Isaiah 2:1-5 His Mountain
Isaiah is giving the people a future to look towards. It speaks of God’s Mountain, and the One who will rule from HIS mountain. This time is still to come.
I am expecting a LOT of end times looks from Daniel. Revelation had a lot to say about end times too. But I didn’t expect to find Isaiah starting with it quite early in his vision is not something I expected. This passage could be NO OTHER though than the time Jesus rules on the earth.
There has not been complete peace on the earth since the fall of man. Cain was the first to display murderous acts but he is FAR from the last. Today there are wars, crimes of violence, ‘white collar’ crimes, ‘victimless’ crimes, and plain ordinary meanness towards others throughout the whole earth. And it is growing daily!
WE NEED JESUS! There is NO other who can bring about true peace. This is certainly the time Isaiah is speaking about. The time when Jesus rules personally over this earth. Only in THAT time will there be and end to war and a global desire to seek Him.
Isaiah says the “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains” (verse 2b). Looking at the “height” of the mountains in Israel, especially Mt. Zion, we find it is not physically the highest mountain in the world. Mt. Everest holds that distinction. But God, through Isaiah, isn’t speaking of physical height but of spiritual importance. God’s Mountain will hold that distinction when Jesus settles Himself upon it to rule the world.
“It shall come to pass in the latter days” (verse 2a) is still in our future too. We have NOT missed this action of God. NONE will ‘miss’ it. “All the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come” (verse 2c-3a). Their reason for coming? To learn of the ways of God. To learn to follow His paths. To have Him judge between the nations. To have Him settle disputes between people. To hear and obey the Law that will be given by God at that time.
Reading this passage tells me a few things that I hadn’t considered before. It also raises a few questions for me. First, there will be disputes on personal levels and on national levels but they will NOT result in violence. Second, there will be some living in that time who do not seek Him. Third, there will be a new Law handed down by Jesus. Fourth, the land of Israel will figure prominently in God’s kingdom at that time. Fifth, it will NOT be Heaven.
Isaiah tells us that Jesus will be settling disputes between people and judging between nations in the first part of verse four. This means that there will be disagreements, even under Jesus’ rule. But when HE decides, that will settle the matter. Man will not resort to war to solve his disputes.
We are told in verse three that “many peoples shall come”. It does NOT say ALL will come. This means that there will be some who don’t come and learn of Him. I wonder what their reasoning will be. I can just about bet that those who don’t come will be the ones who side with Satan when he is released after 1,000 years for the FINAL battle.
Verse three also tells “Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” This will not be the same Law that Jesus fulfilled. It will also not be the two commandments Jesus gave when questioned about the greatest commandment. It will be His perfect Law. It will be the words directly from God; from the Trinity spoken to the people. And enforced by the Son. It will NOT be the path to salvation. That way belongs to Jesus alone. I wonder what role the angels will play in enforcing that Law.
Jesus will set up His actual dwelling place in the land of Israel. Jesus will rule from the mountain of God; probably Mt. Zion or Mt. Sinai. This will be where the other nations “flow to” in their searches. Those doing the flowing will recognize His as from “the house of the God of Jacob” (verse 3b).
Finally, this will NOT be Heaven, but it will be as close as those living on the earth can encounter on this side of the grave. Man will still be a mortal being, have the capacity for sin, and even engage in it at times. If this were not so, then men wouldn’t need to learn His ways and there would be no disputes. I believe that this means that we will still have free will. This allowance in man will be what sets the stage for Satan’s release. He has to have some followers or there wouldn’t even be a war.
Father God, thank You for answering a few questions for me. Thank You for confirming other things I suspected. To the VERY END of this world, You give man a chance to choose. Even when Jesus is ruling the earth, man is still free to make the decision to follow You. Your Law will be full of love but it will be binding and final. You know exactly what will be needed to keep the peace on this earth. I wish that Satan didn’t ever have to be released. All I can do now is imagine that time up ahead. I’m looking forward to living and serving under my God, my Savior, Jesus Christ, Son of God! In YOUR time Father.
