The Word from Zion

Jesus throughout the Scriptures: Pre-exilic Prophets 2 (2)

Pray Psalm 104.24-30.
O LORD, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions—
…You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
You hide Your face, they are troubled;
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the earth.

Sing Psalm 104.24-30.
(Creation: The Spacious Firmament Above)
How many are Your works, O LORD, which You have created by Your Word!
The earth and sea with creatures teem—they look to You to care and feed.
You give to them, they gather all; You hide Your face, they fail and fall.
You take their breath, they gasp and die; You send Your Spirit, they revive.

Read Isaiah 2.1-22; meditate on verses 1-4.

Preparation
1. When should we expect to see this vision being fulfilled?

2. What causes the nations to stream up to the Lord and His house?

Meditation
We who believe in Jesus are the people of the latter days, as Peter explained from Joel 2.28 in Acts 2. We live in the time in which this prophecy is being fulfilled. This passage teaches us how to think about our purpose as the Body of Christ and the ends we should seek as we follow Him. God has many good works to do through His Spirit and on behalf of sinners such as those Isaiah exposes in chapters 1 and 2. He intends to do those works through us. We are the mountain of the LORD and His house, and the Lord Jesus rules from within our midst.

We should expect to be a people great in height and visibility (v. 2, cf. Ps. 48)—a beautiful City, glorious in our worship and service, influential above all other influences, because the Law of God and all His Word go out from us (v. 3). Jesus, Who rules over His Kingdom from Mount Zion (Ps. 2), came forth among us in the beginning of the Gospel and goes forth through us as His witnesses now. As the members of Christ’s Body are disseminated throughout their communities, they function as salt, light, and leaven, showing in all their words and deeds the glory of God’s Law and the hope of the Gospel. Thus they will provoke many to inquire of them a reason for this hope (1 Pet. 3.15).

As we walk the path Jesus walked (1 Jn. 2.1-6), loving our neighbors according to God’s Word, many will be drawn to know the Lord and learn about Him, that they, too, may walk in all His ways (v. 3). 

What a glorious vision for Christians to embrace! What great promises attend to keeping the Law and proclaiming Jesus to our world! If there is any of this vision in today’s churches, it is only in its smallest parts. Nothing like this vision, in all its parts and aims, exists in many churches, and yet it is a promise every congregation should hold out for all its life and ministries.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD…to declare the Name of the LORD in Zion, and His praises in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD” (Ps. 102.18, 21, 22).

“For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem” (Is. 2.3).

This is our calling—praise the LORD, declare the Name of the LORD, gather as one voice to proclaim His Law, and tell the saving, forgiving, redemptive Good News of Jesus.

“Come and let us walk in the light of the LORD” (Is. 2.5).
“I AM the light of the world. 
He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, 
but have the light of life” (Jn. 8.12).
“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, 
for the glory of God illuminated it. 
The Lamb is its light” (Rev. 21.23).

Jesus, The Light, calls us to be His light to shine in the darkness of the world.
“Sever yourselves from” (Is. 2.22) …the darkness of the world in order to be light.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5.14-16).

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 Jn. 2.15-17).

“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” (Is. 2.2).

“And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him” (Matt. 7.28-8.1). 

The fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy began then and continues today.
There is still much work to accomplish.
We need only plead for the strength to get it done (Ps. 18.1).

“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I AM not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world…I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word…” (Jn. 17.15-18, 20).

The Kingdom is here and now.
To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
We work so others will join us there and then.

Reflection
1. How does the Word of God become known to people who are not in the church already?

2. Why has God entrusted this work to feeble, fearful, foolish people such as we?

3. How can believers encourage one another in our mission to our world? Whom will you encourage today?

Approach the mountain, climb up the mountain, and you that climb it, do not go down it. There you will be safe, there you will be protected; Christ is your mountain of refuge. And where is Christ? At the right hand of the Father, since he has ascended into heaven. Augustine (354-430), Sermon 62A.3

Pray Psalm 104.31-35.
Pray that God will show His glory through your works today. Call on Him to use you according to His pleasure and for His ends. Bless and praise Him for all the works He is doing in and through you.

Sing Psalm 104.31-35.
(Creation: The Spacious Firmament Above)
LORD, let Your glory long endure! Rejoice! His works are ever sure!
He looks on earth, it quails and quakes, as we our songs of praises make.
LORD, let our meditation rise and bring great pleasure in Your eyes.
Consumed shall sinners ever be; O, bless and praise the LORD with me!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

For more teaching about the subject of this series, “Jesus throughout the Scriptures”, download our free ReVision study, “We Would See Jesus”, by clicking here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.