Isaiah 2:1-4

Zion the World's Religious Centre, and the Reign of Universal Peace. The title in Isaiah 2:1 is a later addition, unrelated to the important oracle Isaiah 2:2. This oracle, with verbal differences, occurs in Micah 4:1 *. It is probably post-exilic. The very high significance attached to Zion is strange in the eighth century; the idea of its physical exaltation is akin to Apocalyptic rather than prophecy. Moreover, Jeremiah 26:18 suggests that Micah predicted irretrievable doom for Zion. Duhm thinks that, like Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 11:1, it belongs to Isaiah's old age; he calls them his swan-songs. This would accord with the wide outlook and large charity of this poem: yet the late date is more probable.

In the latter days, i.e. the beginning of the Messianic times, the Temple hill will be physically exalted above all other mountains, and all nations will stream to Zion to learn Yahweh's ways. Jerusalem is the source of religious knowledge, it is there that Yahweh makes known His will. It is noteworthy that this instruction (mg.) is not imparted by messengers sent out to the heathen, but by Yahweh Himself in Zion. He acts not only as teacher, but as arbitrator. The nations accept His decisions as final, and therefore do not need to settle their disputes by war, so turn their weapons into implements of husbandry. (For the reverse of this see Joel 3:10.)