The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the LORD's house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Many people shall come and say,
"Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall 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 rebuke many people;
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.

Isaiah 2:1-4

I wanted to take the time to address some of the more familiar passages of this season. This is one I find particularly beautiful and hopeful.

It is interesting that the Prophet "saw" the "word." How do you see a word? You can read a word, but I do not think that is what is meant here. I think there is something far more grand, far more glorious than just the Prophet conveying something he read.

This is the second vision of Isaiah and extends through chapter 4. He describes his first vision just that way, as a vision. Here he calls it a word, the word. I believe this was just as much a vision as the first vision, but Isaiah is communicating something more here. What Isaiah is about to describe is so fantastic, so miraculous, so wonderful, that he tells us something more about it than merely that it is a vision. A vision is a great thing and I do not mean to minimize that. But Isaiah is telling us that he saw the word. What he saw is written down, not written for Isaiah to read, but established. What Isaiah has seen is the unchangeable, eternal decree of our omnipotent God. As fantastic and wonderful as this vision is, it is established forever before the foundation of the world. It is the certain will of God and it shall be fulfilled. I believe that that is what Isaiah is conveying in this statement.


It is a certainty. It shall to come to pass. There can be no doubt about the things about to be revealed.

You should recognize the phrase in the latter days. This is a common phrase in both the Old and the New Testaments. This is not speaking of the end of the world as it would appear as some translations read the last days. It is of the last days, however, in the sense of the last age. It is the age of the Church, the age of the Gospel, the final stage of mankind. There will be no age after the age in which we now live. In that sense, these are indeed the last days. The rabbis understood this phrase as the days of the Messiah, and that is how we understand it. But we know that Christ has come, these days are established, and we are living in them now. So this is a prophecy of the age in which we live.


As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth." Here this worship of the Church is elevated to the top of the mountains, that is, to a conspicuous place. When the nations see this, they will lay aside their idols and temples and come to worship the Living God in spirit and truth. As these are the latter days, the Church is established, she is permanently in place. How is true, spiritual worship made conspicuous?


Paul asked, "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14, 15) The answer is, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Ezekiel had a vision of a river flowing from the Temple (Ezekiel 47:1-12). Here we see that as the river of the Gospel flows out from the Church, there is an ebbtide. The Gospel flows out and the nations flood in. How beautiful! This is the conversion of the nations!

If this sure decree of God were not enough, Isaiah 11, 42, 49, 54, 60, 62, and 66 all speak of the Gentiles coming to true faith. Isaiah 66:12 says,


This happens through the preaching of the Gospel.


Many people does not mean many persons, but better many peoples. This is not limited to a tribe or clan or nation, but many peoples coming. Under the Old Covenant, there were only the twelve tribes of Israel. But under the Church, there are many nations made into one people.

Here is a great work of the Holy Spirit, opening hearts around the globe!


Listen to the hope in their words: He will teach us. In this mighty work of God, men actively seek God, intent on learning His ways. This is the doctrine we must be ready in season and out of season to teach.

For out of Zion shall go forth the law. Zion here is used for Jerusalem. Is this not exactly what Jesus said, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."


In the Old Covenant, all truth came from Jerusalem. But now, in the latter days, truth comes from the Church, the Bride, the New Jerusalem.

As the word of the Lord flows out from the church, we will see the nations converted. We will see them lay aside their idols and turn to the Living God. I heard this clip the other day and was glad to find it for you. You may think most idols are gone. Most Americans certainly don't offer sacrifices to carved wood. But watch this clip and see if it does not just step on your toes, but crush them:



Do you want to see mankind converted? Do you want to see the nations flooding into the Church? It will happen when you get up off your couch and start preaching the Gospel.


The same Lord, the same Christ, who will teach these nations who come to Him, will also judge between them. As we see things now, the nations are warring against each other. They fight amongst themselves. When the Gospel converts them, Christ will judge between them. Just as you would stand between your children who are fighting.


It is in the New Covenant that we read, "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?" (James 4:1). This is the rebuke that Christ will give the nations. He will prove Himself to be the true Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) until "of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end."


The results will be changed hearts. Enemies will become friends. The Gospel will turn the world upside down.


There will not only be no more war. They will be so far from war as to forget it. They will no longer learn about it.

Can there really be world peace? You will hear much about world peace in the days to come. Many songs will ask for peace. Think about this the next time you hear or sing "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me." There is guaranteed in this prophecy a day of world peace. It will happen. And it can begin with you. But it will only begin when you preach the gospel, when Christ is exalted and the nations flood to Him. Don't just dream of world peace. Make it happen. Share the Good News.