Hope Or Horror? Haughtiness Or Humility? (2:1-22)
Neal Pollard
After adjudicating His case against Judah, the Lord looks ahead after the nation’s wickedness is punished. The chapter can be divided into three sections. The first section looks to future promises, the section looks at the present, humbling condition of Judah, and the third looks at the future humbling of men and the glorifying of God.
FUTURE PROMISES (1-4). This appears to be the first of the many Messianic prophecies of Isaiah, focusing on a future Kingdom into which all nations could flow. Whether these verses are viewed as a conclusion to the material in chapter one or as a preamble for the rest of this chapter, Isaiah expands his field of view beyond just Judah and Jerusalem. The fact that Micah gives this same prophecy almost verbatim (4:1-4) reveals that the nation lived in hope of its fulfillment, even if they restricted their view of it to themselves and not the rest of the world. These words also provide a contrast about a future time when the people would properly revere and obey the Lord whose will they were currently rejecting. The people had been living in sinful pride, but their descendants would prostrate themselves before their Savior some day. The kingdom itself is described as exalted (“the highest of the mountains”), universal (“all nations”), just (“He shall judge between the nations”), and peaceful (“…neither shall they learn war anymore”).
PRESENT HUMBLING (5-11). Isaiah turns back to the present by exhorting his brethren to “walk in the light of the Lord” (5). That the theme is humbling the proud is seen in the repeated mention of the proud being humbled, especially in verses 9-11. They exhibited their pride in their rebellious idolatry and worldliness (6), their trust in their wealth (7), and their corrupted idol worship (8). The humbling would be enacted by the terrible, majestic display of God’s power directed against His proud people (9-11). None could stand against His judgment.
ULTIMATE JUDGMENT (12-22). The theme of humbling pride continues, but now Isaiah looks ahead to “a day” of judgment. This is not the final judgment, but an apparent allusion to Babylonian Captivity. It will be a thorough judgment, as demonstrated with the exhaustive nature of the pronouncement–“against all that is lifted up” (12), “against all the cedars of Lebanon…all the oaks of Bashan… against all…against every…,” etc. (13-17). At that time, idolatry will be eradicated (18), the people will be humbled (19-22), and God will be recognized as the supreme sovereign that He is (17). Man, by comparison, is nothing (22).
In the background, Uzziah represents the prideful self-reliance and disrespect of God that is pictured throughout this chapter. While Uzziah would ultimately be humbled and humble himself, his pride got himself and his people in trouble. Isaiah uses his contemporary circumstances to show what always happens when man trusts in himself and his accomplishments at the expense of submission to the Sovereign God. Judgment always follows our deeds, good or evil. We can see the ultimate fulfillment of this when all nations some day stand before the Messiah at the second coming (Mat. 25:31-46).
Truly, “No one ever wants to be among the proud on that day of accountability. Instead, people naturally want to be among those from all over the world who will enjoy the privilege of living in the paradise of God’s kingdom. It will be a great day of peace, reconciliation, and inspiration (2:2–4). The recompense that each person will receive will be based on decisions made long before that final day arrives. Thus, all listeners who hear Isaiah’s words must choose whom they will serve and glorify. Will it be God—or man” (Smith, NAC,142-143).
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