No. 9. >> I am so poorly acquainted with the book of Isaiah and the other Old Testament prophets, too, that I feel unsure about what questions to ask. So please forgive the simplicity of this. But if Chapter 1 an overview of the entire book of Isaiah, does Chapter 2 have some kind of pivotal role, also? >> Yes, Nick, great question, as always. And the book of Isaiah actually has three superscriptions. Now, what do I mean by that? Titles. It's in 1:1 and 2:1 and Chapter 13 Verse 1. Let's look at these titles. Because they are very important in understanding the structure of the early part of the book. As well as the life and times of Isaiah. And it certainly is an entry into Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 5. So the first of these superscriptions is 1 Verse 1. And it tells us that this is a vision of Isaiah which you saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Israel. So we've discussed these kings already in terms of their dates and how they relate to Isaiah's ministry. Ahaz and Hezekiah are the main kings. He begins at the year of Uzziah's death. He doesn't mention Manasseh in this version. Probably because he didn't consider Manasseh to be a true Davidic king. More blood was spilled in the streets of Jerusalem during the reign of Manasseh than any king before or since, so we are told in I and II Kings. That being the case, the second superscription is in our immediate interest here in Chapter 2 Verse 1: The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. What this does is it separates Chapter 1 from the rest of the book. Because you have 1:1 and 2:1, two superscriptions. So that's why many people believe Chapter 1 is this overview of the entire book. It's also the reason many believe Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 5 is a nice overview or entry into the major themes of the book. The last superscription, as I said, occurs in Chapter 13 Verse 1: The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah saw the son of Amoz. So this is why in our overview of the outline of the book of Isaiah, we indicated that Chapter 1 is an overview, 2:1 to 5, an overview. 2:6 through 12 preaching judgement and hope to Judah and Jerusalem and Israel. But then Chapter 13 through 23 would be the section of the oracles against the foreign nations. Why do we know there's a split? Why do we know there's a new topic coming up in Chapter 13? Well, because we have this superscription in 13 Verse 1. That being said then let's move into the specific nature of Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 5. And begin to understand how it is such a critical pericope, a series of verses, in the study of the book of Isaiah. The backdrop of this particular text is the Great Commission. The Great Commission does not occur -- repeat does not occur -- for the first time in Matthew 28:18 through 20. It occurs for the first time in Genesis 12:2 and 3. Let's look at these verses. Genesis 12 Verses 2 and 3. God promises Abraham -- this is about 2100 BC -- I will make you into a great nation. And I will bless you. And I will make your name great. And here it is: And be a blessing. English translations don't get this right. Don't ask me why. It's an imperative in Hebrew. Be a blessing. Not a Lessing, hahaha. But a blessing. God surrounds Abraham with these promises that continue in Verse 3. I'll bless the ones blessing you. The one cursing you, I'll curse. In you all of the families of the earth will be blessed, see. God is going to do these great and mighty things for Abraham and his offspring. So Abraham can be a blessing. And all of the families of the earth will be blessed through him. That's the Great Commission. See, Israel never existed for itself. Israel existed be it a blessing, a channel, a conduit, a means whereby all the families of the earth will be blessed. That's the background of Isaiah Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 5. Indeed, this is the background of much of the missional thrust we've already mentioned in the book of Isaiah. So for Isaiah Chapter 2 Verse 2, he sees this happening in the latter days. The mountain of the house of the Lord will be established. As chief among mountains and be lifted up more than all the hills. And look at this: All the nations. See, the nations will stream to it. This is beautiful, beautiful Isaianic theology. Salvation is for everybody. Already in Genesis 12 Verses 2 and 3. It's for all the nations. Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in his sight. But it's not just anywhere where the nations can go. If the nations want deliverance, salvation, they have to go to this mountain, this high mountain. This mountain we know called Mt. Zion. So in Lutheran theological terms, universal salvation, salvation for all. God so loved the world. God wants all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. But they can only come to a particular mountain. See, it's only through a particular people group called Israel. It's only this virgin called Mary. In this town called Nazareth. In this Savior called Jesus that there is salvation. I want you to understand the universal as well as the particular means whereby this salvation is delivered. Through Zion. Through Israel. Climatically through Jesus. Through his Word. Through his sacraments of baptism and Communion. All the nations will stream to Zion. And what will happen at Zion? Well, it goes on in Verse 3. Many nations will come and say let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh. To the house of the God of Jacob. Because there he will teach us his ways. And we will walk in his paths. See, from Zion, not any other mountain, from Zion comes forth torah, not law. That's the revised substandard perversion, see. It's not a good translation. It's torah. And it's instruction. It's God's Word in its fullest sense comes forth from Zion. And the Word of Yahweh from Jerusalem. So it's at Zion that we are encountered with God's revelation. His Word. His instruction. You say where is Zion today? Where are the nations called to come to learn of God's revelation today? A key text in the New Testament is in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews Chapter 12 Verses 22 through 24 helps us to understand how to apply and appreciate and appropriate this call to the nations to come to Zion. Hebrews 12:22: You have come to Mt. Zion, the Hebrew writer says. You've come. You're there. What does he mean by that? It's the heavenly Jerusalem. The city of the living God. You've come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly. To the church of the first born. That's it. See, where do I go today to meet this God who wants to instruct me in his ways and teach me his torah? I come to the church. See, the church is Zion. The church is where God promises to be. Where two or three or gathered, Matthew 18:20, there is Jesus. Jesus dispensing the gifts of salvation through his Word and sacraments. So as you study and appreciate Isaiah and his beautiful theology of Zion, the appropriation is through Hebrews Chapter 12. Well, let's go on. Verse 4: He will decide, he will judge, between the nations. And he will reprove for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Isaiah lives in this time of great empire upheaval and wars abound. But at Zion there's peace. The spears and the swords become implements of farming and viticulture. And life and peace. A great promise. Those who come to Zion experience this peace. The kind of peace that Paul would say passes all human understanding. The kind of peace Jesus says that the world can never give does he give to us at this Mt. Zion in the church where Jesus delivers his gifts of peace. Well, then nation will not lift up sword against nation. They will not be trained in war anymore. See, this is on the cornerstone of the United Nations building in lower Manhattan in New York City. But this peace won't come about by the United Nations, albeit that's a great left hand kingdom way of taking care of the atrocities and the needs of planet earth. But no, real peace will come at Zion by means of God's revelation of his instruction and his Word. Well, what does this then mean for the people? Verse 5: O house of Israel, come, let us walk in the light of Yahweh. What's all this about? Let me explain it by means of one of my children. She's 20 now. But when she was three, one day the Ringling Brothers and Barnun and Bailey's Circus was coming to town. And the day before I took little Abby Joy Lessing to see the circus, she said as best as I can recall: Daddy, I want to thank you for tomorrow today. See, she was so excited about what's going to happen tomorrow, that it was spilling over into today. She wanted to be an elephant, by the way. I think her vocational decisions have changed slightly. I want to thank you today, you see, tonight, she couldn't sleep, for what's going to happen tomorrow. This is what Isaiah is saying throughout his book. See, God is going to do something tomorrow, in the latter days. In days that are coming. But because that future is so guaranteed, that impacts what I do and say and think today. So come, let us walk in the light of the Lord today. Because of what God is going to do tomorrow. In I John Chapter 3 Verses 1 through 3, we have this idea spelled out for us in very clear ways. That really the life of the Christian is a life of Thanksgiving and joy. Because of what God promises to do in the future. The future transforms the present. This is how John puts it. He says: Now we are the children of God. I John 3 Verse 2. See, now. And what we will be in the future has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, that's the future, we'll be like him for we'll see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope, I John 3 Verse 3, in him purifies himself. You have a hope for the future. It purifies your life now. You walk in the light of the Lord. Let's see what else we can do in terms of this missional idea that we have in this text. A missional idea for all the nations that transforms and changes my life now. I simply want us to note this missional idea that began with Abraham in Genesis 12 that we have it here in Isaiah Chapter 2 is going to demonstrate itself throughout the book of Isaiah. We've already mentioned the oracles about nations who are the very nations in Chapters 13 through 23 that will be streaming to Zion. In the Servant Songs, Isaiah Chapter 42 Verses 1 and 6, the Lord promises to place his Spirit on the servant. Isaiah 42 Verse 1. He will bring justice to who? The nations. Isaiah 42 Verse 6. He will be a light for the nations. Isaiah 49 Verse 6, the second Servant Song. I will make you the servant to be a light to the nations and to the ends of the earth. Well, this is just a small representation on how this idea of the nations flowing to Zion in 2 Verse 2 finds itself in several places in the rest of Isaiah. And as you can tell, we're going to talk about mission in Isaiah throughout our time. But this is just simply getting us started. Now, let me just conclude by means of this huge idea that we have in the rest of Chapter 2 of Isaiah. And that would be in Chapter 2:11 and 17. Two of my favorite verses in Isaiah. If I may, ***venus scab Yahweh bendon. See, on that day, Yahweh alone will be exalted. Isaiah Chapter 2 Verses 6 through 22 is all about the great and mighty day of Yahweh. On that day he alone will be exalted. Suffice it to say that Isaiah sees God's action in history when he comes on the day. The day for Isaiah would be in 7:21 when the Assyrians will deport the northern kingdom. The day would come in 587 when the Babylonians will deport the southern kingdom. The day of God's judgement and wrath and darkness will come on Good Friday when the Father turns his back to the Son. And the Son experiences the day of Yahweh. The day of Yahweh is also on the last day when Christ comes as king and judge. The day of the Lord. This great speech. And the rest of Chapter 2 of Isaiah is certainly a major prophetic idea that began with Amos. Amos 5 Verse 18 began the theme. And Isaiah continues it. Jesus speaks about the coming day of the Lord. As well as does Saint Paul. Well, there you have it. Some themes in Isaiah Chapter 2 that we will be discussing now throughout this course that, as you can tell, is building momentum, enthusiasm and goodwill for Professor and students alike.