Isaiah 2

2:2The Temple was built on the mountain of the LORD, Mount Moriah, highly visible to all the people of Jerusalem. For more on the significance of the Temple, see the note on 2 Chronicles

2:2-4God gave Isaiah the gift of seeing into the future. At this time, God showed {saiah what would eventually happen to Jeru- Salem. Revelation 21 depicts the glorious fulfillment of this prophecy in the new Jerusalem, where only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be allowed to enter. God made a covenant (promise) with his people and will never break it. God's faithfulness gives us hope for the future. Ask God to help you spread his word.

2:4,5This describes a wonderful future of peace when instruments of war will be converted to instruments of farming, and we will be taught God’s laws and obey them. Although we know that eventually God will remove all sin, which leads to war, conflicts, and other problems, we should not wait for him to act before we begin to obey him. We should walk in his light now, just as Judah was told to do. Though our eternal reward awaits us, we already can enjoy many benefits of obedience now as we apply God’s Word to our life.

2:6The people were following practices of the Assyrian Empire. Filling their land with magicians and sorcerers meant that they were claiming to know and control the future by the power of demons or by interpreting omens. These practices were forbidden by God (see Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10, 14). The Philistines worshiped Dagon, Ashtoreth, and Baal-zebub. During the more sinful periods of their history, the people of Israel worshiped these pagan gods along with Yahweh and even gave them Hebrew names.

2:8,9Under the reign of evil kings, idol worship flourished in both israel and Judah. A few good kings in Judah stopped it during their reigns. Although very few people worship carved or molded images today, worshiping people or objects that symbolize power continues. We pay homage to cars, homes, sports stars, celebrities, money, etc. Idol worship is evil because (1) it insults God when we worship something he created rather than worshiping him; (2) it keeps us from knowing and serving God when we put our confidence in anything other than him; (3) it Causes us to rely on our own efforts rather than on God. (See also Deuteronomy 27:15.

2:12The LORD’s “day of reckoning” is the day of judgment, the time when God will judge both evil and good. That day will come, and we will want a proper relationship, with God when it does. Pride, however, will cripple us. God alone must be exalted (2:11, 17} as the first step toward developing that relationship with him.

2:15-17High towers were part of a city or nation’s defenses. This phrase refers to security based on military fortresses. “Great trading ships” picture economic prosperity; and “every magnificent vessel” reveals pleasure and enjoyment. Nothing can compare with or rival the place God must have in our hearts and minds. To place our hope elsewhere is nothing but false pride. Place your confidence in God alone.

2:19See Revelation 6:15-17 for a description of the dread in God’s enemies on the day of his wrath. The Bible talks of two kinds of fear. In this verse, fear is the panic and peril unbelievers feet at the judgment of God. The right kind of fear means to revere and stand in awe of God. Proverbs 1:7 says, “Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge.” Those who honor and respect God need not fear God’s wrath.

2:22“As frail as breath” refers to our mortality. People are very limited when compared to God. They can be unreliable, selfish, and shortsighted. Yet we entrust our life and future more readily to mortal human beings than to the all-knowing God. Beware of people who want you to trust them instead of God. Remember that only God is completely reliable. He is perfect, and we can rely on his unfailing love (Psalm 100:5).