A look at A look at Isaiah 2Isaiah 2

Please consider the following quote about Please consider the following quote about Aaron BurrAaron Burr

The exaltation of the ChurchThe exaltation of the Church These verses present some of the most These verses present some of the most

beautiful and poetic descriptions of the future beautiful and poetic descriptions of the future of the redeemed found anywhere in scriptureof the redeemed found anywhere in scripture The Church is destined to rise up like a mountain The Church is destined to rise up like a mountain

for the whole world to see and not be able to for the whole world to see and not be able to ignoreignore

While there may be times that the Church While there may be times that the Church struggles because it exists in an ungodly world, struggles because it exists in an ungodly world, it has a destined glory which no force will be it has a destined glory which no force will be able to denyable to deny

Converts from all nationsConverts from all nations The world we live in is not completely unified.The world we live in is not completely unified. The scriptures teach of a time when multitudes will The scriptures teach of a time when multitudes will

come from all nations and all walks of life to come from all nations and all walks of life to worship God (worship God (Is 2:3Is 2:3))

Jesus Himself references this same fact in Jesus Himself references this same fact in Mt 8:11Mt 8:11 The Peace of God’s eternityThe Peace of God’s eternity

People spend their entire lives searching for peace People spend their entire lives searching for peace and never find itand never find it

Vs 4 Vs 4 makes a promise this will be found and, makes a promise this will be found and, “…“…Neither shall they learn war anymore”Neither shall they learn war anymore” This statement should give us peace but needs to be This statement should give us peace but needs to be

viewed in light of what Christ said in viewed in light of what Christ said in Mt 24:6-14Mt 24:6-14

The prosperityThe prosperity The people are pictured as being filled with The people are pictured as being filled with

what the east has to offerwhat the east has to offer We know the east was the direction from We know the east was the direction from

which caravans and tradesmen came bring which caravans and tradesmen came bring goods, riches, and foreign ways of lifegoods, riches, and foreign ways of life

Isaiah describes the land in the following Isaiah describes the land in the following manner in manner in vs 7-8vs 7-8 Full of silver and goldFull of silver and gold Full of horsesFull of horses Full of idolsFull of idols

The barrennessThe barrenness ““It seems strange that barrenness is brought on It seems strange that barrenness is brought on

by prosperity, but history records proof of the by prosperity, but history records proof of the sequence. Thus, this barrenness was not brought sequence. Thus, this barrenness was not brought on by drought, famine or financial depression, but on by drought, famine or financial depression, but rather by abundance” (Crabtree: 27)rather by abundance” (Crabtree: 27)

The most fearful part of the barrenness comes The most fearful part of the barrenness comes from the fact God has turned His back on the from the fact God has turned His back on the people (people (vs 6vs 6))

It is indeed a costly prosperity that gains the It is indeed a costly prosperity that gains the wealth of the world while losing the treasures of wealth of the world while losing the treasures of HeavenHeaven

The barrennessThe barrenness Another result of prosperous poverty is that of Another result of prosperous poverty is that of

living by superstition instead of by faith in the living by superstition instead of by faith in the will of Godwill of God

Part of what the people were full of were Part of what the people were full of were “soothsayers like the Philistines” “soothsayers like the Philistines” ((vs 6vs 6).). From the east had come countless astrologers From the east had come countless astrologers

and fortune-tellers who practiced the same and fortune-tellers who practiced the same superstitious magic known by the Philistinessuperstitious magic known by the Philistines

The OT constantly speaks to the fact that these The OT constantly speaks to the fact that these kind of people are to be viewed as enemieskind of people are to be viewed as enemies Deut 18:10-12Deut 18:10-12

When the world diesWhen the world dies We have constant reminders in scripture that We have constant reminders in scripture that

the world will diethe world will die Ps 102:25-38; Is 24:17-23; Nahum 1:3-Ps 102:25-38; Is 24:17-23; Nahum 1:3-

8; 8; Zeph 1:1-3; Heb 12:26-29; 1 Zeph 1:1-3; Heb 12:26-29; 1 Jn 2:15-17; Rev 21:1-4Jn 2:15-17; Rev 21:1-4

2 Pet 3:10 2 Pet 3:10 states the earth will be destroyed states the earth will be destroyed on on “The Day of the Lord”“The Day of the Lord”

When God shakes all thingsWhen God shakes all things Is 2:19; Heb 12:26Is 2:19; Heb 12:26

When people have waited too longWhen people have waited too long The tragic aspect of the day of the Lord is that The tragic aspect of the day of the Lord is that

it will find people who have waited too long to it will find people who have waited too long to throw their idols away and accept the living throw their idols away and accept the living GodGod Is 2:20Is 2:20

In that day, it will be too late to throw away In that day, it will be too late to throw away that which has brought about their downfallthat which has brought about their downfall

When self-sufficiency has perishedWhen self-sufficiency has perished There will come a time when all people will There will come a time when all people will

realize they nothing without Godrealize they nothing without God Is 2:22Is 2:22

We all try to prepare for every possible We all try to prepare for every possible emergency here on this Earth, but there will emergency here on this Earth, but there will come a time for which there is no preparation come a time for which there is no preparation except faith and obedience to Godexcept faith and obedience to God

Humans who have become completely reliant Humans who have become completely reliant on self need to be reminded their lives are no on self need to be reminded their lives are no more certain then the breath in their nostrils-it more certain then the breath in their nostrils-it can cease at any momentcan cease at any moment

Consider the following quote made by Consider the following quote made by Evangeline Booth (daughter of the Evangeline Booth (daughter of the founder of the Salvation Army) when founder of the Salvation Army) when asked what is wrong in this world, asked what is wrong in this world, “There “There is just one thing wrong with the world, is just one thing wrong with the world, and it is this: The world is trying to get and it is this: The world is trying to get along without God-and it can’t be done”along without God-and it can’t be done”