world.

So there you have an understanding of a prophecy concerning the coming of the church. Now that's not to take anything away from the promise of the eternal kingdom that is to come.

We're going to see prophecies like that in Isaiah. But this one in particular is about how even

Jerusalem, even Judah and Israel are types and shadows of things that are to come that God is going to fulfill in Christ.

So verses 5 through 11, let me read through this section. This is the next part. As God describes what

Israel actually has become. And I'll read through this and then we'll do our exposition. Verse 5, come house of Jacob and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.

For you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east and they are soothsayers like the

Philistines and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners. Their land has also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures.

Their land has also been filled with horses and there is no end to their chariots. Their land has also been filled with idols.

They worship the work of their hands, that which their fingers have made. So the common man has been bowed down and the man of importance has been made low, but do not forgive them.

Enter the rock and hide in the dust from the dread of Yahweh and from the splendor of his majesty.

The lofty look of man will be made low and the men made high will be bowed down and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day.

So we come back again to verse 5, come house of Jacob and let us walk in the light of Yahweh.

Now this is directly addressing the house of Jacob as Isaiah is speaking to these

Jews who have betrayed the Lord, who have rebelled and gone their own way. But certainly there is application for us here as well.

Come house of Jacob and let us walk in the light of Yahweh. Do the scriptures not tell us to walk in the light?

First John 1 7, if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, his son cleanses us from all sin.

Verse 6, for you have abandoned your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east and they are soothsayers like the

Philistines and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners. So the house of Jacob, what have they become like?

Remember I said this section is saying of the Jews what they have become.

So they've become like the pagans, they become like the nations around them rather than being a nation set apart unto the

Lord. Verse 7, their land is also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures.

Their land has also been filled with horses and there is no end to their chariots. Their land has also been filled with idols and they worship the work of their hands, that which their fingers have made.

All of this is being said here to describe how the Jews have become like the nations around them.

Again, you have abandoned your people is what it says in verse 6, so they don't care for one another, nor do they obey

God. They are filled with influences from the east, so they look like the pagan nations that are around them rather than a nation that is set apart for the

Lord. Verse 9, so the common man has been bowed down and the man of importance has been made low, but do not forgive them.

Verse 10, enter the rock and hide in the dust from the dread of Yahweh and from the splendor of his majesty.

So what's being said here is do not expect a day of forgiveness to come before the day of judgment comes.

Enter the rock so that you may hide from the dread of God. This is similar to something we see in the book of Revelation.

In chapter 6, verse 15, the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

Notice here in Isaiah 2, the common man has been bowed down and the man of importance has been made low.

Enter the rock and hide in the dust. So back to Revelation 6, 16, and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the presence of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of their wrath has come and who is able to stand.

So enter the rock, hide in the dust from the dread of Yahweh and from the splendor of his majesty.

Isaiah 2, 11, the lofty look of man will be made low and the men made high will be bowed down and Yahweh alone will be exalted on that day.

So you're able to see here how the language in Revelation uses the language in the

Old Testament to talk about the judgment of God. On the day that he returns to judge the world in righteousness, it will not be a day of forgiveness.

It will be a day of wrath for those who are not in Christ. So we who are the church, who have the word of God, who know about that day and know the way of salvation need to proclaim.

Now we need to prophesy that the day of judgment is coming so that people will turn from their sin to the

Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Remember again what we read back in Isaiah 2, verse three, the word of Yahweh will go forth from the new

Jerusalem, from we, the church who have the word of God and must proclaim it.

As said in first Timothy chapter three, the church is to be a pillar and a buttress of the truth.

We hold up the word of God. We defend it from attacks as well. Let's go on here in Isaiah 2 to the last section.

Now I'll begin reading in verse 12 for Yahweh of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and high and against everyone who is lifted up that he may be made low.

And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up against all the oaks of Bashin against all the high mountains against the hills that are lifted up against every lofty tower against every fortified wall against all the ships of Tarshish and against all the desirable craft.

The loftiness of man will be bowed down and the men who are high will be made low and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day.

But the idols will completely vanish. Men will go into caves of the rocks and into holes of the ground before the dread of Yahweh and the splendor of his majesty.

When he arises to make the earth tremble in that day, men will cast away to the moles and to the bats, their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship in order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the cliffs of the cliffs before the dread of Yahweh and the splendor of his majesty.

When he arises to make the earth tremble, stop regarding man whose breath of life is in his nostrils for why should he be esteemed?

A lot of imagery, symbolism being used here for God's judgment. It's almost like verses 12 through 22 expound upon what we had just read in verse 11.

So Yahweh of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and high against everyone who is lifted up.

We had just read about that in the previous section, verse 13, and it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up and against all the oaks of Bashan.

Now, Bashan was to the east. Lebanon was to the north. But remember, it was said previously that the people of Israel have become like the people of the east.

They've been filled with the influences of the east. And notice that both of these are in reference to trees, the cedar of Lebanon, the oak of Bashan.

And what are idols made out of? They're made out of those trees. Trees are cut down. They're carved into idols and overlaid with metals.

So even back up in verse seven, where it said their land has also been filled with silver and gold, that's not talking about the wealth of the land.

It's talking about how their idols are statues of silver and gold, the works of their own hands, which they bow down and worship.

So going on into verse 14 here against all the high mountains and all the hills that are lifted up.

Remember, I said earlier that a mountain is often a reference to a kingdom or a nation. So you have all these various kingdoms that are lifted up.

And then the the smaller kingdoms or territories beneath them that are lifted up.

God is even greater than these things. The mountain of Yahweh will overthrow them. Verse 15 against every lofty tower, against every fortified wall.

There will not be any way to prevent the judgment of God that is coming against all the ships of Tarshish and against all the desirable craft.

Even the navies will not be able to fight off the Lord. The loftiness of man will be bowed down and the men who are high will be made low and Yahweh alone will be exalted in that day.

We have that come up several times, for that was what was said back in verse 11, verse 18.

But the idols will completely vanish. These gods that they worship will not save them.

Men will go into caves of the rocks, just as we read in the previous section, and into holes of the ground before the dread of Yahweh and the splendor of his majesty.

When he arises to make the earth tremble, there won't be anywhere on earth you will be able to hide.

Even though you go into the ground, it will still consume you. It's as though they try to go into the ground, even the places of Sheol to try to hide.

But that will end up being their resting place, for that's where the Lord will send them. Verse 20.

In that day, men will cast away to the moles and the bats. Which were unclean animals not to be eaten, their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship.

They'll cast those things away because they'll recognize these things can't save us. There will only be the

Lord. And remember, the statement that's made in Philippians 2, 10 and 11 is that every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

And every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the

Father. They cast away their idols and they will bow and proclaim that Jesus Christ is

Lord. But only those who had done so in life will be saved. Those who do so at the day of judgment, it will be too late for them.

They do so in dread, not in worship. Verse 21, in order to go into the caves, the in into the caverns of the rocks and the cliffs of the cliffs before the dread of Yahweh and the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to make the earth tremble, stop regarding man whose breath of life is in his nostrils.

For why should he be esteemed? Stop looking to be like these people going back to where it says again, you've abandoned your people and they are filled with the influences of the east.

Why are you trying to be like them? Why do you esteem them as being worthy of imitation?

Look who it is that will come against you in judgment. Imitate him instead. Be holy like Yahweh.

So on that day of judgment, you will not perish in his righteous wrath. And how can we be holy like the

Lord? It is to put our faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. He will forgive us our sins and clothe us in his righteousness.

Once again, as we read back in chapter one, verses 18 to 19. Come now, let us reason together, says

Yahweh, though your sins are as scarlet, they will be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.

If you are willing and obey, you will eat the best of the land. Verse 20. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be eaten by the sword.

For the mouth of Yahweh has spoken. We need to take that word to heart and not be like those who are coming into judgment.

Follow God and be holy as he is holy. And that holiness, again, it comes from the

Lord, the righteousness of Jesus Christ that clothes us when we put our faith and trust in him.

Don't follow the world. Follow the word. Now, we, as the church, need to be that declaration of the judgment that is to come, as I said before, warning others about the wrath of God that is coming against all the unrighteousness of man.

Romans 118. Do not be like those who are coming to perish in judgment. Warn them of the judgment to come and give them the answer, our salvation in Jesus Christ, our

Lord. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the good gospel that has been given to us, the word of Christ who died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead so that all who believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Your judgment is coming against this wicked world. So may we turn from these sinful ways to the

Lord Jesus Christ and live and warn the world of the judgment that is to come. Keep us from the temptations of this age, but help us to walk in the light of your truth.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We ask in his name. Amen. For more about our ministry, visit us online at www .utt