Friday 22 December 2023
- Bible Book:
- Isaiah
He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (v. 4)
Background
Isaiah is believed to have been written by three different authors. Interestingly scholars question whether today's passage is written by somebody different and inserted. This means it’s not a passage we can easily date or identify. It matters because it means we cannot be fully clear about the context the author was writing in. However, there are things that we can clearly explain in the passage, without having that clarity.
The first is that this is a prophetic passage which is using traditional Canaanite myth and poetry about Zion being turned into a mountain where God will live. The writer is using imagery the audience is already familiar with when he writes about the mountain and God being up there.
God is also recognised as the teacher people will go up the mountain to learn from. This image of the teacher on the top of a hill dispensing wisdom is something that is common in a range of religions. Here it is God himself who is the teacher, whom all people need to learn from.
God is not only a teacher though. God is also seen as a judge, who will settle disputes between people. In doing this God is also a peacemaker, who will turn destructive weapons of war into items that can be used to farm and produce new fruit to sustain people. In this situation of worldwide peace there will be no purpose for people to learn about war anymore, rather they will be learning how to cooperate and ensure all are provided for.
To Ponder:
- If you were to go to God to learn, what would you want God to teach you?
- Where might you go to learn what God wants to teach you?