Lesson 8
Isaiah 2:2-4, 7:14
“Now it will come about that in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills; and all the nations will stream to it” (Isaiah 2:2). This prophecy begins by indicating the time that all of these things would take place. While “in the last days” seems ambiguous enough to apply it to a number of supposed religious epochs, we must consider how the phrase is used both contextually and in other passages. Consider that the “last days” are also described by Peter in Acts 2:17 as being the time surrounding the Day of Pentecost. The writer of Hebrews also notes that he was living in the “last days” (Hebrews 1:2). It would seem that the “last days” refers to the time after Christ – as an age, we are living in the last stage of religious development. From Christ onward, every day could be the last day of this world.
Discussion Question : What other evidence do you see in the Bible that gives you an indication of what the last days are? What are the implications if the last days a re a future era, yet to be experienced?
“The Mountain…” A mountain serves as an excellent analogy when describing Christ. Like a glorious peak that towers above everything else on the horizon, so Christ is the “way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6). He is the glory of the Father, and the crowned king of the world (Philippians 2:9-11). Like a mountain, Christ is mighty, powerful, unshakeable, immovable, and time tested. From one generation to the next, mountains always seem to be there, unchanging. “Established as the chief of the mountains…” Being the Mountain of the house of the Lord, Christ is exalted above all other things. There is no other name but Christ’s that can save us (Acts 4:12). There is no ruler or throne that stands above our Lord’s (Ephesians 1:21). “Raised above the hills…” Christ and His kingdom will be like no other religion in the world. He leads His people to victory through wisdom, honor, and strength – indeed, no other church but the Christ’s has the Son of God as its head! Compared to Christ, all other leaders and supposed “gods” are like little hills dwarfed by the mighty peak behind them. “And all the nations will stream to it.” This is an interesting picture that we are given by the prophet. In nature, streams do not flow toward a mountain but away from it – no amount of water can overcome the fundamental law of gravity. Christ, however, maintains a power that is greater than gravity. Even that awesome natural force cannot persuade the streams of the world to flow uphill to the glory of Jesus!
Discussion Question: How does Christ “draw” the nations to Him? What drew the Ethiopian to Christ in Acts 8, or the Philippian jailor of Acts 16?
First, it is beneficial to note that in a limited sense, all the known nations of the world streamed to Jesus in the first century. Practically the entire Roman Empire (what would have been called the “known world” at the time) eventually had heard the Gospel message by the close of the 100 AD. In another sense, the nations still stream to Christ today because the message of salvation is available to all, and anybody from any place in the world can obey Jesus and go to heaven (Revelations 5:9).
“Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us concerning His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the Law will go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (2:3). The “many nations” in this prophecy are all of the people who join the Lord’s church and proclaim their belief in Him. They go about harkening others to join them in their spiritual journey. Like watchmen who warn their city about impending doom (Ezekiel 3:17-19), so the righteous people of all the nations go to their countries and spread the Gospel. What a striking phrase they say – “Come, let us go to the mountain!” It is a phrase that beckons, that longs, that inspires curiosity. Who would not want to investigate at such a peculiar invitation? But why go? What is the motivation? “That he may teach us concerning His ways…” Notice here that these believers are not coming to Jesus to be entertained or rewarded. They do not seek the mountain of the Lord for any earthly gain or prize, but to be rewarded with the opportunity to learn. Do we approach worship in the same way? It is sad to see the state of religion today: so many churches now cater to the desires and requests of their potential converts just to win them over. They advertise Christ as if He were a vending machine, able and willing to do whatever we want! Not only that, but there is now a great lack of learning amongst those who claim to be Christians. Where has the intense desire for education gone? Why do people not come to Christ simply to learn from Him?
Discussion Question: How do we renew ourselves and find the same passion that these people have for godly education in Isaiah 2:3?
“For the Law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (2:3). This is a prophecy that comes true after the death of our Lord, as the apostles begin the Christian ministry in Jerusalem. “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead… and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47). Also note that after the ascension of Christ, the apostles spoke from Jerusalem (Acts 1:12) until the dispersion of the brethren in Acts 8:1 at the hands of Saul.
Discussion Question: What reasons did God have for asking the apostles to preach in Jerusalem first? Why is Jerusalem a good starting place for the spread of Christianity?
“And He will judge between the nations…” Thus signifying that the message of Christ is for all people, not just certain races or societies. The same thoughts are discussed by Paul in Galatians 3:28 and by John in Revelation 5:9-10. “And will render decisions for many peoples…” The wisdom of Christ is the standard by which all things must be measured. We cannot truly know anything until we have first become familiar with Him! Therefore, every nation on earth should look to the ways of the Bible for true inspiration and peace. With Christ at the helm, no group of people can be dismayed or dismantled. “And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they learn war” (2:4). This is not to say that no wars would ever happen again after the coming of Christ, for our Lord even warns of “wars and rumors of wars” in Matthew 24:6. What He means is that Christians will not be participating in physical Holy War. Unlike the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people for a time who had to fight carnal wars to defend their promised land, Christians do not fight with swords and clubs and spears, but with the Word. We use weapons that are not of this world, and are divinely powerful for the destruction of spiritual enemies (2 Corinthians 10:3-7). Not only that, but in the church there is supposed to be no division of class or race. We should never even have the desire to lift our hand against a brother in Christ. When we become Christians, we can get along with any other Christian in the world, knowing that all of the physical differences between us mean absolutely nothing in the eyes of God!
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Consider some of the difficulties of this prophecy and it becomes quite clear that Jesus could not have been a hoax. First, it is physically impossible for a virgin to have a child, so all other supposed Messiahs would have to have this peculiar mark of authenticity. Second, the specifics of the prophecy make it impossible for any other historical figure to fit the mold of the Messiah but Jesus Christ. He was a boy, born by a virgin, named Immanuel. “Immanuel” literally means “God with us,” which is truly Jesus Christ – Jesus is God, who came in the flesh to be with us in the world (Philippians 2:6-8).
