| Scripture |
Expanded Comments |
| |
|
| 1 The thing that Isaiah son of Amoz hath seen concerning Judah and Jerusalem: |
Judah and Jerusalem – Natural Israel. By the time this prophecy will have begun to be fulfilled, spiritual Israel will be beyond the veil. SM736:1
Isaiah's prophecies repeatedly mingle and commingle the events of his day with the events of our day; intruding the Messianic Millennial Kingdom into the prophecies which specially relate to natural Israel. R2372:5
|
| 2 And it hath come to pass, In the latter end of the days, Established is the mount of Jehovah's house, Above the top of the mounts, And it hath been lifted up above the heights, And flowed unto it have all the nations. |
In the last days – When the last member of the elect Church of Christ shall have passed beyond the veil. SM730:2, R735:T, R362:3
That the mountain – The Kingdom. C235; D628; E44; R1914:2, R5990:1
Of the LORD'S house – Of the house of Jehovah. E44
"Whose house are we." (Heb. 3:6) R269:2
Messiah's Kingdom, represented on earth by Israel, as the divine channel of blessing, with the Ancient Worthies, as princes in all the earth. SM730:1, SM731:1, SM732:2, SM733:1
Established – Now being established permanently; when the first resurrection is complete. R172:1, R3175:5, R5990:1
In the top of – Overruling other kingdoms. D628, E44
It will be the chief mountain or Kingdom. R4990:1
The place of power. R269:2
Superseding. R5990:1
The Temple was permanently established, not only in Jerusalem, but in the top of the mountain. R172:1
Not only true of the spiritual Kingdom, but including also an earthly Kingdom of "Israelites indeed" headed by the resurrected Ancient Worthies. SM732:2
As a "city set on a hill that cannot be hid." (Matt. 5:14) R338:5, R421:6
The mountains – All earthly kingdoms. D628; E44; R5990:1, R4990:1; SM732:2
Shall be exalted – This exaltation began in April, 1878. C235; R5990:2
Above the hills – The smaller governments of earth. R5575:4, R5990:1
Republics. D628
The highest peaks. D628
All nations – This Kingdom will intervene between the divine government and mankind because the fallen race is unable to meet the requirements of the divine law. R5181:2
Shall flow unto it – As the world shall come to appreciate the new order of things, all nations shall flow up to it. SM734:T, SM735:T
The whole world will send to the wonderful "princes" to have them extend everywhere their government, their yoke of righteousness, seen to be so beneficial to Israel. D628
The New covenant will be inaugurated with natural Israel and gradually the whole world will become attached to Israel as part of Abraham's earthly seed. CR485:2
|
| 3 And gone have many peoples and said, 'Come, and we go up unto the mount of Jehovah, Unto the house of the God of Jacob, And He doth teach us of His ways, And we walk in His paths, For from Zion goeth forth a law, And a word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. |
Many people – The world in general. R5428:5; SM735:1; OV85:1; Q60:7
Instead of the Lord's empire being a typical one over the little nation of Israel, it will be the antitypical one, as King over all the earth. R2550:3
Shall go and say – When disturbed by the commotions and trouble of the Epiphania, the Apokalupsis of the King in the pouring out of the seven last plagues. R2957:1, R2975:4, R3869:1
Come ye – They will be completely disgusted with Satan's ruling, and his deceptions, and glad to submit to the reign of Christ. R1233:4
Let us go up – In the time of trouble, and subsequently. R5655:6, R517:4*; Q637:3
Let us submit to the new Kingdom of God. R269:2
All nations will be desiring salvation and the blessings of restitution. R5655:6, R5000:2, R4796:1
Seeing God's blessings coming to the nation of Israel, the others will want a share also. Q170:8, Q205:T, Q210:T
When the iron rod shall have accomplished the work of destruction, then will the hand that smote be turned to heal, and the people will return to the Lord and he shall heal them. A256
As, similarly, representatives of many nations came to hear Solomon. R2053:1
Let us seek protection and render obedience to the Kingdom of the Lord. R687:1
Mountain of the LORD – Kingdom of Jehovah. A297; E44; SM735:1
To the house – Temple. SM735:1
The God of Jacob – The New covenant will be made only with Israel. The only way other nations can receive a share of restitution favors will be by becoming Israelites. R4575:4
The world, weak and awe-struck by the time of trouble, will begin to take notice of Israel's rising again to national life and the blessings bestowed upon them. R4555:3
They will say, he has done for the Jew first, but he will also do for us. R4840:5
He will teach us – As well as the Jews. R4796:4, R4575:5
As a counsellor. (Isa. 9:6) R1747:4
After the time of trouble, they will be glad to forsake their own ways and come into harmony with God. R269:3, R5428:5
Walk In his paths – "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth." (Psa 25:10) R2334:6
"They shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them and shall heal them." (Isa. 19:22) A256
Present temptations to evil will be removed when Satan shall be bound. R542:4*
Not until they do this will the Mediator recognize them. R5428:5; Q60:7
Led forth from sin along the grand highway to perfection. R1024:4
The Gentiles, seeing how the Lord blesses the Jews for so doing, will want similar blessings. Q206:2
Those who fail to do this will have tribulation that they may learn righteousness. R4729:2
For out of Zion – The spiritual phase of the Kingdom, the glorified Christ, Head and Body. A297, C293; D628; CR156:6; CR157:2; R4555:3, R4575:4, R5000:2
The true Zionism of the past eighteen centuries has been of the heavenly kind. CR156:6
Go forth the law – As soon as the last member of the Church is glorified, for correction in righteousness of the world's affairs. CR157:1, 3; CR156:6; R4542:5
Now we persuade, urge, entreat men to come to the Lord; then it will be different. R4542:5
Word of the LORD – Divine messages, through the "princes." (Psa 45:16) CR157:2; D620, R3869:2, R5583:4
From Jerusalem – The seat of the earthly phase of the Kingdom in the hands of the "princess" A297, C293; D629; SM735:1; R4071:6, R5293:4, R5000:2; OV96:3
Jerusalem will become the capital city of the world. Q790:2
The Ancient Worthies will constitute the earthly Jerusalem, the capital of the new dispensation. CRI57:2
The re-established fleshly Israel. C293; R4575:4, R1341:2
Fleshly Israel, recovered from blindness, shall be used as a medium through which the streams of salvation, issuing from glorified, spiritual Israel, shall flow to all the families of the earth. C293
These two phases of the Kingdom will be in communication and co-operation through the Millennium. R4071:6
From Israel, under the New covenant, through Israel's Mediator, a way of approach to God will be opened up for all the Gentiles. OV96:3, OV85:1
The earthly phase of the Kingdom will be essentially Israelitish. R286:6
The nation that will not go up to Jerusalem will have no blessings. (Zech. 14:17-19) R4819:5
|
| 4 And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples, And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more war. |
He shall judge – Previously-in the great time of trouble. D628, D629
Rewarding and punishing justly. SM735:1
And shall rebuke – By his judgments. R1469:6
And they shall – As a result of the Lord's rebukes and subsequently his law and word. D629
The connecting verses show that the conditions of peace referred to will not be established until after the Kingdom of the Lord is set up on the earth. Q812:2
Beat their swords – After they have been brought to a condition of willingness. R269:2
Into plowshares – We Christians have not gotten them to do so. R5061:3
Learn war any more – Under Messiah's Kingdom wars will cease forever. R5760:3; OV318:5
"Prepare war" (Joel 3:9, 10) is the prophecy that applies now. R353:2*
|
| 5 O house of Jacob, come, And we walk in the light of Jehovah.' |
O house of Jacob – Natural Israel. A300, SM736:1
Walk in the light – Truth. Those most prompt to respond will get the greater blessing. A20; SM736:1
|
| 6 For Thou hast left Thy people, the house of Jacob. For they have been filled from the east, And [are] sorcerers like the Philistines, And with the children of strangers strike hands. |
Thou hast forsaken – Verses 6 to 10 give some reasons why God's favor has been, for a time, withdrawn from Israel. SM736:2
|
| 7 And its land is full of silver and gold, And there is no end to its treasures, And its land is full of horses, And there is no end to its chariots, |
Full of horses – Doctrinal hobbies. C316
Of their chariots – Worldly organizations. C316
|
| 8 And its land is full of idols, To the work of its hands it boweth itself, To that which its fingers have made, |
Is full of idols – The idolatry of money, covetousness, etc. B139; R1836:1
|
| 9 And the low boweth down, and the high is humbled, And Thou acceptest them not. |
|
| 10 Enter into a rock, and be hidden in dust, Because of the fear of Jehovah, And because of the honour of His excellency. |
|
| 11 The haughty eyes of man have been humbled, And bowed down hath been the loftiness of men, And set on high hath Jehovah alone been in that day. |
Shall be humbled – They will not be boasting then. OV420:3
Pride is a great obstacle, hindering approach to truth and righteousness. The Almighty is not sufficiently reverenced. SM737:1
Haughtiness of men – The wisdom of the learned will prove futile in the time of trouble. SM737:1
Shall be bowed down – Nevertheless his judgment will be for the world's deliverance, for he wounds to heal. R1869:3
The LORD alone – The result will be the glory of the Lord and the humbling of human pride. SM737:1
Exalted in that day – In the time of trouble. B139
The thousand-year day in which Messiah is to be King over all the earth. PD3/8
The Day now begun. OV420:3
When men give up the contest, God will exalt himself and fully set up his government. R1213:6*
|
| 12 For a day [is] to Jehovah of Hosts, For every proud and high one, And for every lifted up and low one, |
Upon every one – Heavy upon every proud one. SM737:2
|
| 13 And for all cedars of Lebanon, The high and the exalted ones, And for all oaks of Bashan, |
Cedars of Lebanon – The ecclesiastically great. SM737:2
The oaks of Bashan – The politically strong. SM737:2
|
| 14 And for all the high mountains, And for all the exalted heights, |
The high mountains – The kingdoms of this world. SM737:2
All the hills – The smaller princedoms. SM737:2
|
| 15 And for every high tower, And for every fenced wall, |
High tower – Human organization. SM737:2
Every fenced wall – Symbol of civil power. D40
|
| 16 And for all ships of Tarshish, And for all desirable pictures. |
Ships of Tarshish – Possibly a reference to the destruction of the Spanish navy in the Spanish-American war. R2506:5*
|
| 17 And bowed down hath been the haughtiness of man, And humbled the loftiness of men, And set on high hath Jehovah alone been in that day. |
The LORD alone – God must be first under the new order of things. SM738:T
|
| 18 And the idols they completely pass away. |
And the Idols – The idolatry of money, covetousness, etc. B139; R1836:1
|
| 19 And [men] have entered into caverns of rocks, And into caves of dust, Because of the fear of Jehovah, And because of the honour of His excellency, In His rising to terrify the earth. |
And they shall go – Realizing their inability to cope with the mighty, pent-up forces with which they will have to deal when the terrible crisis arrives. D148
Holes of the rocks – Represent attempted protection of human organizations, insurance companies, secret societies, etc. SM738:1
Caves of the earth – Fortresses of society Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, Trade Unions, Guilds, Trusts and all societies, secular and ecclesiastical. B139
When he ariseth – Assumes authority, takes command. "At that time shall Michael stand up." (Dan. 12:1) B147[B147:2]
To shake terribly – So that it may be removed. D55; SM738:2
None of the shelters of society will be able to protect from the trouble which is coming. SM738:1
The earth – The present social order. D55
|
| 20 In that day doth man cast his idols of silver, And his idols of gold, That they have made for him to worship, To moles, and to bats, |
In that day – In the time of trouble. D149, R2506:6
Now so very close at hand-"even at the door." (Matt. 24:33) D148
|
| 21 To enter into cavities of the rocks, And into clefts of the high places, Because of the fear of Jehovah, And because of the honour of His excellency, In His rising to terrify the earth. |
Fear of the LORD – Fear of his judgments which, in a natural way, will produce the great time of trouble. B140
Shake terribly – "Until all the foundations of the earth (the foundations of society-the hitherto established principles of law and order) are moved." (Psa. 82:5) D55
And to destroy its corruptions. B140
Present civilization will be destroyed because the Lord has something far better for the world. OV420:3
|
| 22 Cease for you from man, Whose breath [is] in his nostrils, For in what is he esteemed |
Cease ye from man – It is time for the Lord's people to recognize the Lord as their only King and Director. R3217:3
|