‘Haughty Eyes Must Become Low’

6, 7. (a) What happens to self-exalted ones on the day of Jehovah’s judgment? (b) Upon what and whom does Jehovah express his anger, and why?

⁶ Isaiah continues: “Enter into the rock and hide yourself in the dust because of the dreadfulness of Jehovah, and from his splendid superiority.” (Isaiah 2:10) But no rock will be big enough to protect them, no cover thick enough to conceal them, from Jehovah, the Almighty. When he comes to execute his judgment, “the haughty eyes of earthling man must become low, and the loftiness of men must bow down; and Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day.”​—Isaiah 2:11.

⁷ “The day belonging to Jehovah of armies” is coming. It will be a time for God to express his anger “upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up and upon all the massive trees of Bashan; and upon all the lofty mountains and upon all the hills that are lifted up; and upon every high tower and upon every fortified wall; and upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all desirable boats.” (Isaiah 2:12-16) Yes, every organization raised up by man as a symbol of his pride and every ungodly individual will be given attention in the day of Jehovah’s wrath. Thus, “the haughtiness of the earthling man must bow down, and the loftiness of men must become low; and Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day.”​—Isaiah 2:17.

8. How does the foretold day of judgment come upon Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.?

⁸ The foretold day of judgment comes upon the Jews in 607 B.C.E. when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem. The inhabitants see their beloved city aflame, its proud buildings demolished, its mighty wall smashed. The temple of Jehovah is reduced to rubble. Neither their treasures nor their chariots amount to anything on “the day belonging to Jehovah of armies.” And their idols? It happens just as Isaiah foretells: “The valueless gods themselves will pass away completely.” (Isaiah 2:18) The Jews​—princes and mighty men included—​are taken into exile to Babylon. Jerusalem is to lie desolate for 70 years.

9. In what way is the condition of Christendom similar to that of Jerusalem and Judah in Isaiah’s day?

⁹ How similar the condition of Christendom is to that of Jerusalem and Judah in Isaiah’s day! Christendom has certainly cultivated a close relationship with the nations of this world. She is an enthusiastic supporter of the United Nations and has filled her house with idols and unscriptural practices. Her adherents are materialistic and put their confidence in military might. And do they not view their clergy as worthy of great distinction, attributing to them titles and honors? Christendom’s self-exaltation will without fail be brought to nothing. But when?

The Impending “Day of Jehovah”

10. To what “day of Jehovah” do the apostles Paul and Peter point?

¹⁰ The Scriptures point to a “day of Jehovah” that will be of far greater significance than the day of judgment upon ancient Jerusalem and Judah. The apostle Paul, under inspiration, associated the coming “day of Jehovah” with the presence of the enthroned King Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2) Peter spoke of that day in connection with the establishment of ‘new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness is to dwell.’ (2 Peter 3:10-13) It is the day on which Jehovah will execute his judgment upon the entire wicked system of things, including Christendom.

11. (a) Who will “hold up under” the upcoming “day of Jehovah”? (b) How can we make Jehovah our refuge?

¹¹ “Alas for the day,” says the prophet Joel, “because the day of Jehovah is near, and like a despoiling from the Almighty One it will come!” In view of the imminence of that “day,” should not security during that fear-inspiring time concern everyone? “Who can hold up under it?” asks Joel. He answers: “Jehovah will be a refuge for his people.” (Joel 1:15; 2:11; 3:16) Will Jehovah God be a refuge for those who have a haughty spirit and who put their confidence in riches, military might, and man-made gods? Impossible! God abandoned even his chosen people when they acted in this way. How vital that all of God’s servants “seek righteousness, seek meekness,” and examine seriously the place of Jehovah’s worship in their lives!​—Zephaniah 2:2, 3.

“To the Shrewmice and to the Bats”

12, 13. Why is it fitting for the idol worshipers to throw their gods “to the shrewmice and to the bats” on the day of Jehovah?

¹² How will idol worshipers view their idols during Jehovah’s great day? Isaiah answers: “People will enter into the caves of the rocks and into the holes of the dust because of the dreadfulness of Jehovah and from his splendid superiority, when he rises up for the earth to suffer shocks. In that day the earthling man will throw his worthless gods of silver and his valueless gods of gold . . . to the shrewmice and to the bats, in order to enter into the holes in the rocks and into the clefts of the crags, because of the dreadfulness of Jehovah and from his splendid superiority, when he rises up for the earth to suffer shocks. For your own sakes, hold off from the earthling man, whose breath is in his nostrils, for on what basis is he himself to be taken into account?”​—Isaiah 2:19-22.

¹³ Shrewmice live in holes in the ground, and bats roost in dark and desolate caves. Moreover, where a large number of bats roost in one place, there is a repulsive smell and a buildup of thick layers of droppings. Casting idols into such places is fitting. A place of darkness and uncleanness is all that they deserve. As for the people, they will seek refuge in caves and clefts in the rock on the day of Jehovah’s judgment. So the fate of the idols and their worshipers will be the same. True to Isaiah’s prophecy, lifeless idols saved neither their worshipers nor Jerusalem from Nebuchadnezzar’s hands in 607 B.C.E.

14. During the upcoming day of Jehovah’s judgment upon the world empire of false religion, what will worldly-minded men do?

¹⁴ During the coming day of Jehovah’s judgment upon Christendom and other segments of the world empire of false religion, what will people do? Faced with deteriorating conditions earth wide, most will likely come to realize that their idols are valueless. In place of these, they may well seek refuge and protection in nonspiritual, earthly organizations, perhaps including the United Nations, the “scarlet-colored wild beast” of Revelation chapter 17. It is “the ten horns” of that symbolic wild beast that will destroy Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, of which Christendom is a significant part.​—Revelation 17:3, 8-12, 16, 17.

15. How will Jehovah alone “be put on high” in his day of judgment?

¹⁵ Although the devastating and burning of Babylon the Great may be the direct work of those symbolic ten horns, it is, in fact, the execution of Jehovah’s judgment. Concerning Babylon the Great, Revelation 18:8 states: “That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah God, who judged her, is strong.” So to Jehovah God, the Almighty, goes the credit for liberating mankind from domination by false religion. As Isaiah states, “Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day. For it is the day belonging to Jehovah of armies.”​—Isaiah 2:11b, 12a.

[Picture on page 55]

On “the day of Jehovah,” the world empire of false religion will be devastated