"And it shall come to pass in the end times, that the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach us His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion the Law shall go forth, and the Word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war anymore." (vs2-4)

"But they shall each one sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and there shall be no cause for trembling. For the mouth of Jehovah of Hosts has spoken." (Mic4:4)

"There shall yet be old men and old women sitting in the streets of Jerusalem; and each man with his staff in his hand because of great age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets." (Zec8:4-5)

So, as we understand prophecy from Ezekiel, Zechariah, Revelation we see the preparations (presently) in progress for the great calamities that are yet to come. Thus, also knowing prophecy, we understand that this passage is for the times -AFTER- those calamities and warfare.

In other words, for as fearsome as things presently appear to be lining up against Israel, this passage (along with many others in Scripture) gives us the assurance that Israel will ultimately MAKE IT...SAFE AND SOUND as a nation. They will -NOT- be "wiped off the map". We do know that 2/3 will be killed, but Israel and Jerusalem will be built up with the third who remain, who will be "refined" (Zec13:8-9) as Messiah comes to establish His righteous rule.

But that refining process (for Israel) is also judgment upon the world. God will judge "among the nations" (vs4); as Jesus spoke of separating between the sheep and goats, those nations that supported Israel vs those who treated them rotten. (Mt25:31-46)

Judgment is for idolatry; as ch47 speaks of the downfall of the Queen of Heaven/Babylon, and the book of Revelation speaks of the ruination of Babylon and Jezebel. Not only have "the nations" been guilty, but so has the "church". vs6-9 describe 'eastern' idolatry, and the church has embraced it.

Charismania today embraces shamanistic rituals like the eastern (Hindu, TM, Yoga, Pacific Island, etc) religions. When they claim to prophesy and heal they are calling upon the fortunetelling arts. The KJV and NKJV get this totally all messed up: It's not about being "pleased". The NASB and NIV speak of strike bargains or clasp hands...like hand shakes? But the word is actually "clap/slap". Thus, if one is familiar with seeing people of the eastern religions at worship, one immediately recognizes the distinctive "clap" they do. They will bow to the image/idol and hands in 'prayer' position (like "praying hands"), they clap. They throw the offering towards the idol, bow and clap. They utter words of prayer, bow and clap.

Israel had taken to the pagan religions around them. They would join with them, bow and -clap- together to the idols. And notice...

"Their land is -FULL- of idols... people prostrate themselves, men bow low; therefore You do not forgive them" (vs8-9)

They have been bowing -low- to the idols.

Thus the symbolism of the mountain of Jehovah being established on the 'top' of the mountains. Those who have been haughty against God have bowed -low- to the idols in subservience to them. When Messiah comes in judgment He is going to take all the haughty things and bring THEM "low". (vs12) He is going to humble -everything- and -everybody-: the cedars of Lebanon, the oaks of Bashan. (vs13) Trees in olden days were often where rulers/leaders would sit under their shade and rule. e.g. 1Sa14:2,22:6, Jdg4:5 Thus, a -tall- or -big- tree was symbolic of the greatness of the one sitting under it in rulership.

The "high mountains" and "hills" (vs14) were where they set up their shrines, altars and groves to their pagan idols.

And here might be one Biblical reference to America, the "ships of Tarshish" (vs16) along with "Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and their young lions..." (Ezk38:13) And also Is23:14, 60:9. Some prophecy scholars consider the "young lions" to be the British empire, the British crest being comprised with lions; and while the USA is 'independent' of Britain, historically the British commonwealth and USA have a 'history', and today we are 'close' allies.

What will be the nature of this end times judgment?

"And they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, for the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of His majesty; when He rises up to make the earth tremble. In that day a man shall throw his idols of silver and gold, which they made each man to bow down to, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the crevices of the rocks, and into the clefts of the cliffs, from the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of His majesty; when He rises up to make the earth tremble." (vs19-21)

"And I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its untimely figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. And the heavens separated as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Re6:12-17)

"In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth" (Gen1:1)

"knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were since the beginning of creation [uniformitarianism]. For of this they are willfully ignorant: that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." (2Pt3:3-7)

They will hide in the rocks. Many are already, even today, building these fully-stocked underground bunkers to survive against global calamity. But the question is asked of them, "How is he to be accounted?" (vs22)

But once the calamities are over, and Messiah is setting up His reign, those who survive will be making treks to Jerusalem to learn of God. And where they are trying to wipe Israel off the map today; in that day...

"Thus says Jehovah of Hosts: In those days ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold and grasp the sleeve of a man who is a Jew, saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you." (Zec8:23)

"Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be set loose out of his prison and will go out to lead astray the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. And they went up over the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them." (Re20:7-9)

"For all the peoples walk, each one in the name of his god; but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever." (Mic4:5)

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