Walking in the Light of the Lord
Michael Hansen
Advent 2022 / Isaiah 2:1–5
Introduction
This morning marks our first sermon in Advent and during this season of the church calendar we will look at several passages from the prophet Isaiah. Like many passages in Isaiah, the ones I will be preaching from are familiar to you and filled with wonderful imagery of God’s mighty acts for his people.
But one of my aims is to help you understand these passages within the place that are situated in Israel’s history and the history of salvation. Reading the prophetic books can often be very difficult. The prophets don’t speak like we do and moreover, they ministered during a time in Israel’s history that is often a little foggier in the minds of Christians.
With that in mind, it will be helpful for me to offer a little historical context for Isaiah’s prophecy.
We know that Isaiah ministered during the reign of Uzziah (Is 6). This means that Isaiah comes well after the reign of King David and Solomon. Israel split into two kingdoms after Solomon’s reign. There was the Kingdom of Israel in the North and there was the Kingdom of Judah in the South. Jerusalem was in Judah and that’s important because that was where the Temple was.
The short version of the story is that things went south for the Northern Kingdom pretty quickly. It’s there that you have King Ahaz and Jezebel and the stories of Elijah and Elisha.
Things were more complicated in Judah. Because of the presence of the Temple and faithful worship, Judah had seasons of faithfulness to YHWH but would also have seasons of wicked rebellion.
In the time of Isaiah, the Assyrian Empire is looming on the horizon. The Northern Kingdom, which is closer, is about to be entirely conquered by Assyria and Judah could be in the next kingdom in the crosshairs.
However, during the reign of Uzziah, Judah doesn’t have much to worry about. They have defeated the Philistines in battle, they are very wealthy and they are living in luxury.
But Isaiah bursts onto the scene with a word from YHWH for Judah. And the word is that while Judah seems wealthy and safe, they are in fact in grave danger. Uzziah is a wicked king who is exalting himself. Judah may have conquered Philistia but they are worshipping Philistine idols.
Isaiah proclaims to Judah that God sits in judgement against them and that God brings low those who exalt themselves.
We will see these themes play out in our passage this morning as well as in future sermons.
Our passage breaks into three parts:
1. In Verse 2 Isaiah shows how one day the house of the LORD will be establishment and lifted up above all
2. In Verses 3-4, Isaiah shows what it will look like when God’s house is exalted.
3. In Verse 5 Isaiah makes a call to the House of Judah to be faithful to God.
The Establishment of God’s House (vv. 1-2)
Is 2:1-2 “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,”
Isaiah speaks of what is going to come about in the “Latter Days”.
The term “latter days” can be a confusing one for many Christians because images of the Left Behind books and movies pop into our heads when we hear the phrase.
Ultimately, what the prophets are referring when they speak of the “Latter Days” is the time of Jesus, and not the end of history as we often think of it.
Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Galatians and in his first letter to the Corinthians.
In Galatians 4:4-5 Paul states that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
This phrase, “fullness of time” pairs with what the prophets deem the “latter days”. It is the time of Christ and the church of the first century.
However, even more clear than the Galatians example is what Paul states in 1 Cor 10. In that Chapter Paul is writing about how the history of Israel exodus and wilderness wanderings were written to instruct the church. He states, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” (1 Cor 10:11)
Paul and the other authors of the New Testament teach that the “latter days” that the prophets spoke of refer to the time of Christ. And this is a great shock because it is as though the end of history has shown up in the middle of history.
This is why theologians refer to the “already” and the “not yet” of the kingdom of God.
What prophets like Isaiah, Malachi and others spoke about concerning the end of history has “already” started in the incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and reign of Christ. Indeed it continues to take place by the power of the Holy Spirit in the church.
But the kingdom in all its glorious fullness has “not yet” arrived as it will when Christ returns at his second advent.
What Isaiah is seeing dimly here is what we have seen clearly from the pages of the gospels, the book of Acts, and from 2000 years of church history. The mountain of the house of the LORD has been established as the highest of the mountains and it has been lifted above the hills. Moreover, the nations have steamed to it!
In the ancient world, temples to the gods were built atop mountains. It was on mountains where the gods met with men to receive their worship. Indeed God meets with Moses on the top of Mount Sinai and the Temple in Jerusalem was built upon a mount. What Isaiah teaches is that it is the mountain of God that is raised up above all the other gods that men worship.
It is difficult for us to sense the optimism. We look around at our culture that is seeking to abandon the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and we can easily forget the humble beginnings of the gospels progress. What god of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Babylonians, Egyptians or Germanic peoples still stands in comparison to Christ?
The answer is none!
What’s more, look at how the nations have, over the past 2000 years bent the knee Jesus Christ and have ascended the mountain of God. Yes, many nations in the west are in the processes of apostatizing. But we should still stand in awe of the fact that what Isaiah saw dimly in his day has been taking place for the past 2000 years!
The image here is that of the nations “ascending” the mountain to God like an ascension offering. This is why Paul referred to his ministry to the Gentiles as a priestly task. Paul sought to to take the Gentiles and offer them up to God as an ascension offering just as the priests would take the animal sacrifices as an ascension offering to God in the old covenant. This is why Paul tells the Romans “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
During the time of the church, we are seeing the mountain of God established as the highest mountain. This process doesn’t follow a straight line. We look around the world today and it is in places like Africa, South America and South East Asia that the church is growing most. While here in America and western Europe the church seems to be dying. But just as in Isaiah’s day, the message of the prophet was a message of life after death. Judah may be conquered and taken into the death of exile, but Yahweh will resurrect his people from exile in the Latter Days!
The Response of the Nations (vv. 3-4)
Is 2:3-4 “and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for 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 anymore.”
In verses 3-4 we see the response to God’s actions in the latter days. As the mountain of the Lord is raised up, the nations flow to it and many peoples come to the mountain.
The Gentiles are coming to the House of the Lord wanting to be taught of Yahweh. They say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”
Isaiah sees the future Day of the Lord and sees what Christ proclaimed in the sermon on the mount. The mountain of God is a mountain that is a light to the nations. In Matthew 5Jesus speaks of a city that cannot be hidden because it is set on a hill. This city on a hill is the House of the God of Jacob that is lifted up as the highest of all mountains.
It attracts and guides the nations because, “out of [it] shall go forth the law and the word of the LORD.”
It is the law of God and the word of God that are good and pleasant and create life and vibrancy wherever they are received. It was when Adam rejected God’s word that sin and death entered the world. It is when Israel reject God’s law and turned to other gods that they experience death. Paul makes it clear in Rom 1, it is when pagan nations reject what God has made clear to them in the creation that they descend further and further into the chaos of sin.
But when the word of God is obeyed there is life and health and abundance. And this is what the Gentiles are attracted to. They hear the wisdom of God’s word and they want to learn to walk in such wisdom.
› This is important for you to understand as a local expression of Christ’s church. You do not need to be ashamed of any part of God’s word. God’s word is life and health and goodness for all men and there is never regret over obeying what God has commanded or spoken.
› Our culture hates God’s word and despises his law and therefore there is a lot of pressure on Christians to minimize what God has said or distance ourselves from what the Bible teaches. But this is foolishness.
› Look at the fruit of the society that rejects what God says and look at the fruit of obedience to God’s word.
› Jesus says in Luke 9 “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed.” (Lk 9:26)
› Do not be ashamed!
In verse 4 we find that God will be a judge between the nations and decide disputes and that the result will be universal peace.
By beating their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, the nations of the world are returning to an edenic garden states of existence. There is no longer any threat to make weapons of war necessary.
Good judgement is a blessing from God. When good judgements are made there is peace in the world around us.
› There is a need for good judgement in the world and good judgement arises out of knowing God and knowing what his word says and how his creation works. This is wisdom and Christians should be the first to know God’s word well and know how God has ordered his creation well (this includes human affairs).
› We as a church should seek ways to exercise sound judgement in our churches, families and communities. As Christians seek to be faithful over the little things that God has given to them, God may be pleased to expand the scope of Christian responsibility.
The Call to Jacob (v. 5)
Is 2:5 “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
The passage ends in verse 5 with a “call to Jacob.”
There is a subtle juxtaposition going on throughout this passage that Isaiah draws our attention to in the last verse.
Isaiah’s ministry is going on during a very wicked time in Judah’s history. But this wickedness is hidden by military success and material prosperity.
By showing how the nations will stream to Zion in the future, Isaiah is draws a sharp contrast with how Judah refuses to turn to its God in the present.
If verses 2-4 are a glimpse of the future glory, verse 5 is a display of Judah’s present disgrace. Judah refuses to acknowledge the God of Jacob as the God above all other gods as they worship idols in the high places. Judah cares not for God’s law as they are “selective in their obedience to God’s instructions (Is 1:10-15)”
Isaiah’s entire message to Judah could be summed in his words to Judah in verse 5 Is 2:5“O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
Israel’s history is largely a history of their failure to be a light to the nations. In Dt. 4:5-8 Israel is about to take possession of the Promised Land. Moses tells them that if the keep and do the commandments of God in the sight of the peoples they will respond by saying“Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” They will be astonished that there is a nation whose God is so near to them as YHWH is to Israel. The nations will be astounded by the righteous rules and statues of God’s people that they will be attracted to Israel like a light on the hill.
Unlike the nations around them, Judah has the light of the LORD around them already. God’s word was to be a “lamp to Israel’s feet and a light to Israel’s path.” (Ps 119:105) Isaiah is calling on Judah to walk as God’s people have always been called to walk, as a light to the nations.
This applies to our context! God is in your midst as he was in the midst of Judah, and yet you are able to ignore God in your preference for other gods that are in fact no gods at all.
Conclusion
So my concluding call to you this morning is that of Isaiah’s: Walk in the light of the LORD. God’s light comes to you most clearly in his word as it is read and preached to you in the context of corporate worship: therefore listen attentively! God’s word comes to you as he declares his covenant promises to his people in baptism and the Eucharist. Attend to these things earnestly. And God’s word comes to you as you hear it on the lips of your brothers and sisters in Christ. In your singing and in your conversation, as Paul wrote to the Colossians, let the Word of God dwell in your richly.
Walk in God’s light!
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