Articles
Micah 4 and Isaiah 2
The Mountain of the House of the LORD
This section of Micah (4:1-5) is basically found repeated in Isaiah 2:1-5. We don't know if one of them copied the other, if they both adopted their writing from another source, or if they both were independently inspired to write the same thing. We DO know that they were both prophets of God and they lived in the same time period and were dealing with the same people and situation. While these passages are basically the same there are subtle differences.
In Isaiah God had pronounced judgment upon His people for their unfaithfulness to the covenant (chapter one). Here in chapter Isa. 2 and Micah 4, God reveals a light of hope even though they must go through this judgment. This light is shining from the 'latter days', which we learn from comparing this phrase in other passages to be referring to the days of the Messiah. From Micah we can see that these latter days are NOT eternity but a time when there would yet be some who 'walk in the name of their god' (vs. 5). It will be a time when there are two peoples on the earth - those who walk in the name of the LORD and those who don't.
In Isaiah's day the people had forsaken the LORD and served idols. ON every 'hill and mountain and high place' they had built altars unto the 'gods'. Isaiah returns to this description of God's judgment, 'the day of the LORD', in verses 6 through 22. In judgment they will be humbled (vs.9,11, 17) and 'every idol shall utterly pass away' (vs. 18). It will be a day of terror of the LORD … when He rises to terrify the earth' (vs. 21). Judah would be destroyed and desolate for such unfaithfulness.
YET after that judgment there would be a day of joy and blessing in the latter days. As the Hebrew writer said: "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (Heb. 1:1-2). We are in these last days (Heb. 1:1-2; Hebb. 9:26; 1Peter 1:20; etc.). The mountain of the Lord's house has been established. We have come to "Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Heb. 12:22-24).
All nations are now coming to this mountain of the LORD (Matt. 28:18-19). The word of the LORD has gone forth from Jerusalem (cp. Luke 24:44-47). The apostles began preaching this message of redemption in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 2 and it quickly spread throughout the world. This is a day of decision and judgment. Those who choose to obey the gospel will be God's people (the LORD added daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47). Those who reject this message of salvation from the LORD shall be condemned (Mark 16:16).
In this mountain there is peace. This is NOT world peace for neither God nor Jesus promised such. Rather Jesus said unto the apostles: "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation..." (John 16:33). In CHRIST we have peace. HE is our peace (Eph. 2:14). In HIM we are reconciled to God and are united as a family (Eph. 2:11-18).
Isaiah concluded this section saying: "O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord" (vs. 5). Let us not be like Israel of old who were unfaithful to the LORD. "…Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope" (Heb. 3:6). Hold on, brethren, hold on.
