Matthew Henry Commentary Isaiah 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Isaiah 2
Matthew Henry Commentary
Isaiah 2
"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah`s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of Jehovah. For thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they are filled [with customs] from the east, and [are] soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. And their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land also is full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots. Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made. And the mean man is bowed down, and the great man is brought low: therefore forgive them not." — Isaiah 2:1-9 (ASV)
The calling of the Gentiles, the spread of the gospel, and that far more extensive preaching of it yet to come, are foretold. Let Christians strengthen one another, and support one another. It is God who teaches His people by His word and Spirit. Christ promotes peace, as well as holiness.
If all people were real Christians, there could be no war; but nothing corresponding to these expressions has yet taken place on the earth. Whatever others do, let us walk in the light of this peace. Let us remember that when true religion flourishes, people delight in going up to the house of the Lord, and in urging others to accompany them.
Those are in danger who delight in strangers to God, for we soon learn to follow the ways of those whose company we keep.
It is not merely possessing silver and gold, horses and chariots, that displeases God, but rather depending on them—as if we could not be safe, comfortable, and happy without them, and would certainly be so with them.
Sin is a disgrace to the poorest and the lowest. And though lands called Christian are not full of idols in the literal sense, are they not full of idolized riches? Are not people so preoccupied with their gains and indulgences that the Lord, His truths, and His precepts are forgotten or despised?
"Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be brought low, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away. And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" — Isaiah 2:10-22 (ASV)
The taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans seems to be what is primarily intended here, when idolatry among the Jews was abolished; but our thoughts are also led onward to the destruction of all the enemies of Christ. It is folly for those who are pursued by the wrath of God to think they can hide or shelter themselves from it. The shaking of the earth will be terrible to those who set their affections on things of the earth.
People's haughtiness will be brought down, either by the grace of God convincing them of the evil of pride, or by the providence of God depriving them of all the things they were proud of. The day of the Lord will come upon those things in which they place their confidence. Those who will not be reasoned out of their sins will, sooner or later, be frightened out of them.
Covetous people make money their god; but the time will come when they will feel it to be just as much their burden. This whole passage may be applied to the case of an awakened sinner, ready to leave all so that their soul may be saved. The Jews were prone to rely on their heathen neighbors; but they are here urged to stop depending on mortal humans.
We are all prone to the same sin. Therefore, do not let any human be your fear, nor let any human be your hope; but let your hope be in the Lord your God. Let us make this our great concern.
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