This is something we have all experienced in one way or another in the course of our lives. It’s the sudden loss of appeal followed by regret when you finally find “IT”(that perfect house, that fitting outfit that goes with the theme, that wonderful venue with your dream view) just after you recently settled for something less and have already paid for it and have no means to do a second acquisition. That which you had initially rejoiced to own loses its glory and is, so to speak, “brought low” in light of the perfection of the one you missed.

In the second chapter of Isaiah, we find the scriptures describing an event that will elicit a reaction akin to this but far greater in magnitude. To have all that you valued and held dear instantly pale and fade in glory at the revelation of a more glorious treasure at the end of your life is quite a fearful experience, if you ask me. To realize there was something far better and more precious to pursue when it is too late, and your time is up. To discover that all you spent your time and money on, all you took pride in and to all you gave your attention and focus was only a shadow, when the real treasure appears. What could be more terrifying?

Isaiah 2:10.Go into the rocks, hide in the ground
from the fearful presence of the Lord
and the splendor of his majesty!
11. The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled
and human pride brought low;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.

He calls it the day of the Lord. From the passage it is clear that on that day, God will humble men and bring down their pride and all that they glory in simply by exposing them to the splendor of His majesty. In a moment, all idols will mean nothing. All achievement will amount to nothing, only the Lord will be exalted and only those who sought Him will find that they achieved anything worthwhile. Man will behold the splendor of the majesty of God; all other things will pale.

12. The Lord Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
(and they will be humbled),
13. for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty,
and all the oaks of Bashan,
14. for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,
15. for every lofty tower
and every fortified wall,
16. for every trading ship
and every stately vessel.
17. The arrogance of man will be brought low
and human pride humbled;
the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18. and the idols will totally disappear.

And so, just like we feel regret for settling for less of earthly perishable things, so will man rue having settled for less of eternal imperishable things. Just like a man will eventually resent that expensive-near-good-fit-almost-the-right-color jacket he bought with his last coin, when he meets a cheaper perfect colored one that fits like a clove to a hand and matches his pants, so man will resent all his idols.

20 In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. 21 They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. 22 Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?

May we ever endeavor to seek that glory that will not fade. For to find God, to be a part of His Kingdom through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to find that which is eternal. That which will never fade. May Jesus be our “IT’’ now, so that we may never regret having chased another when splendorous majesty appears.