Isaiah 2 Mandate

Seven Strategies from Isaiah 2 to fulfill the Great Commission of Acts 1

Isaiah chapter 2 contains Isaiah’s basic vision of the kingdom of Messiah on earth. It should be a foundation of our understanding about that kingdom. This chapter provides a picture of the “Millennium,” the 1,000-year reign of Yeshua on earth from Jerusalem, which will be established upon His soon coming return.

Isaiah 2:2-4

2 וְהָיָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים נָכֹון יִהְיֶה הַר בֵּית־יהוה בְּרֹאשׁ הֶהָרִים וְנִשָּׂא מִגְּבָעֹות וְנָהֲרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל־הַגֹּויִם׃ 3 וְהָלְכוּ עַמִּים רַבִּים וְאָמְרוּ לְכוּ וְנַעֲלֶה אֶל־הַר־יהוה אֶל־בֵּית אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וְיֹרֵנוּ מִדְּרָכָיו וְנֵלְכָה בְּאֹרְחֹתָיו כִּי מִצִּיֹּון תֵּצֵא תֹורָה וּדְבַר־יהוה מִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃ 4 וְשָׁפַט בֵּין הַגֹּויִם וְהֹוכִיחַ לְעַמִּים רַבִּים וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבֹותָם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתֹותֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרֹות לֹא־יִשָּׂא גֹוי אֶל־גֹּוי חֶרֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְדוּ עֹוד מִלְחָמָה׃

2 It will come to pass in the end of days that the mountain of the house of YHVH will be established at the head of the mountains, and it will be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations will stream unto it. 3 And many peoples will say, “Come let us go up to the mountain of YHVH, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths, for from Zion will go forth the Torah and the word of YHVH from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations and rebuke many peoples; and they will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and neither will they learn war anymore.

(My purpose here is not to explore in depth the book of Isaiah, but to give a few spiritual principles from this chapter that guide our ministry.)

Isaiah 2 is the foundation for the rest of the book of Isaiah, including:

1. Glorification of the divine king in chapter 6

2. Birth of the divine king in chapter 7

3. Nature of His kingdom in chapter 11

4. Destiny of Africa in chapter 18

5. Battles at His coming in chapters 13, 29, 30, 37

6. Destiny of Egypt, Assyria, and Arabia in chapter 19

7. Key of David in chapter 22

8. Good news of His kingdom, chapters 40 onward

9. Atoning sacrifice of King Messiah in chapter 53

10. Glorious restoration of Zion, chapters 54 onward

The kingdom of Messiah on earth is the central theme of the book as a whole. (That kingdom is reflected in Israel and the Church today, foreshadowing what will happen in the age to come.)

Isaiah 2 describes a worldwide government of peace, prosperity, and righteousness. Many of the other chapters deal with calling Israel to repent, and an even greater number deal with warning the nations of judgment and punishment.

“Isaiah’s Vision” by Marc Chagall, hanging in the Knesset.

We started daily prayer meetings for Revive Israel in 2000. After a year, we sensed the Spirit of the Lord urging us to adopt the “Great Commission” of Acts 1:8 as if it were our own.

(The Great Commission is for all believers, not “ours” alone. The point was for us to give ourselves totally to fulfilling it “as if” we had to take responsibility for it alone. As Messianic Jews we had to widen our perspective to see world evangelism as part of our calling, just as it was for the original Messianic community in the First Century.)

Acts 1:8 – You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of Me in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.

This enormous challenge seemed too big even to consider or imagine. We are far too small and weak. However, in obedience, we just said, “yes” in our hearts, without any real expectation of embracing it practically.

After another year of prayer, we sensed that the Lord was telling us that the way to fulfill Acts 1 was through the spiritual principles of Isaiah 2. That insight has been a guiding strategy for us these past two decades.

(Isaiah 2 is the description of Messiah’s kingdom. Acts 1 is the commission to spread the news of that kingdom around the world. Acts 1 is a means to bring about Isaiah 2; and in reverse, the principles of Isaiah 2 are a means to fulfill Acts 1. They complement one another.)

Here are Seven Strategies from Isaiah chapter Two:

1. Jerusalem – for both Acts 1 and Isaiah 2, the kingdom message-and-mission starts and ends in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the future capital of Messiah’s kingdom. The first revival started here. The last battle before Yeshua’s return will take place here.

2. International – the passage speaks of “many peoples” and “all the Nations [Gentiles]”. This is part of the first promise to Abraham to be a blessing to all the families of the earth. The “calling” to Israel and the calling to the Nations are intertwined. The Millennial kingdom will have a capital, and it will cover the whole world.

3. Hosting – as the passage calls for the nations to come up to Jerusalem, we try to open our hearts and homes to those who “come up.” Part of the vision of our Jerusalem base is to host such beloved friends and guests.

4. Sending – as the nations are to “come up”, so I believe the Messianic Remnant in Israel is to “go out” as witnesses of Yeshua, for example in short term kingdom-missions to the nations. When we “send and go”, we do so in order to bless the nations, and to encourage national revival and destiny.

5. Reconciliation – this passage calls for peace among the nations. Part of our mission is to help different ethnic groups to be reconciled to one another through the love of Yeshua. Our testimony as Jewish believers in Yeshua, and oneness with our Arab Christians friends, has had a blessed and powerful influence to help others come to “peace and unity”.

6. Teaching – Isaiah 2 speaks of teaching the word and torah of YHVH. What a joy to think of Yeshua teaching all nations in the Millennium! In the meantime, we try to send out kingdom teachings in writing, audio, video, digital, paper or any other means possible.

7. Eschatology – Isaiah wrote that his vision was for “the end of days.” We are not interested in just theory about the end times, but in training to be ready for the events leading up to the coming of Yeshua, and to be part of helping His kingdom to be established on earth.

These are days of fulfillment for many prophecies from Scriptures. We desire to serve Yeshua’s purposes in our generation. Let’s advance the vision of Isaiah Two and the commission of Acts One together.