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 Does
Isa. 2:2-3 prophesy the establishment of the church? Before you
answer, read it again, and again.
“—the
mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established—” WHAT
shall be established? “— the mountain of Jehovah’s house—”
WHAT?? “ —the mountain of Jehovah’s house —”.
“—and
all nations shall flow unto it.” Unto WHAT? The language is
very clear. “It” refers to the “mountain”. WHICH
mountain? Why, the mountain “of Jehovah’s house”. God’s
people (house or family) are considered, but the obvious
emphasis is given to the mountain, to which these people
flow.
Read
the next verse: “And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye,
and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to
the house of the God of Jacob—” and someone says, “There,
it said ‘house of God’” to which I would agree. But it is
the mountain that is to be established. It is the mountain
of Jehovah, the mountain of Jehovah’s house, or people,
to which all nations flow. In doing so they become, and are
associated with the people of God — but they come to the mountain.
It
is not a mass of people, called a mountain. Sentence
structure does not permit this interpretation; and in addition,
notice the other terms used to identify the subject. “—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 Jehovah from
Jerusalem.”
This
passage says that God’s mountain shall be established in
Jerusalem. Now,
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does this passage inform concerning the church?? I believe does!! But the
emphasis is given that which makes the church what is, not to
the people as a party.
The
mountain is established “on the top of the mountains”
or, as the foot-note reads, “at the head”. Rank is under
consideration, not altitude. God’s mountain is above, superior
to all other mountains. This is much like the prophecy of Daniel
(2: 31-45) and the small stone which smote the image of gold,
silver, brass, iron and clay. These world empires (Babylonian,
Persian, Greek, Roman) were overwhelmed by the stone, which
became a great MOUNTAIN — representing the kingdom of God.
Unlike the ”rule of men, God’s rule “shall never be
destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty be left to another people.”
The
Messianic Kingdom was estab- lished, made operative, in
Jerusalem (Acts 2:) and “all, nations” began to flow unto
it. Unto WHAT? Unto the sovereign rule or authority of God in
Christ. If you can read Acts 2: without prejudice this is
exactly what becomes apparent. The Spirit outpouring was
explained (with Joel 2:) a signaling the time of deliverance by
Messiah; then Jesus of Nazareth was cited as one approved by
divine signs and wonders — now fulfilling David’s prophecy
by being resurrected “to sit on his throne.” “Therefore....
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have
crucified both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:22-36
The
church, then and now, consist of those who “come to the
mountain.
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