Swords to Plowshares

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Isaiah 2:1-5 ESV).

 

There is a wonderful bronze sculpture (pictured here) created by Soviet artist Evgeny Vuchetich and presented to the United Nations in December, 1959 by the then Government of the USSR. The sculpture depicts the figure of a man holding a hammer aloft in one hand, and a sword in the other, which he is making into a ploughshare. It is meant to symbolize man's desire to put an end to war and to convert the means of destruction into creative tools for the benefit of mankind. The sculpture is located in the North Garden of UN Headquarters. The inspiration for the work was taken from our reading today. The prophet Isaiah records the declaration of the Lord that He will bring peace to His creation. It is meant to give us hope and an eternal perspective, and its images of salvation stir the heart. Without this promise and a knowledge of the faithfulness of God to keep His promises, the hatred between nations would seem unsolvable, and any efforts at peace would seem futile.

 

But God promises that he will “settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” For “in the last days” all nations will stream in to recognize and honor the Lord. This seemed to be the case when the Queen of Sheba came to visit Israel’s King Solomon in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chronicles 9:1-9). Her realm was in southwestern Arabia about 900 years before Jesus came. Historians say that before the time of Christ, Judaism had spread south to Arabia and over to Ethiopia in Africa. Since the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the nations have begun streaming into God’s kingdom. Jesus’ followers have gone out to spread the good news “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And when the Lord comes again to live with us in his Holy City there will be peace in God’s eternal kingdom (cf. Revelation 21:24). This promise is the backdrop for the next few days. Today, rejoice that the time is closer than anyone might imagine. His redemption is drawing very near!