Isaiah 2:1-17

1This is the message that appeared to Amoz's son, Isaiah, about Judah and Jerusalem.

2This is what will happen in the last days. The mountain where the Lord's temple is will continue to be there. It will be the most important mountain of all. It will be higher than all the hills around it. People from every nation will go there all the time.

3As they come, people from many nations will say, ‘Come! We will go to the mountain of the Lord, Jacob's God. We will go to worship him at his temple. Then he will teach us how to live in a way that pleases him. We will be able to walk in his paths.’ At that time, Zion will be the place where people learn about what is right. Yes, in Jerusalem the Lord will teach people his message.

4God will be the judge between different nations. When they argue together, he will say who is right. They will take their swords and they will make them into ploughs. Their spears will become knives to cut their vines. Nations will no longer need weapons to attack other nations. They will not prepare to fight wars any more.

5Jacob's family, come now! We need to live in the light that the Lord gives to us.

6Lord, you have gone away from your people. They are Jacob's descendants. They are full of ideas from countries in the east. They use magic to learn about future times, as the Philistines do. They join hands with foreign people.

7They are very rich and their land is full of silver and gold. They have many horses, and more chariots than you can count.

8But their land is also full of useless idols. They worship things that they have made with their own hands.

9People bend down low in front of their idols. They even lie flat on the ground! Lord, do not forgive them!

10Go up to the rocks in the hills! Find a hole in the ground where you can hide! Hide from the Lord's great power, because he is coming to punish you! He rules with great authority!

11The Lord will bring proud people down low. People who boast will have to stop. On that day, people will see that only the Lord is great.

12Yes! The Lord Almighty will choose his great day. On that day, he will judge all the proud people who think that they are great. He will bring them all down very low.

13The Lord will cut down the great cedar trees in Lebanon, and the oak trees in Bashan.

14He will bring down the high mountains and the highest hills.

15He will knock down all the strong towers and walls.

16He will destroy the great ships that travel across the seas, and all the beautiful boats.

17Like that, the Lord will bring proud people down low. People who boast will have to stop. On that day, people will see that only the Lord is great.