Isaiah 2:6-22

Everyone is brought low

6 You have abandoned your people, house of Jacob. They are full of sorcerers from the east and fortune-tellers like the Philistines; they hold hands with foreigners' children.[a]
7 Their land is full of silver and gold; they have countless treasures. Their land is filled with horses; they have countless chariots.
8 Their land is filled with idols; they worship their handiwork, what their own fingers have made.
9 Humanity will be brought down; each person laid low—don't lift them up![b]
10 Go into the rocks, and hide yourself in the dust from the terror of the LORD, from the splendor of God's majesty!
11 People's proud gazing will be stopped and humanity's arrogance brought down; the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.
12 The LORD of heavenly forces has planned a day: against all that is prideful and haughty; against all that is lofty, and it will be laid low;[c]
13 against all the cedars of Lebanon, high and lofty; against all the oaks of Bashan;
14 against all the high mountains; against all the lofty hills;
15 against every tall tower; against every fortified wall;
16 against all the ships of Tarshish; against all the wonderful boats.
17 People's pride will be brought down and human arrogance humiliated. The LORD alone will be exalted on that day;
18 the idols will completely pass away.
19 Go into caves in the rocks and holes in the dust before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of God's majesty, when he arises to terrify the earth.
20 On that day, people will toss to the rodents and to the bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship.
21 They will hide in fissures of rocks and in crevices of cliffs before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of God's majesty when he arises to terrify the earth.
22 Quit admiring the human race, who breathe through their nostrils. Why should they be admired?

Isaiah 2:6-22 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.

Footnotes 5

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