Jesus' Reign And God's Judgement

Isaiah 2

From this chapter on through chapter 5, Isaiah is revealing a vision that was given him of the future exaltation of Jerusalem during the millennial reign of Christ.

Verse 1..........This is a prophecy about Judah.......All of Israel is intended here, because they split on humanistic reasons.

Jerusalem is the God’s Holy City, where Jesus will rule for 1000 years.

Verses 2- 4...........These first 4 verses speak of Jesus’ 1000 year reign.......

The book of Micah contains these verses almost word for word.....they were contemporaries, Micah being the younger.

Micah 4:1-3...........

The “Last Days”...............This is referring to the reign of Christ.

This will be a true reign, by the True Ruler!

ALL the nations will serve Him and will be taught by Jesus!!

That Israel will walk in His Ways

What is right before God will come from Jesus on top of the mount in Jerusalem!

Verse 4 is on a wall at the UN building in New York City.

J. Vernon McGee says that they left out the beginning of verse 4.......

They should of included verse 5, too.

This future time will be a rearrangement of normal characteristics of human behavior and even animal behavior.

No more wars.....Under the reign of Jesus there is no need for military, police, etc.....it will be a time of peace and the sword will be beaten down to be a plowsharers......

The sword will be used as a plow to cut the fields.

Spears into pruning hooks......I picture a bush hook.

The main idea is that people in that day will have no need for war weapons, Jesus is ruling and there will be no war!!!

I remember on an older western movie, the range boss throws a kid a gun and gun belt and says.... “Here, it is better to have that and not need it, than to need it and not have it.”

Well said, in our day and time, but there will be a time on this earth, where we will not have any need for a weapon.

Verse 5...........The purpose for describing God’s future kingdom was to present a vision of what God will ultimately do in Zion, so that the audience can choose either to be a part of God’s plan (2:5) or to reject it.

Verses 6-9.......Actually, Verse 6-Ch 4:1, Isaiah, after giving a glimpse of God’s Glory in the future, returns to his present time and begins to again rebuke Judah of her idolatry and the judgement of God that their idolatry brings to themselves.

In these verses Isaiah states the formal charge against the people of Jerusalem.

Caravans from the East, brought religious superstitions to Jerusalem.

Verse 8 states it was filled with idol worship .......they worship that they made with their own hands!??????????

The worldliness of verse 6 is applied in three directions: values (silver … gold), security (horses … chariots) and religion (idols). In each category the adjective ‘earthbound’ describes their philosophy of life. Idols (’ĕlîlîm): literally ‘nonentities’. The word is a pun on ’ĕlōhîm, ‘God’. They may seem to be the real thing but they are not!

crafted images which are artifacts of worship (Lev 19:4; 26:1; 1Ch 16:26; Ps 96:5; 97:7; Isa 2:8, 18, 20; 10:10, 11; 19:1, 3; 31:7; Eze 30:13; Hab 2:18+), note: there may be an implied associative meaning of worthlessness

Verse 9.......an interpretation maintains that Isaiah did not plead for mercy or assume divine forgiveness (contrast Amos 7:1–6) but recognized the true implications of these evil actions—they require punishment, not forgiveness.

An alternative approach that seems more consistent with the surrounding statement about humbling the proud would not understand these words as an abrupt prayer by Isaiah, but a simple concluding statement that “you (God) should not lift up/exalt them

Verse 10-22........God’s wrath on the idol worshippers, the proud, the lofty.........Isaiah moves from accusations to

The Lord’s wrath on these proud, lofty folks will bring them to run for cover!

............earthbound in the wisdoms they cherished (6), the values and securities they sought (7) and the gods they worshipped (8), now in their extremity they have only the earth to turn to. The terms of verses 10–11 stand in sharp contrast: splendour … majesty as opposed to humbled … low. It is the simple unveiling of the majesty of the Lord which brings humankind to the dust

At that time the Lord will be the only One exalted!

Sadly, it is not that way today.......I heard one preacher back in the 80’s say that he felt like the exaltation of the True God is not in the majority of folks.

One day, however....every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord!

Verse 12 calls God’s “reckoning” the “day of the Lord”......settling accounts....I read it as making things right!

All of these following verses are a reckoning of human rebellion.......Even the impressive created objects would face destruction!

People in that day and even today are impressed by creation, but God is way more impressive and He will bring them down.

Verse 19-21 is similar to Revelation 6:12-16...........

Verse 22......James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”

Psalm 144:3-4 “Lord, what is man, that thou Takest knowledge of him! Or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! Man is like to vanity: His days are as a shadow that passeth away.”

Jeremiah 17:5 “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.”

Philippians 3:4 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:”

Matthew Henry writes: “Let not man be your fear, let not man be your hope; but look up to the Power of God, to which all the powers of men are subject and subordinate, let your hope be in the Lord your God!

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