Latter Days of Light (Isa 2:1-5)

As we’ve been making our way through the book of Isaiah, we’ve been seeing how the prophet addresses God’s people and acts as the mouthpiece of God. He is not saying anything he wants to say, but is saying what God wants.

Isaiah 1 was full of words of judgment for a rebellious and disobedient people, but tucked inside the chapter were some words of hope too. In Isa 1:18-20 we read of how in God’s mercy, God provides and opportunity to reasons with them. He doesn’t discipline them immediately, but slows down to reason. Their sins are obvious, but He calls them to obey His commands, and to do so willingly (Isa 1:19). Otherwise, they will be eaten by the sword (Isa 1:20). God graciously calls them to repentance, and also tells them of the consequences if they persist in their sins.

In Isa 2:1-5, we read some words of hope for Israel.

(A) Latter Day Hope: The LORD’s house exalted (Isa 2:1-2a)

Isa 2:1 marks a new section, and it is an invitation for them to return. In Isa 2:2, there is a reference to “the latter days”. This is an expression that points to a future beyond the horizon from where the prophet is. In Heb 1:1-2, the phrase is used to refer to the time when the Son speaks. It seems to have begun with the coming of Christ, but not all that is in the latter days has been fulfilled. Thus, in our day and from our perspective, we may see a partial fulfilment of what Isaiah says, but we still await the full fulfilment!

What will happen in these latter days? Isa 2:2 makes a reference to the “mountain of the house of the Lord”, an this is to be “established as the highest of the mountains” and “shall be lifted up above the hills” (Isa 2:2). In the OT, God is often described as dwelling on the mountain in order to be with His people. An example is in Ps 68:15-16, where the Psalmist David, writes of his intention to build the temple on the mountain. This psalm tells us that God desired to do so! This God wanted to dwell on this mount to be with His people! Yet, the many-peaked mountain of Bashan seems to look on with hatred on the mountain of God. The issue is not about the height of the mountain. There seems to be a difference in what God and the world views as wisdom, as Paul writes about later in the NT in 1 Cor 1:26-27 and a similar idea is being described in Isaiah and Psalm.

Today, Christianity seems unimpressive and following Christ could be unpopular because our hope seems to be so intangible and far away. In comparison, the ideals of this world — promotion, self-satisfaction etc — seems easier to achieve. Yet, Isaiah seems to be describe a longer-lasting hope. In Isa 2:2c, he speaks of how the Lord’s house will have a high esteem among the nations, for “all the nations shall flow to it”. Nations will abandon their worldview and ideology, and instead, see the value and beauty of the gospel and the church. Does this excite you and give you hope? Are you excited by the thought that one day, the beauty of the gospel will be loved and accepted by the nations, and accepted as the highest truth?

(B) Latter Day Hope: The streaming in of nations and judgement that brings peace (Isa 2:2b-4)

Isaiah speaks of how all the nations will flow to the mountain, and many peoples shall come (Isa 2:2c). People seem to be streaming in eagerly. They seem to be drawn to the house of the Lord and seem to live in stark contrast to the way Israel is described in chapter 1. The people seem to also be calling to each other and it’s a very organic and enthusiastic call (Isa 2:3). They call each other to go where God is to be with Him.

How do they address God? He is addressed as LORD and the “God of Jacob”. The nations recognise who God is and the faithfulness that He has been showing Israel all through the years. Even when they’re calling to each other, they are calling each other in reference to this faithfulness. Thus, they come because they have heard something about who He is and about His relationship with Israel, and they come because they want to hear more! They come in order that “he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (Isa 2:3b). Notice how they want to hear, and also hear in order to be transformed. There are also practical life changes that result from this hearing.

Israel, in a sense, had experienced something similar under Solomon’s reign. Solomon’s wisdom and wise rule over Israel was well-known and it attracted many. One visitor was the Queen of Sheba and 1 Ki 10:4-9 details for us her visit. God blessed Israel under the rule of Solomon. There was food, the servants were provided for, and Israel lived in so much peace and prosperity. She was so impressed by what she saw of the way Israel was run that “there was no more breath in her”. She had heard a lot about the wealth of Israel but “the half was not told me” (1 Ki 10:7), and she was more impressed by what she saw! Seeing is believing, and seeing surpassed what she heard and expected.

This encounter with the Queen of Sheba, and also what’s being written of in Isaiah 2 reminds us that we too, need to witness the actual glory for ourselves. Yet, we are often content to dabble with our false hopes.

There is a fulfilment of Isa 2:3 even in our day, for the word of LORD has gone out of Jerusalem. We see how Luke 24:47 is being fulfilled in our day, for the gospel that we have and know of came from Jerusalem and is reaching the nations today! Let us continue to hold fast to it, and continue to hold it out! People around us are struggling and weary and need the gospel. Let us hold it out, and call them to come to the house of the Lord! This verse encourages and even challenges us to believe that people will be drawn to God through His own words and teachings! His words reveal His character, and that in itself draws them in. Let’s hold out God’s word and also seek to obey it ourselves!

And maybe some of us are leaders struggling with guilt at our inactivity. This same passage is also an encouragement to us. Lift up your eyes to see the King in all His beauty! He doesn’t just load on us an unbearable yoke but He has given us a yoke that is light. Continue to press on, and sharpen your gifts, with eyes looking forward to that day when the promised outcome will come to pass.

In that day, the LORD will also act. God is described as a judge that will decide disputes for many peoples (Isa 2:4a). As a result, the people will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isa 2:4b). Tools of war seems to be converted into agricultural tools here! Why? There is no need for war because God’s rule and judgment is right and it brings about peace, and therefore life! Now, they can focus on cultivating the land and bringing about growth. It harkens back to the intent of the Garden in Gen 2:9! Now, they can enjoy the land and the fruit of the land!

This message was a great comfort to Judah, as they were surrounded by foreign nations and constantly embroiled in war. They were also small and also constantly threatened. This should also be a comfort to us, as we face our own modern day struggles and battles. Will we be like Ahaz (one of the kings of Israel), trusting in the power of other nations and trusting in the security that money brings? Or will we look beyond this world, resting securely on the word of God, and look forward to the fulfilment of God’s word as our true hope.

(C) Present Day Call: Walk in the light of the LORD (Isa 2:5)

In light of this future hope, Isaiah turns to Judah and calls them to come and walk in the light of the LORD (Isa 2:5). In Isa 2:3, we’ve read of how the nations seem to be coming to the LORD and His dwelling. Here, those are already dwelling in the land are called to continue to walk and live out their identity in the LORD.

Paul picks up on this idea and writes something similar in his epistle to the Ephesian church. In Eph 2:6-8, he reminds them that they were once darkness but are now light in the Lord (Eph 2:8). They were brought out of the darkness, and this was not something they could do on their own! This too, was our own story! We are changed only because Christ gave Himself up for us, “a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph 2:2).

Thus, we have a new identity too, as people that no longer dwell in darkness, but now are called to live in the light and walk in the Spirit. Let us not forget that we are in the light! Let us continue to put our trust in the Lord each day and walk in the light. This status that we have came at a great cost to our Saviour! May the promises that we have read in His word today have their full impact on us, as we walk in His ways.