Haughtiness Brought Low – Isaiah 2:5-22

We are currently in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, a world-wide epidemic of covid-19. And I’ll confess to a bit of arrogance that what started in China wouldn’t affect us in the United States. But we have now exceeded the number of cases in China. Haughtiness has been brought low. This is what Isaiah speaks to in Israel.

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

For you have rejected your people, the house of Jacob, because they are full of things from the east and of fortune-tellers like the Philistines, and they strike hands with the children of foreigners. Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots. Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. So man is humbled, and each one is brought low— do not forgive them!

Enter into the rock and hide in the dust from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty. The haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low; against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up; and against all the oaks of Bashan; against all the lofty mountains, and against all the uplifted hills; against every high tower, and against every fortified wall; against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft. And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away. And people shall enter the caves of the rocks and the holes of the ground, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.

In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth. Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he? (Isaiah 2:5-22 ESV)

In contrast to what Israel will be in the latter days (2:1-4), at present she is in deep sin.  God has rejected her because of how she has allowed foreigners to influence her more than Yahweh.  She has become a lover of money rather than God.  She has worshiped false gods as a way to gain prosperity.  She does not deserve forgiveness and God will bring such brazen arrogance low.  Only He will be exalted in that day.

That day is Yahweh’s Day, the Day of Yahweh or the Day of the Lord.  It is the day of judgment when all that exalts itself above God is brought low.  People will seek to flee from God’s judgment.  The repeated refrain is, “the haughtiness of man shall be humbled.” Will your attitude make the cut? Even in the midst of this stinging rebuke Isaiah offers God’s invitation to walk in His light. What other light would you rather walk in? Come on, humble yourself.

Discussion Questions

1. When have you felt most afraid?
2. Isaiah is predicting a time of final judgment in which those who have arrogantly lifted themselves up above God will be in terror. Do you share Isaiah’s request, “do not forgive them”?
3. We can see what is wrong with the land being filled with idols, but what is wrong with it being filled with gold and silver, horses and chariots?
4. When people think of themselves as strong as the cedars of Lebanon or the oaks of Bashan, what is going on in them?
5. Why do we regard “man in whose nostrils is breath” instead of God who gave that breath?
6. What is the haughtiness that you are most inclined to?