Isaiah - Verse By Verse

Isaiah - Day 41

versebyverse | June 24, 2008 18:41

Scripture:  Isaiah 2:10 (NIV):  "Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty!"

Thought:  To me, it is truly a sad day when mankind must hide from God's splendor.

Question:  Am I afraid of God's splendor (glory)?

The context has shown man's idolatry, God's "happy ending" in spite of idolatry, man's rebellion against a loving Creator, God's pain over His wayward people and His call, as ever, to repentance.  Now at the point where man is "abandoned" by God to "wallow" in his idolatry, God urges them to prepare for the worst:  an onslaught that requires them to hide for protection.  The "onslaught" at this point is merely the appearance of God's Holy greatness coming at them in glory and splendor, yet it will destroy in its power because of their abject unholiness.

We see similar descriptions of "hiding in the rocks" in passages elsewhere in scripture, particularly in Revelation 6:15 and 16, where men actually ask the rocks and mountains "fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb."  The wording here in Isaiah implies that God has ordered men to hide in the rocks, while the Revelation and Isaiah 2:19 and 21 (coming up later!) verses are a response to that very order where we see mankind doing exactly what God has prophesied!  We see in this so clearly that God is in sovereign control!

The two factors causing people to hide are: 1) dread and 2) God's splendor, or simply a combination:  dread of His splendor!  I would say, "dread" of punishment from God's anger over sin is logical, but a desire to avoid exposure to God's "splendor" is the unfortunate result.  

Adam and Eve went into "hiding" because of shame and guilt of sin but it was a temporary escape.   Later they accepted God's provided covering for their sin.  But here in Isaiah is a deeper "hiding", it seems.  These people have rebelled a long time and resisted repentance at every opportunity.  How sad!

Prayer:  God of Splendor, may Your glory be a blessing to me and never a threat.  Help me to be rightly related to You that I may rejoice in Your splendor.  Amen. 

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