the word that isaiah the son of amoz saw concerning judah and jerusalem. [isaiah 2:1]
when the true prophets of old spoke, it was not because they had a premonition, a feeling, a tingle that ran down their spine.
it was because they saw the word.
when isaiah prophecies, he does so out of witnessing an awesome mighty and holy God–he reveres, fears the word:
throughout this book, isaiah will plead with the people to return the Lord so that he might be gracious to them:
o house of jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord. [isaiah 2:5]
but he will also warn the wicked who have departed from the Lord, including judah as well as the idol-worshiping enemies of judah:
enter into the rock
and hide in the dust
from before the terror of the Lord,
and from the splendor of his majesty.
the haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day. [isaiah 2:10-11]
isaiah’s constant refrain will be the fear of the Lord–the book of hebrews warns us:
it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [hebrews 10:31]
will we heed isaiah’s warning? will we, like assyria, egypt, babylon and others utterly reject him? or will we hide in his son who bids us to come into the presence of the living God?
let us return to him today–let us see the word of the Lord, let us fear God, let us confess, repent and run to the Rock, Jesus!
~ ce