Isaiah 2

THE SECOND PORTAL

Isaiah 2-5

Chapters 2–5 contain the second introduction, the second portal, so to speak, of the majestic cathedral of the prophecies of Isaiah. This portal is the greatest as regards the extent of it. It is meant to afford us a more exact insight into the contents, the power and the reach of Isaiah’s prophecies. The first introduction proceeds from the mournful condition of the present, speaks of the means of securing a better future, and closes with a grand survey of past, present and future, from which it appears that, for the believing part of the people, the end shall correspond to the beginning as its much more glorious antitype, whereas, for the unbelieving part, there is only the prospect of a wretched and total destruction. In that chapter, therefore, threatening constitutes the key-note, the promise appears, as it were an interlude. But that chap. 1 gives only brief outlines. Particularly the future is indicated only by a few, albeit significant words, Isa 2:26, 27.The second introduction looks entirely away from the past. It treats only of future and present. It does this, however, in such a way that the Prophet, as it were, with arms reaching out far before him, holds, one after another, two lights out into the remotest future, that make it appear as a time of the greatest glory. These two prophetic lamps, however, must serve at the same time to show in so much the more glaring light the distress and also the nothingness of that present time that precedes that period of glory. Involuntarily the eye turns backwards from it to the circumstances of the present, and these appear all the more gloomy because the eye has beheld before such bright light in the future. But just the inward nothingness and emptiness of the bad present is, in some sense, the first step to the revelation of the divine glory. For the bad bears, indeed, the judgment in itself. But this ideal judgment must become real, and then is the moment come wherein the majesty of the only true God, hitherto hidden and ignored, bursts forth in its full splendorWe must remark in advance that this second introduction is built upon the fundamental number two. It divides into two principal parts. At the head of each of these parts stands a prophetic announcement of glorious contents relating to final events of history, the first of which portrays more the future, outward glory, the second more the inward glory of Israel, that which lies at the base of the first, and is identical with holiness. These two announcements extend far into the future to the very end of history.

Each of these lamps is followed by a look at the present, taking this expression in a relative sense, so that by it everything is understood that precedes the future events lighted up by the two lamps. Each of these two looks at the present divides again into two parts that differ from one another in their structure. The first look resolves itself into a general (Isaiah 2:5-11) and a particular part (Isaiah 2:12 to Isaiah 4:1); the last again falls into two subdivisions, of which the first portrays the judgment in the extra-human sphere, the second that in the human sphere. The judgment in the extra-human sphere, then again, subdivides into two halves, of which the first embraces all that is beneath mankind (Isaiah 2:12-17), the second all that is above mankind, i. e., idols (Isaiah 2:18-21). The judgment of things belonging to the human sphere also subdivides into two halves, the first of which (Isaiah 2:22 to Isaiah 3:15) has men for its subject, the second (Isaiah 3:16 to Isaiah 4:1) the women. The second lamp (Isaiah 4:2-6) has an attendant section (5) that again is composed of two members. The first is a parable (Isaiah 5:1-7) which, though as to form it departs surprisingly from Isaiah 4:2-6, still in sense joins closely on to it. For as Isaiah 4:2-6 treats of the glorious rod, and the glorious fruit of the future, Isaiah 5:1 sqq. treats of the mournful fruits of the present. The second part specifies more particularly the bad fruits of the present and their consequences in a sixfold woe, which again subdivides into two chief parts. The first two woes, namely, evidently refer back to the first principal part of the whole discourse (Isaiah 2:2 to Isaiah 4:1) and contain relatively to it an appropriate conclusion; whereas the last four woes refer more to the second principal part of the discourse (4, 5) and contain the definitive chief conclusion of the discourse.

In regard to the date of the composition of this discourse, I must first of all warn against the petty and superficial way of viewing this thing, that ignores the grand, comprehensive glance of prophecy, and restricts to a special point of time what concerns the whole and the general. Thus I challenge the right of exegesis altogether to draw conclusions regarding the date of composition from single exhortations, warnings, threatenings or promises, if those are not quite decidedly of a specific nature. If, for example, the Prophet speaks against idolatry, the injustice and oppressions of the great intemperance and licentiousness, one is not justified in concluding therefrom that he spoke these words under a godless prince, an Ahaz or Manasseh. He could have spoken them under an Uzziah or Hezekiah, for the prophet may have had in his mind the entire present, i. e., the whole time preceding the redemption that terminates history. It, on the other hand, the Prophet speaks of boy and woman government (Isaiah 3:4; Isaiah 3:12) that is not necessarily something general. That is not a standing and abiding characteristic of rebellious Israel, but an abnormity, that even in the times of deepest degradation does not always happen. Where such a reference is made, one may reasonably infer that the Prophet has in mind quite special and actual circumstances of his own time. It may therefore be assumed with a degree of probability (for certainty is not to be thought of) that chap. iii. was composed under Ahaz. But I shall show hereafter that this chapter betrays the marks of another sort of origin in the form of its transitions and combinations: i. e., it gives evidence of being an older piece, already prepared, that is only put in here as in a suitable place.

Now if we consider that our passage (ii.–v.) as second portal belongs to the introduction to the entire book, then we must say, the obvious date of its origin is that time when the Prophet compiled his book into a whole. He could then very well make use of older discourses already on hand for introduction, but on the whole, as introduction, as overture, as preface the passage presupposes the whole book. The comprehensive character of our passage, which surveys the entire present and the future into the remotest distance, has long been recognized, and with that it has been admitted that it has essentially and generally the same extension as the whole book, thus it possesses the qualities that belong to an introductory preface. With this correspond the chronological indications that appear in Isaiah 2:2-4, as related to Micah 3:12; comp. Jeremiah 26:18.

From Jeremiah 26:18 we receive the impression that Micah spoke the words Isaiah 3:12 (that are closely connected with Isaiah 4:1 sqq.), under Hezekiah. How could they previously be known to Isaiah? Therefore if Isaiah 2:2-4 presupposes the time of Hezekiah, then this agrees with our assumption that the chapters 2-5 only then originated as a whole, when the prophet compiled his whole book.

The structure of our passage is made clear by the following scheme.

Israel Of The Present Time In The Light Of Its Final Glory

A. The Superscription, Isaiah 2:1.

B. The first prophetic lamp, which in the light of the divine eminence that shall finally appear makes known the things falsely eminent of the present time, Isaiah 2:1 to Isaiah 4:1.

1. The first prophetic lamp itself, Isaiah 2:2-4.

2. The falsely eminent things and their abasement in general, Isaiah 2:5-11.

a. The judgment against the things falsely eminent in the sub-human and superhuman sphere, Isaiah 2:12-21.

b. The judgment against the falsely eminent things in the human sphere, Isaiah 2:22 to Isaiah 4:1.

α. The judgment against godless men, Isaiah 2:22 to Isaiah 3:15.

β. The judgment against godless women, Isaiah 3:16 to Isaiah 4:1.

C. The second prophetic lamp which, in the light of the glorious divine fruit of the last time, makes known the bad fruits of the present, Isaiah 4:2 to Isaiah 5:30.

1. The second prophetic lamp itself, and the glorious divine fruit displayed by it, Isaiah 4:2-6.

2. The bad fruits of the present in the light of the glorious divine fruit of the final period, Isaiah 5:1-30.

a. The bad fruits of the present shown in the parable of the vineyard, Isaiah 5:1-7.

b. The bad fruits of the present and their consequences more nearly described in a sixfold woe, at the same time, double conclusion of the whole discourse, Isaiah 5:8-30.