Isaías 2

Isaías 2:5-9

Wiersbe notes that "The growth of Eastern religions in the modern Western world is a phenomenon that is both frightening and challenging. Even nonreligious people are practicing Eastern forms of meditation and relaxation, following techniques that are being taught in university classes and business seminars. (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Comforted. An Old Testament study. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books) Filled with - Dear reader, you can mark down the maxim that whatever you allow to "fill" you will eventually control you. If you are filled with anger, rage or jealousy, these emotions will control you. If you are filled with the Spirit, He will control you (Ep 5:18-note, compare Col 3:16-note for a practical way to "be continually filled"). If you are filled with eastern teachings (New Age, eastern mysticism, etc), be aware that these influences are not neutral but will exert control on your mind and subsequently on your thoughts, words and deeds. There is a subtle but growing influence infiltrating the the modern evangelical church and it is characterized by the pursuit of "mystical" experiences (eg, mystical practices in prayer, etc). The closer the day of Christ's return, the more subtle will be the counterfeit religious practices! In order to be a worthy Berean (Ac 17:11-note) fortify yourself daily with the Word of Truth (Mt 4:4, Jn 17:17, 1Pe 2:2-note) so that you will be enabled by the Spirit to discern truth from error in these "last" of the last days (He 5:14-note, 1Th 5:21, 22-note), cp Col 2:8-note) The tragedy (among many) is that according to Isa 49:6 Israel (Judah) was to have been "a light among the nations (Gentiles)" so that God's "salvation may reach to the end of the earth" (God's commission to the nation, which Paul took seriously and carried out as he said in Acts 13:47). As a result of their defilement, the chosen people instead of being light and salt to the nations, had lost their savor and had "become tasteless… good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men." (Mt 5:13-note). Beloved, lest we are too hard on Judah, we need to examine the saltiness of our salt and the clarity of our light before lost men and women (both Jews and Gentiles) whom God has placed in our path. (Mt 5:14, 15, 16-note) Chuck Smith writes that in Is 2:6, 7, 8 gives us "An apt description of present-day humanism. Man worships the creature rather than the Creator." From the east - This area would appear to include the region of Mesopotamia. One cannot miss the striking contrast of evil streaming into Israel from the nations in Isa 2:6 and the prophecy in Isa 2:1 which depicts that glorious day when "all the nations will stream to" the mountain of the house of Yahweh, to Mt Zion, the city of and seat of the Messiah in the Millennium! Indeed, in that day Israel is miraculously transformed from a nation filled with evil and the judgment of Jehovah and into a nation filled with the knowledge of God (Isa 2:3) and radiating the glory of God (Isaiah 4:5, 6:3)! And they are soothsayers like the Philistines: Is 8:19; 47:12,13; Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; Deut 18:10, 11, 12, 13, 14; 1Chronicles 10:13 Soothsayer (Hebrew = anan; Lxx = kledonismos = divination; observation of a sign - 9 verses in OT = Lev 19:26; Deut 18:10, 14; Jdg 9:37; 2Ki 21:6; 2Chr 33:6; Isa 2:6; 57:3; Jer 27:9) (Literally “and omen readers like the Philistines.”) - a seer or one who is supposed to be able to predict the future by various means. One thinks of the modern fascination with Nostradamus (in Jan, 2009 there were over 7 million hits for the search term Nostradamus [8.5 mil - Jan, 2016]! This compares with some 17 million for Messiah [34.8 mil - Jan, 2016].) The American Heritage Dictionary defines "sooth" as truth (or real, reality) and thus the idea is one who claims to speak the truth. Thus in a real sense a soothsayer is essentially a false prophet. The 1828 Webster's dictionary defines soothsayer as "A foreteller; a prognosticator; one who undertakes to foretell future events without inspiration." The Pentateuch (Lev. 19:26; Dt. 18:10, 14) had clearly forbidden soothsayers in the land, but now the land was filled with their presence which demonstrates how far Israel had departed from Jehovah's righteous commandments . NET Note - Through this line and the preceding, the prophet contends that Israel has heavily borrowed the pagan practices of the east and west (in violation of Lev 19:26; Deut 18:9–14). Whom should have Judah consulted? Obviously the omniscient One and yet they exchanged this lofty privileged access for lowly pagan inquiry. Like the Philistines (cp 1Sa 6:2; 2Ki 1:2) - God's holy people were resorting to the unholy practices of the pagans (cp "uncircumcised Philistines" - Jdg 14:3, 1Sa 17:26, 36). This is ever the danger for God's people in this fallen, seductive world. Have you been ensnared by pagan practices and/or practitioners like Nostradamus who appeal to that part in all of us which wants to know the future? If you want to know the real truth about the future, then seek the true Prophet (Jesus Christ - predicted in Dt 18:15, 18), and God's Plan for the Ages in the Bible (see Bible Prophecy and God's Plan for the Ages according to the Bible) The contemporary prophet Micah has a similar prophecy in which God Himself declares… I will cut off sorceries (Heb = kesheph = magic, witchcraft, cp 2Ki 9:22, Isa 47:9, 12, Nah 3:4) from your hand (Context: Micah was a prophet to Judah about 700BC and so was a contemporary of Isaiah), And you will have fortunetellers no more. (Mic 5:12-note) The chosen people repeatedly refused to choose the only God and instead chose those who were no gods. They stubbornly refused to acknowledge in their heart that God is (justifiably) a jealous God (Ex 20:5, 34:14, Dt 4:24, 5:9, 6:15, Josh 24:19) Who tolerates no rivals. Their continual refusal to acknowledge His Lordship in their life, led them to repeatedly incurring the righteous wrath of God God's wrath is not purely vindictive or retributive but ultimately seeks to destroy all idols and foolish religious practices so that His people will recognize Him as the only God. Dear believer, beloved by the Most High God, are there any idols you are hiding in the closet of your heart? I implore you… Do not be deceived (present imperative + a negative = Stop being led astray, stop being seduced by the vain, empty idols of this present evil world system, Gal 1:4) , God is not mocked (e.g., beware of Israel's bad example - SLOWLY READ AND PONDER 2Chr 36:15, 16, cp Pr 1:30); for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap (Ho 8:7 contrasted with Ho 10:12). For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit (Jn 6:63) reap eternal life. (Gal 6:7, 8, cp He 3:13-note) Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny. Are you like Judah and Jerusalem being deceived by sin and tolerating it like a pet? If you are, then you need to remember the fate of the man with the pet boa constrictor (Do a Google search - use the following search terms and keep the quotes as written >> "pet boa" killed). After 15 years of living with his owner, one day the "pet boa" would not let its "owner" out of its grip resulting in the owner's tragic death. Wild animals remain wild and so does Sin. Do not be deceived (Stop being deceived)! T hey strike bargains with the children of foreigners: Exodus 34:16; Numbers 25:1,2; Deuteronomy 21:11, 12, 13; 1Kings 11:1,2; Nehemiah 13:23; Ps 106:35; Jeremiah 10:2 Strike (56056) (sapaq) is a verb meaning to clap, strike or smite. In this context sapaq refers to the striking of hands, that is, making deals with foreigners. Note that "bargain" is added by the translators to help convey this sense. The NET Note does not necessarily agree that this is the sense of sapaq, but NAS, Amplified, ESV and NIV do pick up this nuance of meaning in their translations. "In Hebrew the root means “to clasp hands with a person,” to associate with someone." (Young) Entanglement by the Cords of one's own Sin - Not long after a wealthy contractor had finished building the Tombs prison in New York, he was found guilty of forgery and sentenced to several years in the prison he had built! As he was escorted into a cell of his own making, the contractor said, “I never dreamed when I built this prison that I would be an inmate one day.” (cp Nu 32:23) Sin will take you further than you ever wanted to stray! Cost you more than you ever dreamed you would pay! Keep you longer than you ever thought you would stay! Isaiah 2:7 Their land has also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures; Their land has also been filled with horses And there is no end to their chariots. (NASB: Lockman) English Translation of the Greek (Septuagint): For their land is filled with silver and gold, and there was no number of their treasures; their land also is filled with horses, and there was no number of chariots. Amplified: Their land also is full of silver and gold; neither is there any end to their treasures. Their land is also full of horses; neither is there any end to their chariots. [Dt 17:14, 15, 16, 17] (Amplified Bible - Lockman) KJV: Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: NET: Their land is full of gold and silver; there is no end to their wealth. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. (NJB) NLT: Their land has also been filled with silver and gold, And there is no end to their treasures; Their land has also been filled with horses, And there is no end to their chariots. (NLT - Tyndale House) Young's Literal: 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, Their land has also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures: Dt 17:16,17; 1Ki 10:21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27; 2Chr 9:20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; Jeremiah 5:27,28; Jas 5:1, 2, 3; Re 18:3,11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 SATIATED WITH SILVER! Filled with silver and gold… no end to their treasures - Judah instead of placing their hope in the Holy One, chose to trust their accumulation of wealth in the form of precious metals and a plethora of possessions. This love of the world's treasures instead of God is as much idolatry as any carved image. In some ways, this misplaced love of money and things is worse than wooden and stone carvings, for it deceives one into justifying that after all I'm not a pagan idol worshiper!" This genre of thinking permeates the insidious idolatry that has permeated American culture in the twenty-first century. If we fill ourselves with anything other than God, the result is emptiness and abasement. Jehovah's warning through Moses could not have been any clearer but for the most part Israel's kings (and people, for the people followed their kings - Judges 5:2 says "the leaders led in Israel and the people followed") "When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. 16 “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ 17 “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself (like the wisest man who ever lived did - 1Ki 3:12, 4:31, 1Ki 11:1-2!), lest his heart turn away (1Ki 11:2, 3, 4, 9!); nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. 18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it ALL the days of his life (How better than by Memorizing His Word), that (Always be alert to this strategic, instructive term of purpose) he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that (Another term of purpose) his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that (A third term of purpose in this short warning section!) he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left; in order that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel." (Deut 17:14-20) Filled (04390 )(male) can have a spatial sense (which is the case in this verse), as when the locusts filled the houses of the Egyptians (Ex 10:6) or the wine press (cp Re 14:19, 20, 19:15) being filled (figuratively speaking of wickedness) (Joel 3:13).\ Filled (male) is again translated in the Septuagint (LXX) with the verb empiplemi (this Greek verb also used in Isa 2:6, 7, 8, 9:19; 11:3, 9; 13:21; 14:21; 21:3; 22:2; 23:18; 27:6; 29:19; 31:4; 33:5; 34:6, 7; 44:16; 58:10, 11; 65:20; 66:11) which means to completely take up the space of something or to provide a sufficient amount (to satisfy - something idols can NEVER do!) See above for discussion of what fills someone will control them! There is no end in treasures… no end to their chariots (violating Dt 17:16-17 quoted above) - More than enough is never enough! When one of the world's richest men was asked what would it take to make him "happy" (not blessed which is independent of circumstances) he quickly quipped "One dollar more!" Indeed "Greed has two daughters named ‘Give’ and ‘Give.’!" (Pr 30:15) Paul instructed Timothy (and all disciples of Jesus) to be satisfied with "enough" writing "if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For (don't miss this strategic term of explanation) the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee (present imperative = only possible to obey as we are filled with God's Spirit!) from these things, you man of God and pursue (present imperative) - notice we must not just flee from but we must "flee toward" so to speak -- this is the eternal principle of the expulsive power of fleeing toward a higher, more noble affection as we surrender to the Spirit of Christ - read Thomas Chalmers' classic sermon) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness." (1Ti 6:8-11). . Their land has also been filled with horses and there is no end to their chariots: Is 30:16; 31:1; Dt 17:16; 1Ki 4:26; 10:26; Ps 20:7; Ho 14:3 SATIATED WITH STEEDS! Filled with - Satiated means satisfied to the full. Sadly the land of Judah was satisfied with (gorged with might be a better adjective!) the wells of the world so to speak and not with the Well of Living Water from Yeshua Who satisfies forever! (cp John 4:10, 13, 14, John 7:37-39). Jeremiah said it this way "“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, That can hold no water." (Jer 2:13) Horses… chariots - Sadly the wisest man who lived committed this very atrocity - 1 Kings 4:26 And Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. 1Kings 10:26 Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, and he stationed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. Wiersbe - The prosperity of the nation made the leaders proud and covetous. Instead of trusting the Lord, they trusted their wealth and war equipment, not realizing that neither would deliver them in the coming day of judgment. (Ibid) Solomon wisely warned that "Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people." (Pr 14:34) David admonishes and encourages us with his example writing… Some boast (trust = KJV) in chariots, and some in horses; BUT (term of contrast) we will boast in the Name of the LORD, our God (see the study - Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower). (Ps 20:7)