The Day of the Lord
September 11, 2021
Commentary
The phrase “replenished from the east” meant that they had become filled with the pagan influences from Assyria and Babylon to the east (vv. 6-7). The people were following practices of the Assyrian empire. Under the reign of evil kings, idol worship flourished in both Israel and Judah. The only exception to this was when Judah had a few good kings (vv. 8-9). Though very few people worship carved or molded images today, worshiping objects that symbolize power continues. We pay homage to cars, homes, sports figures, celebrities, money etc. It is interesting to see how the growth of Eastern religions in the world today is both frightening and challenging. Even people who are not religious are practicing Eastern forms of meditation and relaxation.
The day of the Lord is the day of judgment, the time when God will judge both evil and good (vv. 10-12). That day will come and we will want a proper relationship with God when it does. God alone must be exalted as the first step toward developing a relationship with Him. High towers and fortified walls were part of a city or nation’s defenses (vv. 13-17). This refers to milatary fortresses. The ships picture the economic prosperity. Nothing can compare with the place God must have in our hearts and minds. To place our hope elsewhere is nothing but false pride. We find a description of the terror of God’s enemies on the day of His wrath (vv. 18-22).
Application
Nothing should substitute the place God wants to have in my heart and mind. Does He really have first place in my life or does someone or something become more important to me? The test is how much time do I spend with Him in comparison to what I spend doing other things?
Isaiah 2:6– 22 (NET)
6 Indeed, O Lord, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. Plenty of foreigners are around.
7 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.
8 Their land is full of worthless idols; they worship the product of their own hands, what their own fingers have fashioned.
9 Men bow down to them in homage, they lie flat on the ground in worship. Don’t spare them!
10 Go up into the rocky cliffs, hide in the ground. Get away from the dreadful judgment of the Lord, from his royal splendor!
11 Proud men will be brought low, arrogant men will be humiliated; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
12 Indeed, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has planned a day of judgment, for all the high and mighty, for all who are proud—they will be humiliated;
13 for all the cedars of Lebanon, that are so high and mighty, for all the oaks of Bashan;
14 for all the tall mountains, for all the high hills,
15 for every high tower, for every fortified wall,
16 for all the large ships, for all the impressive ships.
17 Proud men will be humiliated, arrogant men will be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
18 The worthless idols will be completely eliminated.
19 They will go into caves in the rocky cliffs and into holes in the ground, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.
20 At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
21 so they themselves can go into the crevices of the rocky cliffs and the openings under the rocky overhangs, trying to escape the dreadful judgment of the Lord and his royal splendor, when he rises up to terrify the earth.
22 Stop trusting in human beings, whose life’s breath is in their nostrils. For why should they be given special consideration?
Illustration: Signature of Denver Broncos Lineman
I was eating in a restaurant when Mike Croel, a linebacker for the Denver Broncos walked in. I was so excited because he played for the Nebraska Cornhuskers in college and I had followed his career closely. I happened to be wearing Huskers stuff and went and got his autograph right there at the booth where he was sitting. I used this story to describe my awe, that this amazing man was that close to me, and my joy, how excited I was that he was there. Awe and Joy are two emotions I experienced and in worship we should experience those emotions also. Awe, we are in the presence of God, and joy, we are glad to be there. (Stan Roda – Sermon Central).