Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 2

The word - This indicates that this is the commencement of a new prophecy. It has no immediate connection with the preceding. It was delivered doubtless at a different time, and with reference to a different class of events.

In the previous chapter the term “vision” is used (Isaiah 2:1), but the meaning is substantially the same. The term “word” דבר dâbâr — denotes a “command, a promise, a doctrine, an oracle, a revelation, a message, a thing,” etc. It means here, that Isaiah foresaw certain “future events” or “things” that would happen in regard to Judah and Jerusalem.

Judah ... - See the notes at Isaiah 1:1.

In the last days - הימים באחרית be'achărı̂yth hāyâmı̂ym. In the “after” days; in the “futurity” of days; that is, in the time to come. This is an expression that often occurs in the Old Testament. It does not itself refer to any “particular” period, and especially not, as our translation seems to indicate, to the end of the world. The expression properly denotes “only future time” in general. But the prophets were accustomed to concentrate all their hopes on the coming of the Messiah. They saw His advent as giving character, sublimity, and happiness to all future times.

Hence, the expression came to denote, especially, the times of the Messiah, and is frequently used in the New Testament, as well as the Old, to designate those times (Hebrews 1:2; 1 Peter 1:5, 1:20; 1 John 2:18; Genesis 49:1; Micah 4:1; Deuteronomy 4:30; Jeremiah 48:47; Daniel 11:28).

The expressions that follow are figurative and cannot easily be interpreted as relating to any other events than the times of the Messiah. They refer to that future period, then remote, which would constitute the “last” dispensation of things in this world—the “last” time—the period, however long it might be, in which the affairs of the world would be closed. The patriarchal times had passed away; the dispensation under the Mosaic economy would pass away; the times of the Messiah would be the “last” times, or the last dispensation, under which the affairs of the world would be consummated.

Thus the phrase is evidently used in the New Testament as denoting the “last” time, though without implying that that time would be short. It might be longer than “all” the previous periods put together, but it would be the “last” economy, and under that economy, or “in” that time, the world would be destroyed, Christ would come to judgment, the dead would be raised, and the affairs of the world would be concluded. The apostles, by the use of this phrase, never intimate that the time would be short, or that the day of judgment was near, but only that “in” that time the great events of the world’s history would be consummated and closed (compare to 2 Thessalonians 2:1–5). This prophecy occurs in Micah (Micah 4:1–5) with scarcely any variation.

It is not known whether Isaiah used Micah, or Micah used Isaiah, or both used an older and well-known prophecy. Hengstenberg (“Chris.” i., pp. 289, 290) supposes that Isaiah copied from Micah, and suggests the following reasons:

1. The prediction of Isaiah is disconnected with what precedes, and yet begins with the copulative ו (v), “and.” In Micah, on the contrary, it is connected with what precedes and follows.
2. In the discourses of the prophets, the promise usually follows the threatening. This order is observed by Micah; in Isaiah, on the contrary, the promise contained in the passage precedes the threatening, and another promise follows. Many of the older theologians supposed that the passages were communicated alike by the Holy Spirit to both writers. But there is no improbability in supposing that Isaiah may have used language used by Micah in describing the same event.

The mountain of the Lord’s house - The temple was built on Mount Moriah, which was therefore called the mountain of the Lord’s house. The temple, or the mountain on which it was built, would be the object that would express the public worship of the true God.

Therefore, to say that it should be elevated higher than all other hills or mountains means that the worship of the true God would become an object so conspicuous as to be seen by all nations. It would be so conspicuous that all nations would forsake other objects and places of worship, being attracted by the glory of the worship of the true God.

Shall be established - Shall be fixed, rendered permanent.

In the top of the mountains - To be in the top of the mountains would mean to be “conspicuous,” or seen from afar. In other words, the true religion would be made known to all people.

Shall flow to it - This is a figurative expression, meaning that they would be converted to the true religion. It indicates that they would come in multitudes, like the flowing of a mighty river. The idea of the “flowing” of the nations, or of the movement of many people toward an object like a broad stream, is very grand and sublime .

This cannot be understood of any period before the establishment of the gospel. At no time in Jewish history did any events occur that would be a complete fulfillment of this prophecy. The expressions evidently refer to that period often predicted elsewhere by this prophet (Isaiah 11:10; 42:1, 42:6; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 54:3; 60:3, 60:5, 60:10; Isaiah 62:2; 66:12, 66:19), when “the Gentiles” would be brought to the knowledge of the true religion.

In (Isaiah 66:12), a remarkably similar passage occurs, which may serve to explain this:

‘Behold I will extend peace to her (to Zion) as a river;
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.’

Under the Messiah, through the preaching of the apostles and by the spread of the gospel, this prophecy was to be fully accomplished.

And many people shall go - This denotes a prevalent "desire" to turn to the true God and embrace the true religion. It is remarkable that it speaks of an inclination among them to "seek" God, as if they were convinced of the folly and danger of their ways and felt the necessity of obtaining a better religion. In many cases, this has occurred. Thus, in modern times, the people of the Sandwich Islands threw away their gods and remained without any religion, as if waiting for the message of life. Thus, too, the pagan infrequently come from a considerable distance to missionary stations to be instructed and to receive the Bible and tracts.

Perhaps this will largely be the way in which Christianity is to be spread. God, who has all power over human hearts, may excite the pagan to anxious inquiry, may show them the folly of their religion, and may lead them to this "preparation" to embrace the gospel, and this disposition to "go" and seek it. He has access to all people.

By a secret influence on the understanding, the heart, and the conscience of the pagan, He can convince them of the folly of idolatry and its vices. He can soften their prejudices in favor of their long-established systems, can break down the barriers between them and Christians, and can dispose them to receive with joy the messengers of salvation. He can raise up, among the pagan themselves, reformers who will show them the folly of their systems.

It cannot be doubted that the universal triumph of the gospel will be preceded by such a remarkable preparation among the nations—by a secret, silent, but most mighty influence from God on the pagan generally, that will loosen their hold on idolatry and dispose them to welcome the gospel. And the probability that this state of things exists already, and will increasingly, should be an inducement to Christians to make more vigorous efforts to send everywhere the light of life.

He will teach us of his ways - He will teach us His will and the doctrines of the true religion.

For out of Zion - These are the words of the "prophet," not of the people. The prophet declares that the law would go from Zion; that is, Zion would be the center from which it would be spread (see the note at Isaiah 1:8).

Zion here represents Jerusalem and means that the message of mercy to mankind would be spread "from" Jerusalem. Hence, the Messiah commanded His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they should be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Hence, also, He said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem—perhaps referring to this very passage in Isaiah (Luke 24:47).

The law - This term here signifies the doctrines of the true religion in general. The law or will of God, under the reign of the Messiah, would proceed from Zion.

The word of the Lord - The message of His mercy to mankind; that which He has "spoken" concerning the salvation of men. The truth taught here is "that Zion or the church is the source of religious truth and the center of religious influence in the world." This is true in the following respects:

1. Zion was the source of religious truth to the ancient world. Knowledge was gained by travel. Indeed, it can be demonstrated with considerable clarity, much like many facts of ancient history, that a significant part of the knowledge about God in ancient Greece was obtained through contact with the sages of distant lands. The truths held in Zion or Jerusalem thus radiated from land to land and from mind to mind.

2. The church is now the center of religious truth to the world around it.

   • The world, by its philosophy, never originates a system of religion worth retaining that conveys any just view of God or the way of salvation.

   • The most crude, unsettled, contradictory, and vague opinions on religion prevail in this community called "the world."

   • If "in" this community there are any opinions that are true and valuable, they can in most instances be traced to "the church." They are due to the influence of the pulpit, to early training in the Bible, to early teaching in the Sabbath school, to the instructions of a pious parent, or to the "general" influence that Christianity exerts on the community.

3. The church holds the power of "reformation" in her hands; every moral cause advances or regresses as she engages in the work or withdraws from it.

4. The pagan world is dependent on the church for the knowledge of the true religion. There are "no" systems of truth that spring up on pagan soil. There is no elastic energy in a pagan mind. There is no recuperative power to bring it back to God. There is no "advance" made toward the truth in any pagan community. There is no wellspring of life to purify the soul. The effect of time is only to deepen the darkness and to drive them further from God. They only worship mere shapeless blocks; they bow down before worse-looking idols; they enter less elegant and more polluted temples.

   The idols of the pagan are not constructed with half the skill and taste shown two thousand years ago, nor are their temples built with such exquisite art. No idol of the pagan world now can compare with the statue of Minerva at Athens; no temple can be likened to the Parthenon; no sentiment of paganism in China, India, or Africa can be compared with the views of the sages of Greece.

   The pagan world is becoming worse and worse, and if it is ever to be brought to better views, it must be by a "foreign" influence. That influence will not go forth from philosophy or science, but "from the church."

   If light is ever to spread, it is to go forth from Zion. The world is dependent on "the church" for any just knowledge of God and of the way to life. The law is to go forth from Zion; and the question whether the millions of the human family are to be taught the way to heaven is just a question of whether the church can be roused to diffuse abroad the light that has arisen on her.

And he shall judge - Or he shall exercise the office of a judge, or umpire. This literally refers to the God of Jacob (Isaiah 2:3), though it is clear that the meaning is, that he will do it by the Messiah, or under his reign. One office of a judge is to decide controversies, to put an end to litigations, and thus to promote peace. The connection shows that this is the meaning here. Nations that are contending shall be brought to peace by the influence of the reign of the Messiah, and shall beat their swords into plowshares. In other words, the influence of the reign of the Messiah shall put an end to wars, and reduce contending nations to peace.

And shall rebuke - Shall reprove them for their contentions and strifes.

Lowth: ‘Shall work conviction in many peoples.’

Noyes: ‘He shall be a judge of the nations,
And an umpire of many kingdoms.’

He shall show them the evil of war; and by reproving them for those wicked passions which cause wars, shall promote universal peace. The gospel does this everywhere; and the tendency of it, if obeyed, would be to produce universal peace. In accordance with predictions like these, the Messiah is called The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6); and it is said that of his peace there shall be no end (Isaiah 9:7).

And they shall beat ... - They shall change the arts of war to those of peace; or they shall abandon the pursuits of war for the mild and useful arts of husbandry (Hosea 2:20). A similar prophecy is found in Zechariah 9:10.

The following extracts may serve to illustrate this passage: ‘The Syrian plow, which was probably used in all the regions around, is a very simple frame, and commonly so light, that a man of moderate strength might carry it in one hand. Volney states that in Syria it is often nothing else than the branch of a tree, cut below a bifurcation, and used without wheels. The plowshare is a piece of iron, broad but not large, which tips the end of the shaft. So much does it resemble the short sword used by the ancient warriors, that it may, with very little trouble, be converted into that deadly weapon; and when the work of destruction is over, reduced again to its former shape, and applied to the purposes of agriculture.’

Their spears - Spears were much used in war. They were made of wood, with a sharpened piece of iron or other metal attached to the end. The pruning-hook, made for cutting the limbs of vines or trees, is, in like manner, a long piece of wood with a crooked knife attached to it. Hence, it was easy to convert the one into the other.

Pruning-hooks - Hooks or long knives for trimming vines. The word here, however, means anything employed in reaping or mowing, a sickle, or a scythe, or any instrument to cut with, as well as a pruning-hook. These figures, as images of peace, are often used by the prophets. Micah (Micah 4:4) has added to this description of peace in Isaiah, the following:

But they shall sit
Every man under his vine,
And under his fig-tree;
And none shall make them afraid:
For the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it.

Joel (Joel 3:10) has reversed the figure, and applied it to war prevailing over peace:

Beat your plowshares into swords;
And your pruning-hooks into spears.

The same emblems to represent peace, which are used here by Isaiah, also occur in pagan poets. Thus Martial; Epigr. xiv. 34:

Falx ex ense.
Pax me certa ducis placidos conflavit in usus,
Agricolae nunc sum, militis ante fui.

So Virgil; Georg. 1,507:

Squalent abductis arva colonis,
Et curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem.

So also Ovid; Fast. 1,699:

Sarcula cessabunt, versique in pila ligones.

Nation shall not lift up ... - This is a remarkable prediction of universal peace under the gospel. The prediction is positive, that the time will come when it shall prevail. But it has not yet been fully accomplished. We may remark, however, in relation to this:

1. That the tendency of the gospel is to promote the arts, and to produce the spirit of peace.
2. It will dispose the nations to do right, and thus to avoid the occasions of war.
3. It will fill the mind with horror at the scenes of cruelty and blood that war produces.
4. It will diffuse honor around the arts of peace, and teach the nations to prize the endearments of home and country, and the sweet scenes of domestic life.
5. Just so far as it has influence over princes and rulers, it will teach them to lay aside the passions of ambition and revenge, and the love of conquest and glory, and indispose them to war.
6. The tendency of things now is toward peace. The laws of nations have been established under the gospel. Difficulties can even now be adjusted by negotiation, and without a resort to arms.
7. Wars are far less barbarous than they were formerly. The gospel has produced humanity, mildness, and some degree of justice even in war. It has put an end to the unmerciful treatment of prisoners; has prevented their being sold as slaves; has taught even belligerents not to murder women and children.
8. Nothing remains to be done to make peace universal but to send the gospel abroad through every land. When that is done, the nations will be disposed to peace; and the prophet, therefore, has predicted the universal prevalence of peace only when all nations shall be brought under the influence of the gospel.

O house of Jacob - This is a direct address, or exhortation, of the prophet to the Jews. It is made given that God had gracious purposes toward them. He intended to distinguish them by making them the source of blessings to all nations. As this was to be their high destiny, he exhorts them to devote themselves to him, and to live to his honor. The word “house” here means the “family, or nation.” The phrase is applied to the Jews because their tribes were descended from the twelve sons of Jacob.

Let us walk - Let us “live.” The word “walk” is often used to denote human life or conduct (Romans 6:4; Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 6:16, ...).

In the light of the Lord - The sense of this is: Let us obey the commandments of Yahweh; or, as the Chaldee expresses it, ‘Let us walk in the doctrine of the law of the Lord.’ The idea may be expressed this way: ‘Let us not walk in the darkness and error of sin and idolatry, but in the light or instruction which God sheds upon us by his law. He teaches us what we should do, and let us obey him.’ “Light” is often, in the Scriptures, used to represent instruction or teaching (compare the note at Matthew 4:16; the note at John 1:4; also, the note at Ephesians 5:8).