What does Isaiah 2:16 mean?
In what do people trust to give them the advantage over all others? Isaiah has listed great trees and mountains, as well as towers and walls (Isaiah 2:13–18). Now he adds to the list the great ships and watercraft of Tarshish. Such vessels were hugely impressive to behold. Compared to other vessels of the day, they towered above the water, giving owners and nations wealth from trade with distant peoples. A nation with both a navy and trading ships was well-positioned on the world stage.The Lord is not impressed. Isaiah insists that even these great ships will be brought low on the day of the Lord (Ezekiel 30:3; Obadiah 1:15; Acts 2:20; 2 Peter 3:10). They will be no match for His power and glory. All who trust in ships, or wealth, or any material thing will be humbled by His might (Psalm 20:7; Proverbs 11:28; Luke 12:16–21).
Isaiah 2:6–22 begins with stunning words: the Lord has "rejected" His people Israel. Instead of trusting Him, they worship false idols and practice fortune-telling. They believe these things and their deal-making have brought them wealth and security. The day of the Lord, though, will result in the abandonment of their homemade idols. He will bring low every great thing they trust instead of the Lord. The people will try to escape the Lord's majesty in the darkness of caves as He terrifies the earth. Isaiah finishes this section with telling His people to stop esteeming human beings.
Isaiah describes Israel's far future as a time when all the nations of the earth will recognize Israel's God as the Lord. They will come to Jerusalem to learn from Him how to live. Isaiah tells his people to walk in the light of the Lord now. Instead, they worship false gods, follow fortune tellers, and make deals. Their great wealth, military might, and endless homemade idols will not save them from the God's judgment on day of the Lord. Human arrogance will be brought low as the Lord is exalted. Isaiah summarizes the chapter with a warning not to trust fallible people, instead of God.
