First thing Amillennialists have said to me that doesn't fit: Isaiah 2 is about this current age, not a future age, or they may say it's about the eternal state, I've heard both from Amillenialists.
(facepalm)...Jamdoc...
Well, that is from a controversial chapter that
I believe is almost universally misunderstood to mean a "future event." Jamdoc is certainly not alone in how he feels about this. Partly because we live in an "instant gratification" society that can't see the forest for the trees!
But the "context" is the last days (
which is the whole New Testament period according to scripture) and the establishment of God's kingdom (
which was at the time of the cross), and the cessation of warfare (
which is also of Christ, the Prince of Peace). The problem (
as I see it) is that people
continually err in trying to look at prophecy as a
physical/literal narrative. Worldly wars to cease, earthly kingdoms and thrones, physical lands, working on the land as farmers, it is usually always the same error. A lack of understanding that scripture interprets scripture and that God speaks in symbolism. Let us pick up the context from verse 1.
Isaiah 2:1-4
- "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
- And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
- And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, 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 the LORD from Jerusalem.
- And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
I believe that these passages speak not of universal peace on earth in the future, nor in heaven at Christ's second coming, but to the prophecies of Christ's first advent. The last days are the
whole New Testament period, the new dispensation of Christ's Kingdom.
Acts 2:16-17
- "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
- And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"
The last days encompass the whole New Testament period, and were established in Christ's millennial Kingdom reign, and signified by the sign wonders at Pentecost as Peter declared! Selah! That is when the Mountain (kingdom) of the Lord's house was established over all kingdoms, and the nations or Gentiles began to flow into it. This is wherein the King or ruler of this Kingdom brought peace to the whole earth (as opposed to primarily national Israel) and established judgment within the nations. This is how He ended their warfare. It is all pointing to the establishment of Christ's millennial kingdom reign, which is now. You may be able to see this a little clearer if we go about it systematically, letting scripture interpret itself.
Here is a brief overview if you want to receive the love of the Truth:
1. And he shall judge among the nations
To judge among the nations is illustrating that Christ will set up his Kingdom among all nations of the world, and that it will no longer be primarily national Israel. Christ judges the nations as sovereign ruler, governing all matters of God's law. Thus to judge among the nations means there will be a new dispensation, that Christ's kingdom will go to all, and He will sit as judge or ruler of all nations. Judgment is His rule of law, and rule is judgment. for example, even as the Judges God appointed in the Old Testament God were the rulers. Indeed it was for the purpose of executing this rule or judgment that Christ came. His Judging among the nations is in His establishing the kingdom that goes forth executing rule. And in order to do this, Satan, who rules over the nations, had to be defeated for man's sake.
Jeremiah 23:5-6
- "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
- In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
Executing judgment on the earth is the rule in the Millennial reign of Christ (which is the New Testament Period), not something future or after Christ's second coming. And those who serve Christ are given this judgment in Him.
Revelation 20:3-4
- "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
- And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
Along with the coming of this Millennial Kingdom of Christ wherein the nations were enlightened, also came rule or judgment. The rule of God's law and the judgment of the Word. This is not something that is to come in the future, but that has already been accomplished by Christ. Even as Christ Himself explained.
John 12:31
- "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."
By whom? Judgment by Christ, that Satan's house or kingdom is being spoiled by the onslaught of this kingdom. So strong that the gates of Satan's prison house are not able to prevent Christ's church from being built in those Satan held captive (Hebrews 2:14-15). The nations are being judged among (even as Revelation 20 illustrated) by the advancement of the Kingdom rule. RIGHT NOW and it has been since Pentecost! As it was prophesied by God.
Isaiah 42:3-7
- "bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
- He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
- Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
- I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
- To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."
Judgment is established in the earth by Christ so that out of the dark prison house of Satan's kingdom comes the spoil. In other words, the gates of Satan's house cannot prevent the Kingdom of Christ from being advanced among the nations or Gentiles. This is the Millennial reign and clearly this speaks of Christ. It declares that He is the one that shall bring forth rule or judgment unto truth. What is being illustrated is a new prevalence of Christian principles among the nations or Gentiles is established through the Kingdom of Christ. Indeed, it is written of Him:
Matthew 12:18
- "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles."
So it is perfectly clear that when God prophesies that he shall judge among the nations (Gentiles), it speaks of this same prophesy. This same establishment of Christ's Kingdom. Christ not only binds Satan that these nations not be deceived, but brings His law to the nations, convincing their consciences by changing their hearts that they are no longer deceived.
2. Rebuke many People
Too often today's puffed-up Christians "full of themselves" look upon Biblical rebuke as an "attack" when it is often simply a correction. By God's corrections, rebukes or warnings of judgment He brings the nations all over the world into subjection under His rule. Often how one reacts to this correction depends upon in what spirit they have received it.
Proverbs 9:8
- "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee."
As God says, "correction is grievous unto him that forsakes the way, and he that hates reproof shall die - Proverbs 15:10"
Rebuke or reproof in the Word is how God corrects, and unfortunately too many do not want to hear it as I see many here on th is forum. I'm sure most of us have heard professed Christians, having been quoted scripture, say that "
..if that is the type of God you serve, I want no part of Him." That's because they don't like what "that God" has to say. They want another god, another Christ and another gospel wherein they can have it their own way. They scoff and even bristle at the rebuke of God. Nevertheless, here and there, there are those elect of the nations, who will respond differently to God's rebukes. The rebuke of nations by God is not to their shame, but to their glory. He rebukes many nations so that they may acknowledge their sins, and turn to him. And to be sure, the election will. And these rebukes by God are often testified to by God's servants.
2nd Timothy 4:2
- "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."
Indeed, C
hrist commissioned his apostles, and indeed all God's servants to teach all nations, and this teaching is Christ's rebuke of the world and its glory. A rebuke of ungodliness and unlawfulness that is so lacking in our day. So while most people look at rebuke as a bad thing, sometimes in scripture God uses it as a synonym for convicting someone of truth, or to convince by the word, or to patiently rebuke doctrinal faults. When God said to Peter, "get thee behind me Satan," it was not to attack him, but
to correct his beliefs. For God loves whom He rebukes, and we should have that exact same love for our fellow man.
Titus 1:13
- "This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;"
Titus 2:15
- "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."
Even as God rebukes unto salvation, so the servants of God, themselves made to reign in His kingdom, rebuke, that many might be zealous, repent with zeal and live with Godly enthusiasm.
Revelation 3:19
- "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."
As illustrated in Revelation chapter 20, in establishing His Kingdom rule God binds Satan so that the nations won't be deceived. And it is then that He rebukes the nations so that they might also acknowledge their sins and return to the communion with God man had in the garden of Eden. As many as He loves He rebukes and chastens, just as He did with Israel. His pleasure is that the nations would be zealous and repent that He might have a people from all kindreds and tongues and nations. Even as Christ said so very plainly in His holy word, was what He came to do.
John 16:7-11
- "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
- And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
- Of sin, because they believe not on me;
- Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
- Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."
This is saying the exact same thing that
Isaiah 2:4 says in Him judging among the nations, and rebuking many people. We just have to have our ears Spiritually tuned to receive what is being said.
His rebuke is by His Word and His Spirit, convincing the nations of its sin, repentance and forgiveness.
3. Beat their swords into Plowshares & Spears into Pruninghooks
God prophesies here that the law, the word of God, shall go out from the Holy City, and would judge the nations that these people would
change their implements of war into implements of peace. A sword is an instrument used for war, and the
plowshare is a type of hoe used for digging, and
is an instrument for farming in agriculture.
1st Corinthians 3:7-9
- "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
- Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
- For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building."
See? God is equating the people of His kingdom to those with plowshares who plant for the Lord. Just as the Kingdom of God is likened unto a sower who plants seed that it brings forth fruit. This signifies the kingdom of God going forth to the world, as plantings that are cared for and nourished that they might grow. In like manner, a spear is an instrument of war, while a pruninghook is an instrument used for plants. It is a knife-like instrument for pruning plants that they might grow better. Again, this signifying that these people will turn from being at war with God, to being spiritual husbandmen (
farmers) working in His garden to care for the fruit of the field. Beating their swords into plowshares means they will abstain from warfare against God and exercise Godly charity (
Agape) in well doing to others.
(continue to next post)
