Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2:2

2. And it shall come to pass in the last days.] “The last days” signify in the Prophets, the times of the Messiah. This phrase by no means necessarily imports the speedy end of this material world; but only that, how long soever God shall suffer it to endure, He hath no subsequent dispensation in reserve; but hath fixed the Christian for that doctrine, and service, and trial, by which mankind are to express their obedience to Him, so long as there shall continue to be any state of discipline or obedience at all. W. Lowth, Dean Stanhope.

—the mountain of the Lord’s house &c.] From the situation of the Jewish temple on mount Moriah, a mountain is made to stand for the Christian Church: of the exaltation of which, and its wonderful prosperity and enlargement, this passage is a prophetic promise. Bp. Hurd, Jos. Mede. As we see the glorious characters here set forth in part brought to pass long ago, by the enlarging of the Messiah’s dominion over the many and distant countries where his doctrine hath been received; so have we reason to embrace those gradual advances of his kingdom in men’s hearts, as so many earnest and undoubted pledges of that absolute and unbounded conquest, which He shall make over ignorance and erour, when the season of exerting his grace more plentifully shall come, and effectually prepare, as well as proclaim, the nearer approaches of his kingdom of glory. Dean Stanhope.

Isaiah 2:3

3. — Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.] That is, Let us join ourselves to the Christian Church. The phrase alludes to the Jews going up in companies to Jerusalem at the three solemn feasts of the year. W. Lowth.

Isaiah 2:4

4. — nation shall not lift up sword against nation, &c.] Throughout the Prophets, the time of the Messiah is represented as a time of universal peace and godliness, in which the natures of men should be changed, and all malice and ill-nature rooted out. He Himself is called “the Prince of Peace,” chap. ix. 6. The spiritual sense implies Christ’s being the Great Peace-maker; who should reconcile both Jews and Gentiles to God, and to each other. But if we look upon this and the like prophecies, as foretelling the outward peacefulness of the kingdom or Church of Christ, they seem to relate to some future flourishing state of the Church,

Isaiah 2:6

6. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people—because &c.] This might more clearly be translated, “For this reason Thou hast forsaken thy people, because” &c. W. Lowth.

—they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers &c.] Chaldea and Syria, situated to the east of Judea, were famous for pretenders to divination, &c. (see chap. xlvii. 13; Numb. xxiii. 7;) as were the Philistines, who lay to the west, 1 Sam. vi. 2. The Jews invited and encouraged these. W. Lowth. Now the consulting of wizards and diviners, as was practised by the nations of Canaan, paving any regard to those pretenders to Divine knowledge, or suffering such to live among them, is prohibited, Deut. xviii. 10—14; as also filling the land with horses, gold, and silver, (ver. 7,) is in direct contradiction to God’s command in the law, Deut. xvii. 16, 17. Dr. Berriman, Bp. Lowth. God there forbids his people the use of horses and chariots, Deut. xx. 1. 4; He promises that He will be to them instead. This law, therefore, was to be a standing trial of prince and people, whether they had confidence in God their Deliverer. He had taken the defence of Israel upon Himself, and, whenever the people took it out of his hands, they were sure to be undone. There was no moral evil in having a country full of horses, but the kings of Israel were exalted to the throne on condition that they should renounce such assistance, and depend on God for success in the day of battle. Joshua, the Judges, and David, observed this law; and Solomon, for a time; but in his reign things quickly changed; and his successors followed his example. Bp. Sherlock. See the notes on Deut. xvii. 16; Josh. vi. 6; 1 Kings x. 24; 2 Kings xxiii. 29.

9. —forgive them not. That is, Thou wilt not forgive them. The imperative is here taken for the future. See the like instances, chap. vi. 10; xxiii. 16; Zech. xiii. 7. God’s judgments are sometimes foretold as imprecations: many of those in the Psalms may be understood as so many predictions. W. Lowth. See notes at Ps. v. 10; Ps. cix.

Isaiah 2:10

10. Enter into the rock, &c.] The remainder of the chapter is a prediction of some general judgment, end-

Before CHRIST about 760. Or, more than the east. Or, abound with the children, &c. The prophet forewarneth of the terrible day of the Lord. Before CHRIST about 760. b Chap. 5.15. thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

Isaiah 2:13

13. — upon all the cedars of Lebanon.] In many other places cedars of Libanus, and oaks of Bashan, are used, in the way of metaphor and allegory, for kings, princes, potentates; mountains and lofty hills, for kingdoms, states, cities; towers and fortresses, for defenders and protectors, whether by strength or counrel; ships of Tarshish, and works of art and invention employed in adorning them, for merchants, men enriched by commerce and abounding in all the luxuries and elegances of life, such as those of Tyre and Sidon. Bp. Lowth. For ships of Tarshish, see notes at 1 Kings x. 22; xxii. 48.

Isaiah 2:18

18. — the idols he shall utterly abolish.] The captivity of the Jews had that good effect, that they scarce ever afterwards relapsed into idolatry; this prophecy was fulfilled in the Gentiles also upon their conversion to Christianity. Christianity is the reverse and direct opposite to idolatry; and we may observe, that whenever the Prophets speak of an entire reformation in the state of the Church, they mention the utter extirpation of idolatry out of it, as if that were one of the last enemies of God and his truth, that was to be destroyed, (see chap. xxvii. 9; xxx. 22; xxxi. 7; xlv. 16;) and the accomplishment of the prophecy accordingly will universally take place in that day, that terrible day of Christ’s second advent, when He shall come to judge the world. W. Lowth. Hoyon. Idolatry is the reverse and direct opposite of Christianity. To destroy this was the great end of Christ’s coming into the world. But, except He were God, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, his religion would be so far from destroying idolatry, that it would be only a more refined and dangerous species of it. The Prophet, therefore, after describing the humbling effects it would have upon the hearts of all sincere converts, concludes all (that so he might acquit the worship of Christ from all charges of idolatry) with this positive assertion, that it would prove the most effectual means of putting an end to all false and idolatrous worship: “The idols he shall utterly abolish.” The like conclusion we meet with in the first Epistle of St. John, where having affirmed that Jesus Christ is “the true God and eternal life,” he immediately subjoins, and closes all with this advice, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols,” 1 John v. 21. Wogan.

Isaiah 2:19

19. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, &c.] The country of Judea being mountainous and rocky, is full of caverns; some natural, and some artificial and made for the sake of security. See Judges vi. 2; 1 Sam. xiii. 6; xxiv. 3; Jer. xli. 9. Strabo, Josephus, and modern travellers, give accounts of the caverns which are to be found in the neighbouring countries. Therefore, “to enter into the rock,” &c. is to the Jews a very proper and familiar image to express terror and consternation. Bp. Lowth.

Isaiah 2:20

20. — to the moles and to the bats.] They shall carry their idols with them into the dark caverns, old ruins, or desolate places, to which they shall flee for refuge; and so shall give them up and relinquish them to the filthy animals that frequent such places, and have taken possession of them as their proper habitation. Many travellers speak of bats of an enormous size as inhabiting the Great Pyramid. Bp. Lowth, Horner. “Casting the idols to the moles and bats” denotes the utmost detestation and abhorrence. Wogan.

Isaiah 2:22

22. Cease ye from man.] That is, from valuing man. Compare Prov. xxiii. 4. W. Lowth. This verse is a very apt and most proper conclusion to what is said before of the effect of Christ’s coming, namely, that “the lofty looks of man shall be humbled.” Happy indeed will be this effect of his first coming, if our pride be thereby humbled, and our lofty looks be brought down: happy, I mean, if it precede; but fruitless, miserable, and vain, if it follow, his second coming, when the day of grace shall be past, and judgment be begun. Let us conclude, therefore, as the Prophet