Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

2:1 This superscription marks the beginning of a new section. After the introductory, confrontational ch. 1, this section begins and ends with hope (2:2-4; 4:2-6), also taking into account the sinful human obstacles standing in the way of that hope (2:6-4:1). This vision expands the hope of 1:25-28.

2:2-4 Nearly the same wording appears in Mic. 4:1-3. It is possible that one borrowed from the other, or both used a common source; in any event the two were contemporaries and shared the same expectation for God's purpose.

2:2 The latter days is an expression for the future beyond the horizon (e.g., Num. 24:14; Deut. 4:30; Dan. 2:28), which sometimes refers specifically to the time of the Messiah (Hos. 3:5). It is not immediately clear here whether Isaiah is so specific, but the way Isa. 11:4 echoes 2:4 shows that the oracle speaks of the messianic era. NT authors use the various Greek translations of the expression (generally rendered "in the last days") in the belief that, since Jesus inaugurated his messianic kingship by his resurrection, the latter days have arrived in a decisive way, while at the same time the last days await their complete realization and final fulfillment at the end of the age (Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3; and probably 1 Pet. 1:20; 1 John 2:18). Isaiah's future orientation in this section is also marked by his sevenfold use of "in that day" (Isa. 2:11, 17, 20; 3:7, 18; 4:1, 2) and "the Lord of hosts has a day" (2:12), including both the near and distant future. To the prophetic eye, the crises of the present are to be measured by the ultimate crisis of judgment and salvation toward which God is moving history (see Joel 2:28-3:21; Zeph. 1:7-2:3). the mountain of the house of the Lord. The Temple Mount in Jerusalem, though unimpressive from the lofty gaze of human religion, was God's choice (Ps. 68:15-16) and the true hope of the world (Ps. 48:1-2). the highest of the mountains. The gods of antiquity supposedly lived on mountains. The exaltation of the Lord's temple as the peak of world religion will be attractive to the nations. "Highest" here probably means "most exalted in honor," not actually physically highest. all the nations shall flow to it. By a miraculous magnetism, a river of humanity will flow uphill to worship the one true God (see John 12:32).

2:3 out of Zion. Out of Zion alone; the Gentiles will abandon all other religions for the true God.

2:4 nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Tiny Judah has been threatened by war for most of its existence. Now Isaiah predicts that, far from bringing oppression, the triumph of biblical faith will bring a peace the world has never known, when all nations shall beat their swords into plowshares. The description of the Messiah's reign in 11:1-10 echoes many of these themes; and 11:4 takes up the words judge and decide disputes, attributing the activity to the Messiah, in order to show that God will exercise this rule through his Messiah. Some Christian interpreters take this to describe the effect on the nations as their citizens and leaders submit to the rule of Christ; others understand this to point forward to an earthly reign of Christ in the millennium (see note on Rev. 20:1-6); still others see it as a prediction of Christ's reign in the new heavens and new earth. In any case, people of all ages have taken these words to express their longings for freedom from war, when the nations seek to follow the "ways" of "the God of Jacob" (Isa. 2:3) and when no mere human authority but the Lord Jesus himself shall judge between the nations.

2:5 Isaiah calls the people of God to live now in the light of the promised future. His exhortation applies the nations' future rallying cry in v. 3 to the people of God in the present. Judah is part of God's unfolding story, starting with Abraham's call, and the individuals within Judah must embrace their role in that story by faithfully keeping the covenant.

2:6-22 Isaiah surveys the immensity of the present barriers to that happy future, but he is impressed by the Lord alone (vv. 10-11, 17, 19, 21).

2:6-8 For. The urgency of v. 5 is explained. full . . . filled . . . no end. Rather than the world coming to Zion to learn God's ways (vv. 2-4), the people of God in Isaiah's day are influenced by the ways of the world--to the point of saturation.

2:9 do not forgive them! Isaiah has given up on his generation. The mystery of forgiveness--for sin cannot be ignored--is revealed in ch. 53.

2:10, 19, 21 from before the terror of the Lord, and from the splendor of his majesty. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, boasted in terms of "the terror-inspiring splendor of my lordship" in his writings. Isaiah counters all human bravado with the prophetic vision of God as the only one who is truly terrifying: when he rises to terrify the earth (vv. 19, 21). The Lord is the Creator of all mankind, and therefore has an interest in all mankind (not just Israel).

2:11 the Lord alone will be exalted. Isaiah sees "the haughty looks/haughtiness of man" as central to what is wrong with the world and the exclusive exaltation of the Lord as the only remedy (cf. v. 17).

2:12-16 against all . . . against every. Ten times Isaiah asserts God's settled opposition to all human pride.

2:17 the Lord alone will be exalted. See note on v. 11.

2:20-21 their idols of silver and their idols of gold . . . to the moles and to the bats (i.e., into the ruins and caves in which they live). The precious but fraudulent ideals of the present world will be seen for the contemptible things they are and acted upon accordingly. True conversion does not quibble over the loss (cf. Phil. 3:8).

2:22 Stop regarding man. Matching the exhortation in v. 5, Isaiah urges a realistic assessment of the weakness of human power and pride.

3:1-4:6 The false and sinful glories of men and women, which are--and deserve to be--vulnerable, are replaced by the glory of the Lord, "a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain" (4:6; cf. Ex. 13:21).

3:1-15 Bracketed by "the Lord God of hosts" (vv. 1, 15), this section announces God's intention to deprive Jerusalem and Judah of human leadership in their time of crisis.

3:1 For. The prophet explains why man is not to be regarded (2:22). taking away. See "take away" in 3:18. God takes away whatever keeps his people from him, but only in order that they might enjoy his glory (4:2-6). The words support and supply sound alike in Hebrew, and the combination suggests severe deprivation, i.e., all support of bread, and all support of water.

3:2-5 God judges his people by removing the leaders who were considered indispensable and replacing them with irresponsible boys and infants.

3:6 You have a cloak. The mere appearance of qualified leadership is seized upon by the leaderless people.

3:7 I will not be a healer, i.e., "I cannot fix your problems." Exposing human inadequacy discredits self-confidence.

3:8 For . . . because. The explanation for the nation's social collapse lies in their hostility toward God. defying his glorious presence. They obstinately disregard God's presence in their midst (Ex. 40:38; 1 Kings 8:10-11), though his nearness is the hope they ought to cherish (Isa. 4:5). On "glory" as the Lord's special presence, see note on 6:3.

3:10-11 The righteous may suffer and the wicked may prosper, but only in the short run.

3:12-15 My people . . . his people. The Lord demands an accounting from all who oppress his people, whether native-born or Gentile.

3:16-17 Because . . . therefore. The arrogant self-display of Jerusalem's women will be judged by humiliating exposure.

3:18-23 This inventory of extravagant female wardrobes matches the list of hoped-for male leaders in vv. 2-3. The Lord will take away both.

3:24 Instead of. Five times Isaiah asserts that God will replace the women's self-indulgence with the tragedies of exile and abuse.

3:25-4:1 Isaiah summarizes by predicting the defeat of the men (3:25), the emptying of Jerusalem (personified as an abandoned woman; 3:26), and the plight of the women begging for a man's protection (4:1; see 3:6).

4:2 The branch of the Lord is the Messiah (see Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12; and, using different words, Isa. 11:1). He springs from the Lord, and his rule spreads over the world. His beginnings are unimpressive (53:2), but his triumph will be beautiful and glorious. The fruit of the land may also refer to the Messiah, with an emphasis on his human roots.

4:2-3 survivors . . . he who is left . . . and remains . . . recorded for life. The remnant preserved by God (see 1:9).

4:3-4 holy . . . when the Lord shall have washed away the filth . . . and cleansed the bloodstains. A permanent remedy will have been applied to God's people, so that never again would such language as "take away" (3:1, 18) be necessary.

4:5 Then the Lord will create. More than reversing the deprivation of 3:1-4:1. a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Recalling Israel's early days, God's presence will be wonderfully manifest, this time not in wilderness wanderings but over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies (cf. Ex. 13:21-22; 40:34-38; Num. 9:15-23). over all the glory there will be a canopy. Perhaps, as in Joel 2:16, a wedding canopy; cf. Isa. 54:4-8; Rev. 21:9-11, 22-27. On the "glory," see note on Isa. 6:3.

4:6 God's people will be forever protected from all distress.