What does Isaiah 2:20 mean?
"In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;" - Isaiah 2:20
Isaiah 2:20 from the King James Version reads, "In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats."
This verse comes from the book of Isaiah, which is one of the major prophets in the Old Testament of the Bible. In this particular passage, the prophet Isaiah is speaking about a future day when the Lord will assert his power and judgment over the earth. The context of this verse is a broader message of God's ultimate sovereignty and the futility of human pride and idolatry.
The passage begins with a vision of the mountain of the Lord being exalted above all other mountains, and all nations coming to it to seek the Lord's guidance and instruction. It conveys a vision of a time when there will be peace and harmony among nations as they turn to the Lord for guidance and justice. The verse in question, Isaiah 2:20, is part of this wider vision and is specifically addressing the futility of worshiping man-made idols.
The verse speaks of a day when people will cast aside their idols of silver and gold, which they had created for themselves to worship. It speaks to the irony of people crafting these beautiful and valuable objects, only to later discard them as worthless, casting them to the moles and bats. This imagery conveys the idea of the utter futility and meaningless of idol worship in the face of God's sovereignty.
One of the key themes in this passage is the concept of idolatry. Throughout the Bible, idolatry is consistently condemned as a sin and a betrayal of the true worship of God. The Israelites, to whom Isaiah was speaking, were particularly prone to idol worship, often turning to the worship of false gods and idols made of silver and gold. This verse serves as a warning against this practice, reminding the Israelites that their idols will ultimately be of no value and will be cast aside.
Another important theme in this verse is the idea of true worship and devotion to God. The act of casting aside these idols of silver and gold is an act of repentance and turning back to the one true God. It represents a recognition of the futility of placing one's trust and devotion in material things, and a recommitment to the worship of the Lord.
The symbolism in this verse is rich and profound. The imagery of casting idols to the moles and bats conveys the idea of degradation and worthlessness. Molehills and bats are often associated with darkness, decay, and things of little value. By casting their idols to these creatures, people are symbolically acknowledging the worthlessness of their false gods and turning away from them.
Overall, Isaiah 2:20 is a powerful reminder of the futility of idolatry and the absolute sovereignty of God. It conveys a message of repentance and turning back to the true worship of the Lord. It serves as a warning against placing trust and devotion in material things, and a call to seek true fulfillment and purpose in God alone. The themes of idolatry, true worship, and the symbolic imagery in this verse make it a profound and thought-provoking passage that continues to resonate with believers today.
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Isaiah 2:20 - "In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;"
"In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;" - Isaiah 2:20
2 Kings 20:16 - "And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD."
2 Kings 20:7 - "And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered."
2 Chronicles 32:20 - "And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven."
2 Kings 20:4 - "And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying,"
Isaiah 20:2 - "At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot."
2 Kings 20:11 - "And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz."
"And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD." - 2 Kings 20:16
2 Kings 20:8 - "¶ And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD the third day?"
2 Kings 20:19 - "Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?"
"And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven." - 2 Chronicles 32:20
2 Kings 20:9 - "And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?"
2 Kings 19:20 - "¶ Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard."
"And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." - 2 Kings 20:7
2 Kings 20:14 - "¶ Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon."
2 Kings 20:1 - "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live."
Isaiah 3:20 - "The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,"
Isaiah 20:5 - "And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory."
Isaiah 20:3 - "And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;"
Isaiah 8:20 - "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
"And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying," - 2 Kings 20:4
Isaiah 42:20 - "Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not."
Isaiah 1:20 - "But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."
Isaiah 29:20 - "For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:"
Isaiah 22:20 - "¶ And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:"
Isaiah 32:20 - "Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass."
Isaiah 59:20 - "¶ And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD."
Isaiah 57:20 - "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt."
Isaiah 2:1 - "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem."