Isaiah 2:5-11

5 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

The Day of the LORD

6 You, LORD, have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and embrace pagan customs.
7 Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
9 So people will be brought low and everyone humbled— do not forgive them.[a]
10 Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from the fearful presence of the LORDand the splendor of his majesty!
11 The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled and human pride brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 2:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 2

This chapter contains a vision or prophecy of the enlargement of Christ's kingdom and interest, and of the glory of his church in the latter day, by the calling of the Gentiles, and the numerous conversions of them to it, and of the abolition of idolatry, and the destruction of the antichristian party. The inscription to it is in Isa 2:1 the prophecy itself follows; the date of it is the last days; the subject matter of it, the kingdom, interest, and church of Christ, signified by the mountain of the Lord's house; its glorious estate is expressed by its establishment on the mountains; by its exaltation above the hills; and by the great numbers that should flock to it, and should encourage one another to go up to it, in order to learn the ways of God, and walk in them; the means of which is the Gospel preached, that should go out of Jerusalem; the effect of that is peace among the nations: hence the house of Jacob is exhorted to walk in the light held forth by it, Isa 2:2-5 and then the reasons are given of God's rejecting and forsaking some that bear the Christian name, called the house of Jacob; namely, their Heathenish superstition, idolatry, covetousness, and confidence in their riches; who are sarcastically called upon to hide themselves in the rocks for fear of the Lord, Isa 2:6-10 when the judgments of God are denounced on the proud and lofty, comparable to cedars, oaks, mountains, hills, high towers, fenced walls, and ships of the ocean, at which time, Christ, and he alone, will be exalted, and idolatry utterly abolished; the consequence of which will be the utmost dread and terror to all idolaters, Isa 2:11-21 and the chapter is concluded with an exhortation to such to cease from the man of sin, and have him in no account, Isa 2:22.

Cross References 27

  • 1. Isaiah 58:1
  • 2. Isa 60:1,19-20; 1 John 1:5,7
  • 3. S Deuteronomy 31:17
  • 4. Jeremiah 12:7
  • 5. S Deuteronomy 18:10; S Isaiah 44:25
  • 6. S 2 Kings 1:2; S 2 Chronicles 26:6
  • 7. Proverbs 6:1
  • 8. S 2 Kings 16:7; Micah 5:12
  • 9. S Deuteronomy 17:17
  • 10. S Psalms 17:14
  • 11. S Deuteronomy 17:16
  • 12. S Genesis 41:43; Isaiah 31:1; Micah 5:10
  • 13. Isaiah 10:9-11; Revelation 9:20
  • 14. Isaiah 44:17
  • 15. S 2 Chronicles 32:19; S Psalms 135:15; Micah 5:13
  • 16. Isaiah 17:8
  • 17. Psalms 62:9
  • 18. ver 11,17; Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 13:11
  • 19. S Nehemiah 4:5
  • 20. ver 19; Nahum 3:11
  • 21. S Psalms 145:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 6:15-16
  • 22. S Nehemiah 9:29; Habakkuk 2:5
  • 23. S ver 9
  • 24. Isaiah 5:15; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 37:23; Ezekiel 31:10
  • 25. S Job 40:11
  • 26. S Psalms 46:10
  • 27. ver 17,20; Isaiah 3:7,18; Isaiah 4:1,2; Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 7:18; Isaiah 17:4,7; Isaiah 24:21; Isaiah 25:9; Isaiah 26:1; Isaiah 27:1

Footnotes 1

Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.