On a liberal Christian web site I posted my belief that there would be no peace in Israel until Jesus Christ returns again. (see my article Why there will never be peace in Israel until the Messiah comes) In doing so I quoted Isaiah 2:2-4 as one example of why I believe this. A responder to my post stated that he didn't take this Isaiah prophecy literally and implied that it could have a temporal fulfillment before the return of Jesus. He was of the opinion that the term "last days" used in Isaiah 2 did not necessarily mean that it would take place at the end of the current age. He quoted a few New Testament passages that indeed declare that the last days began with the first coming of Jesus. This page then is a discussion of how to determine whether a prophecy is referring to the End-Times or the time of Christ.
The Bible uses several terms that refer to the prophetic future of the world:
"4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days." (Hosea 3:4-5)
"1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." (1 Timothy 4:1-2)
"1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle." (Zechariah 14:1-3)
"2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:2-4)
There are those who reject the idea of a literal End-Times. They interpret prophetic scriptures in a metaphorical sense as opposed to a literal sense. For example, the Isaiah passage mentioned above uses the term "last days". Non-literalists would say this doesn't refer to the End-Times and use a few New Testament passages to illustrate their point:
"1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1-2)
"17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Acts 2:17-21)
"19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."(1 Peter 1:19-21)
In these passages the term "last days" or "times" refer to the time that Jesus and the apostles were on the earth. Thus the use of this same term in Isaiah 2:2-4 could refer to a time frame that began two thousand years ago. The non-literalists also say that the phrase "the LORD's house" refers to the people of God and not a literal Temple. If this interpretation of Isaiah 2 is accurate then nations may be able to destroy their weapons and live in peace before the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Did the last days begin with the first advent of Jesus Christ? Yes, as the writer of Hebrews and the apostle Peter declare. Therefore, does the Isaiah prophecy refer to that same time period? No.
"4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4-5)
"3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." (Ephesians 1:3-11)
These scripture passages make it clear that the crucifixion was the central event of human history. The Old Testament's laws and prophets pointed to the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus said He came to fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17). Paul declared that Jesus was the goal of the law (Romans 10:4 JNT). Once the crucifixion and resurrection took place human history would not and will not reach a higher point until the second coming of Jesus. I think the time period from Jesus' first coming to His second coming is analogous to the life of a human being. Once we are conceived we start the process of death. Though we progress through life our bodies are decaying and heading toward the inevitable end of life, the death of our bodies (though our spirit will live on). Therefore, we are in our "last days" from the moment we are conceived. Toward the end of our life, our body may give us signs that the end is near. Likewise, the last days for the human race started with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is nothing more to accomplish as Jesus declared on the cross, "It is finished". The apostle Paul stated that there are time frames set in regards to human history. In Romans he wrote, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25) As human history winds down God's word declares there will be signs that the end is near. To determine which "last days" prophecies refer to these End-Times, you must compare them with other scriptures, determine their context, and what will be the result when they are fulfilled.
Let's look at the Isaiah prophecy under discussion:
"2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:2-4)
The first part of this passage declares that the LORD's "house" will be established on a mountain and all nations shall flow unto it. Does the Bible ever use the word house to refer to people? Yes it does. "26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary." (Luke 1:27) In this case the word house refers to the ancestors of Joseph. "But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) Here Jesus was speaking of all the Jewish people. Conversely, the Bible also refers to the word house as the physical structure, the Jewish Temple of the Lord. "1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD." (1 Kings 6:1) King Solomon began to build the physical house or Temple of the LORD. "1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD." (Isaiah 37:1) Here, a distressed King Hezekiah entered the Temple building. So which interpretation of the word house is correct in this Isaiah passage?
First we can compare other scriptures and see how the term is used in them. The phrase house of the LORD appears 234 times in 213 verses in the Old Testament. Of these 222 are clearly speaking of the physical Temple of God. The other twelve could possibly have different connotations. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah use the phrase 27 times and each time in the literal sense of the Jewish Temple building. The term LORD's house is used 21 times in the Old Testament. Nineteen of the times it is referring to the physical Temple of God. It is clear that the Old Testament writers overwhelmingly meant a physical Temple when using the phrases house of the LORD and the LORD's house.
Continuing the comparison of other scriptures with Isaiah 2 there are passages that refer to this prophecy of the LORD's House being established at some point in the future.
"1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. 2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. 5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. 6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted; 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever." (Micah 4:1-7)
This prophecy from the prophet Micah is clearly referring to the same event as the one mentioned in Isaiah. However, there is some key wording in it which shows that the house of the God of Jacob is a literal house or Temple. If house is referring to God's people then the prophecy could be worded like this, "2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the people of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem." Putting together the two clauses "let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the people" and "he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths" results in a nonsensical interpretation. Why would we go to the people if it is God who will teach us? However, if we go up to the Temple where God resides then this passage makes sense.
"16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. 17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. 18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. 19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. 20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. 21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion." (Joel 3:16-21)
This passage in Joel reiterates Isaiah's prophecy that God's Temple will be on a literal mountaintop in Jerusalem. Isaiah's prophecy says "the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." Again, if we change the word house to people it results in an unbiblical interpretation, "the mountain of the LORD's people shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it." This turns the exaltation of the LORD's mountain into the exaltation of the people's mountain. The mountain is holy and deserves exaltation because the LORD dwells in His house or Temple there, not because His people are there.
Lastly, the context and the fulfillment of these prophecies also militate against a metaphorical interpretation of them. Isaiah and Micah both state that when the LORD's house is established on the mountaintop in Jerusalem then the nations will destroy their weapons by turning them into tools to be used for peaceful means. God will rebuke the nations and "neither shall they learn war any more." We currently live in a fallen world because "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) We are incapable of living together in perfect harmony because of our sinful natures. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior He gives us the Holy Spirit who helps us with our infirmities and our fallen state. However, in this life I will never completely overcome my sinfulness for as Paul said, "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:25) The history of the human race has shown that we are incapable of learning war no more while in this fallen state. Therefore, the phrase "last days" used by Isaiah and Micah can only refer to the time when Jesus Christ rules in person from Jerusalem in righteousness and truth. This will only occur in the End-Times at the second coming of the Messiah. It has been two thousand years since Jesus walked the earth and the last days began yet this Isaiah prophecy has not been fulfilled. There can be no temporal fulfillment of these prophecies and thus a metaphorical interpretation is untenable.
