A Mountain in Which to Worship

In a few words, Isaiah paints a vivid prophetic picture.  We see a lofty mountain, crowned by a glorious house, the temple of  Jehovah.  This  mountain towers above surrounding mountains and hills.  Yet, it is not foreboding or intimidating; it is appealing.  Peoples of all nations yearn to ascend to the mountain of the house of Jehovah; they stream to it.  This is to visualize, but what does it mean?

In Isaiah's day hills and mountains are often associated with worship.  For example, they serve as sites for idolatrous worship and for sanctuaries  of false gods.  (Deuteronomy 12:2; Jeremiah 3:6)  However, the house, or temple of Jehovah adorns the summit of Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Faithful Israelites journey to Jerusalem three times a year and ascend Mount Moriah to worship God.  (Deuteronomy 16:16)  So the streaming of the nations to "the mountain of the house of Jehovah" pictures the gathering of many peoples to true worship.

Today, of course, God's people do not gather at  a literal mountain with a temple of stone.  Jehovah's temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman armies in 70 C.E. Besides, the apostle Paul made it clear that the temple in Jerusalem and the tabernacle that preceded it were pictorial.  They represented a greater, spiritual reality, "the true tent, which Jehovah put up, and not man."  (Hebrews 8:2) That spiritual tent is the arrangement for approaching Jehovah in worship based on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  (Hebrews 9:2-10, 23)  In harmony with this, "the mountain of the house of Jehovah" mentioned at Isaiah 2:2 represents the exalted pure worship of Jehovah in our time.  Those embracing pure worship do not gather at any geographic location; they gather in unity of worship.

Next time: The Elevating of Pure Worship

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind