Isaiah 2:4
Verse
Context
The Mountain of the House of the LORD
3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
Sermons






Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Neither shall they learn war any more - If wars are necessary, how deep must that fall be that renders them so! But what a reproach to humanity is the trade of war! Men are regularly instructed in it, as in any of the necessary arts. "How to dislodge most souls from their frail shrines By bomb, sword, ball, and bayonet, is the art Which some call great and glorious!" And is this a necessary part of a finished education in civilized society? O Earth! Earth! Earth!
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"And He will judge between the nations, and deliver justice to many peoples; and they forge their swords into coulters, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation lifts not up the sword against nation, neither do they exercise themselves in war any more." Since the nations betake themselves in this manner as pupils to the God of revelation and the word of His revelation, He becomes the supreme judge and umpire among them. If any dispute arise, it is no longer settled by the compulsory force of war, but by the word of God, to which all bow with willing submission. With such power as this in the peace-sustaining word of God (Zac 9:10), there is no more need for weapons of iron: they are turned into the instruments of peaceful employment, into ittim (probably a synonym for ethim in Sa1 13:21), plough-knives or coulters, which cut the furrows for the ploughshare to turn up and mazmeroth, bills or pruning-hooks, with which vines are pruned to increase their fruit-bearing power. There is also no more need for military practice, for there is no use in exercising one's self in what cannot be applied. It is useless, and men dislike it. There is peace, not an armed peace, but a full, true, God-given and blessed peace. What even a Kant regarded as possible is now realized, and that not by the so-called Christian powers, but by the power of God, who favours the object for which an Elihu Burritt enthusiastically longs, rather than the politics of the Christian powers. It is in war that the power of the beast culminates in the history of the world. This beast will then be destroyed. The true humanity which sin has choked up will gain the mastery, and the world's history will keep Sabbath. And may we not indulge the hope, on the ground of such prophetic words as these, that the history of the world will not terminate without having kept a Sabbath? Shall we correct Isaiah, according to Quenstedt, lest we should become chiliasts? "The humanitarian ideas of Christendom," says a thoughtful Jewish scholar, "have their roots in the Pentateuch, and more especially in Deuteronomy. But in the prophets, particularly in Isaiah, they reach a height which will probably not be attained and fully realized by the modern world for centuries to come." Yet they will be realized. What the prophetic words appropriated by Isaiah here affirm, is a moral postulate, the goal of sacred history, the predicted counsel of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
judge--as a sovereign umpire, settling all controversies (compare Isa 11:4). LOWTH translates "work," "conviction." plowshares--in the East resembling a short sword (Isa 9:6-7; Zac 9:10).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he shall judge among the nations,.... Or, "it shall judge"; either the mountain of the Lord's house, as Abarbinel thinks, that is, the church; for in the spiritual reign of Christ, in the latter day, the judgment shall be given to the saints of the most High, and they shall possess the kingdom; the power of civil government will be in their hands, and they shall judge the world; for kings will then be nursing fathers to them, and queens nursing mothers. Or the law and word of the Lord, the Gospel, which judges men now, and declares who are condemned, and who are not; and will judge them at the last day: or, "he shall judge", that is, the Messiah, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech interpret it; he shall be King over all the earth; the kingdoms of this world will become his, and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the end of the earth: and shall rebuke many people; either the church shall rebuke by her ministers, whose work it is to reprove and rebuke for and to convince of both immorality and error; or, the word preached by them, which is the means of the conviction and conversion of sinners; or, Christ by his Spirit, whose office it is to reprove and convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is a prophecy of numerous conversions among the Gentiles, in the latter day: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: instruments of war shall be no more used, but shall be turned into instruments of husbandry, much more advantageous and useful to mankind. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. This clearly proves that this prophecy belongs to future times; for this has never yet had its accomplishment in any sense; not in a literal sense; for though there was an universal peace all the world over, at the birth of Christ, in the times of Augustus Caesar, yet there afterwards were, as our Lord foretold there would be, wars, and rumours of wars, and nation should rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and so it has been, more or less, ever since; nor in a spiritual sense, for though Christ has made peace by the blood of his cross, and came and preached it by his ministers, and wherever the Gospel of peace takes place, it makes men of peaceable dispositions, and reconciles them, as to God and Christ, and the way of salvation by him, so to one another; and it is peace saints are called to, and, when grace is in exercise, it rules in their hearts; and yet there have been sad contentions and quarrels among the people of God, and which yet still continue; but in the latter day glory, or spiritual reign of Christ, this prophecy will be fulfilled in every sense; for after the hour of temptation is over, that shall try all the earth, after the slaying of the witnesses and their rising, after the battle at Armageddon, when the beast and false prophet will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, there will be no more wars in the world, nor any persecution of the saints; and then will the peaceable kingdom of Christ appear, and all his subjects, and the members of his church, will live in the utmost unity and harmony together; they shall no more envy and vex one another; and of this peace there will be no end, Psa 72:7 these words are applied to the times of the Messiah, both by ancient (q) and modern (r) Jews. (q) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 63. 1. (r) R. Nachman. Disputat. cum fratre Paulo, p. 41. R. Isaac. Chizzuk Emuna, par. 1. cap. 1. p. 43, 44. Kimchi in Isa. lxv. 19.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:4 The Kingdom of God is evident when conflict and violence end, and it is characterized by peace (Rom 14:17). People will cooperate willingly or they will be forced to end their hostilities (Ps 46:9). The nations will submit to divine arbitration rather than go to war (see Isa 1:18-20). • The words mediate and settle refer to God’s acts here, but later verses show the Messiah as the executor of justice (11:3-4). When this takes place, war will cease, and the nations will change their instruments of war into agricultural tools. • swords into plowshares: Cp. Joel 3:10, where the nations are exhorted to hammer their plowshares into swords.
Isaiah 2:4
The Mountain of the House of the LORD
3And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4Then He will judge between the nations and arbitrate for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor train anymore for war.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Jesus Above All
By R.G. Lee6.3K40:35Jesus ChristISA 2:4ISA 11:6LUK 1:32JHN 3:31JHN 5:39JHN 7:46JHN 17:17In this sermon, the speaker reflects on his experience of attending a gathering where they listened to a recording of a singer who had been dead for 30 years. He mentions that during his own speaking engagements, he was given a strict time limit and would be interrupted if he went over. The speaker also discusses being questioned by students and not knowing all the answers, but being content with that. He then transitions to talking about Jesus as a teacher who believed in the truth of the Bible and used it to illuminate his message. The speaker highlights Jesus' death on the cross, emphasizing that he experienced both a physical and spiritual death. He concludes by referencing a passage from the book of Amos about a future day when the sun will go down at noon.
The Millennium - What? Where? When? How? Who?
By J. Vernon McGee3.3K43:56ISA 2:4ISA 11:1ISA 11:10ISA 12:3ISA 60:18In this sermon, the speaker discusses the hunger and thirst for God that will characterize the future. He mentions specific instances where he has witnessed this hunger, such as in his Thursday night group and at a college conference. The speaker emphasizes that our time on earth is a preparation for the future and encourages the audience to focus on their eternal destination. He also mentions passages from the Bible that describe the Millennium, a time when the IQ of all people will be elevated and there will be no more suffering or ignorance. The speaker concludes by highlighting the difference between the hope of the Church, which is to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and the hope for the earth during the Millennium.
Rome or Zion?
By Art Katz2.8K1:12:58ZionPSA 122:6ISA 2:4JER 30:7MIC 4:1ACT 3:21ROM 11:25REV 20:4In this sermon, the speaker shares a personal experience of witnessing the slaughter of a pig and a lamb side by side. This experience taught the speaker about the importance of true conversion and the need for believers to respond to God's call with genuine repentance and surrender. The speaker emphasizes the significance of maintaining the standard of truth and being God's plumb line in order to prevent the horrors of society. The sermon also touches on the mystery of Israel and the future cataclysmic judgment that will come upon Jews worldwide.
What Does God Require of You
By Leonard Ravenhill2.6K1:00:03MercyEXO 15:21ISA 2:4JOL 2:28MIC 4:3MIC 6:3REV 1:1In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding what the Lord requires of believers. He challenges the idea that extravagant offerings or sacrifices can please God, stating that the most important question for believers is what the Lord requires of them. The preacher shares a personal testimony of a man who experienced conviction of sin for three years before coming to the Lord. He then discusses passages from the Bible that speak of God's judgment and restoration, highlighting the need for repentance and obedience. The sermon concludes with a reminder of God's past miracles and a call for believers to testify against any weariness or disobedience towards God.
(Revelation) the Resurrection of the Saints
By Willie Mullan1.8K1:03:25Resurrection Of The SaintsISA 2:4ISA 65:17MAT 6:33REV 20:4REV 20:10In this sermon, the preacher begins by stating that they will be looking at seven verses from the Bible, specifically focusing on six doctrines. The passage being discussed is about the devil being cast into the lake of fire along with the false prophet and beasts. The preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding these doctrines and finding them within the passage. The sermon also touches on the resurrection of the saints and clarifies that these are the bodies of the saints who have been raised from the dead.
Unto Us a Son Is Given
By Chuck Smith1.6K31:33Son Of GodISA 2:4ISA 9:7ISA 66:12HAB 2:14LUK 2:1PHP 4:7REV 11:15In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the love story of God as depicted in the book of Luke. He emphasizes that God, the Creator of the universe, entered time and dwelt on earth as the Word made flesh. The preacher highlights the fall of humanity into sin and the resulting chaos and death in the world. However, he also emphasizes God's love for humanity, as demonstrated by sending His Son to save them. The sermon concludes with the retelling of the Christmas story, where the shepherds are visited by an angel who announces the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
K-461 Jewish Resistance to the Gospel (1 of 2)
By Art Katz1.3K53:52JewishISA 2:4AMO 9:12MAT 6:33MAT 25:37In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a woman who was saved after attending a meeting where he spoke. The woman's son had been impressed by the preacher's conviction and shared his experience with his mother. Intrigued, she read the preacher's book and it raised questions that eventually led to her salvation. The preacher uses this story to illustrate the challenges and opposition that believers may face in the last days, particularly when their ideals and humanistic presumptions are shattered. He emphasizes the importance of corporate witness and the need for believers to bear the fury of their people with grace and love, just as Jesus did when he was attacked.
Skyland Conference 1979-11 Report on the Mideast
By Aldy Fam Fanous1.1K1:37:48MideastISA 2:4DAN 7:25MAT 24:21ACT 9:11CO 15:8REV 7:4REV 14:6In this sermon, the speaker recounts a personal experience of being protected from shrapnel during a bombing. Despite the danger, the speaker and their family were miraculously unharmed. The sermon also mentions the scarcity of resources such as water and food during this time. The speaker emphasizes the belief that God takes care of his own and shares a story of how bread miraculously appeared when needed. The sermon concludes with a discussion about the Middle East and the role of Scripture in understanding the happenings and conditions in that region.
What Is God Doing Today?
By Randy Amos91338:48Christian LifeISA 2:4ISA 42:1JHN 5:24ACT 15:14GAL 1:4REV 19:1In this sermon, the speaker discusses the question of what God is doing on earth today. He begins by reading Isaiah 42:1-4, which speaks of God's servant, who is identified as Jesus Christ. The speaker emphasizes that God is calling people out from the rebellious world to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus for salvation. He explains that God is forming a new government, the church, and is actively building it up by adding to it daily those who are being saved. The speaker encourages believers to be involved in this work by using their gifts and sharing the message of salvation with others.
Beauty of Jesus: King of Kings Ruling All Nations
By Mike Bickle271:08:58The Millennial KingdomThe Beauty of JesusPSA 37:11ISA 2:4ISA 4:2ISA 11:1MAT 24:14MAT 28:19JHN 14:9COL 1:15HEB 1:3REV 5:12Mike Bickle emphasizes the beauty of Jesus as the King of Kings, focusing on His leadership during the Millennial Kingdom. He highlights that this period is not only a fulfillment of God's promises to humanity but also a grand plan for His Son, Jesus, who will rule with wisdom, righteousness, and compassion. Bickle explains how Jesus will establish justice, peace, and harmony among nations, transforming the environment and human relationships. The sermon draws on prophetic scriptures, particularly from Isaiah, to illustrate the profound impact of Jesus's reign on the earth and the joy it brings to the Father and the Son. Ultimately, Bickle invites believers to anticipate and prepare for this glorious reality.
Prayer for the Advancement of Christ's Kingdom
By Edward Payson1PSA 22:27ISA 2:4MAT 6:10MAT 12:30LUK 17:21JHN 3:3ROM 14:172CO 5:17PHP 2:9REV 11:15Edward Payson preaches on the importance of praying for the advancement of Christ's kingdom, emphasizing the divine command to prefer God's glory and the benefits that will result for mankind. He explains that the kingdom of God is spiritual, consisting of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and encourages fervent prayers for its universal prevalence. Payson highlights the promises of God for the fulfillment of Christ's kingdom and urges believers to align their actions and hearts with the principles of the kingdom to make their prayers acceptable.
The Great Vision of Hope and Its Realization
By Arno Clemens Gaebelein0ISA 2:4ISA 11:6ISA 60:1ZEC 9:9MAT 24:21ROM 8:19ROM 9:4ROM 11:26REV 11:15Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches about the revelation of God in the Bible, highlighting the pessimistic message regarding man's condition due to sin and the history of Israel and the Gentile nations. The sermon emphasizes the Bible's paradoxical nature, revealing both darkness and light, chaos and coming righteousness. It discusses the hopeless state of humanity but also presents the Bible as the most optimistic book, offering a great Hope for the world through the Messiah. The sermon delves into the future predictions of the New Testament, portraying a message of coming tribulation and lawlessness before the establishment of God's Kingdom.
Epistle 188
By George Fox0PeaceSpiritual WarfareISA 2:4LUK 3:14ROM 13:3HEB 2:14George Fox emphasizes the importance of living in the seed of God, which overcomes the devil and the strife he causes. He calls for a rejection of false accusations against those who uphold justice and peace, while warning against the dangers of blending with worldly powers. Fox highlights that true peace and life are found in the seed of God, which leads to a state of sanctification and the reign of Christ. He reminds believers that the time will come when nations will no longer learn war, returning to the peace that existed before conflict. Ultimately, he encourages a life that glorifies God through wisdom and righteousness.
The Christian Life
By John Christian Wenger0ISA 2:4MAT 4:17LUK 9:23ROM 12:2EPH 2:8HEB 11:6John Christian Wenger preaches on the Anabaptists' emphasis on repentance, faith, and continuous spiritual renewal as essential for building Christ's Kingdom. He highlights the contrast between personal conversion to Christ and the territorial church system prevalent in the 16th century, emphasizing the need for true repentance and discipleship. The Anabaptists strongly believed in salvation by faith alone, rejecting legalism and emphasizing the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation. Their doctrine of repentance focused on ongoing penitence and contrition, leading to a transformed life in Christ.
On War - Effects of War.
By Jonathan Dymond0PRO 3:30ISA 2:4MAT 5:9MAT 26:52ACT 5:29ROM 12:18ROM 14:191TH 5:15JAS 3:181PE 3:11Jonathan Dymond preaches about the devastating effects of war, highlighting the intense sufferings, irreparable deprivations, and moral consequences it brings upon society. He emphasizes the immense loss of human life, the financial distress, and the moral degradation that war inflicts on individuals, particularly soldiers. Dymond condemns the immorality, servility, and slavery inherent in military obedience, urging Christians to refuse to participate in war as it goes against the principles of Christianity. He calls for passive resistance and non-compliance with unjust orders, emphasizing the importance of upholding moral agency and rejecting the iniquity of war.
The Fighting Sailor Turn'd Peaceable Christian
By Thomas Lurting0PeaceTransformationDivine GuidanceISA 2:4MAT 5:9JHN 14:27ROM 12:182CO 5:17EPH 4:3PHP 4:7COL 3:15JAS 3:181PE 3:11Thomas Lurting shares his transformative journey from a fighting sailor to a peaceable Christian, recounting his numerous deliverances during perilous naval battles and the profound impact of his conversion. He reflects on the internal struggles he faced, particularly in relation to the Quakers, whom he initially persecuted but eventually came to respect and join. Lurting emphasizes the importance of surrendering to God's will and the power of divine guidance in overcoming fear and violence. His experiences serve as a testament to God's mercy and the possibility of redemption, encouraging others to seek peace and spiritual truth.
Somewhat Spoken to a Weighty Question Concerning the Magistrate's Protection of the Innocent
By Isaac Penington0PSA 46:10ISA 2:4HOS 2:18MAT 5:9ROM 14:4HEB 10:30REV 17:14REV 19:11Isaac Penington preaches about the importance of righteousness, peace, and the defense of the innocent by magistrates, emphasizing the need for nations to embrace a state of peace and righteousness in the latter days. He discusses the role of the magistrate in protecting those who are peaceable and unable to fight, highlighting the need for a shift from fighting to meekness and peaceableness. Penington also addresses the desire of the Quakers for universal liberty in worship, the need for just laws based on equity and righteousness, and the importance of avoiding enmity and opposition in government. He encourages those who have felt the power of God's endless life to trust in the Lord's strength and righteousness, urging them to wait for the fulfillment of God's promises and the establishment of His kingdom on earth.
Matthew 24:37
By Chuck Smith0JudgmentHope in ChristGEN 6:5ISA 2:4ISA 11:6ISA 35:5REV 21:4Chuck Smith emphasizes the parallels between the current state of society and the days of Noah, warning that just as the people of Noah's time were oblivious to impending judgment, so too is the modern world. He highlights the moral decline, violence, and societal issues that signal a need for change and a return to God. Smith asserts that the only hope for humanity lies in the return of Jesus Christ to establish His Kingdom, urging believers to pray for revival and moral restoration in society. He calls for a collective acknowledgment of the need for spiritual awakening and the importance of godly leadership in government. Ultimately, Smith reassures that the day of the Lord is approaching, where peace and restoration will reign.
Isaiah 2:4
By Chuck Smith0ProphecyWar and PeaceISA 2:4JOL 3:9Chuck Smith discusses the prophetic implications of Isaiah 2:4, emphasizing President Truman's statement about future conflicts and the current arms race, particularly between Russia and the U.S. He highlights that the coming war will be unprecedented due to the use of atomic weapons, which will lead to various forms of death and destruction, as described in Zechariah 14:12. Smith also references 2 Peter 3:10-14 and Revelation 6:12-17 to illustrate the catastrophic outcomes of such warfare and the eventual end of the millennium.
The World War and What Followed
By Arno Clemens Gaebelein0PSA 33:12PRO 14:34ISA 2:4ISA 9:6DAN 2:21MAT 24:6ROM 13:11TH 5:32TI 3:1REV 17:14Arno Clemens Gaebelein preaches about the events leading up to and during World War I, highlighting the divine inspiration behind the pre-written history of world affairs as penned by the prophet Daniel. The sermon delves into the prediction of nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, ultimately leading to the unleashing of the dogs of war. Gaebelein discusses the intricate timeline of events in July 1914 that sparked the European tragedy, emphasizing the unseen power behind the human hatred. The sermon also touches on the significant role of various nations, the failure of peace negotiations, the rise of Japan, the League of Nations, and the aftermath of the war, including the Prohibition amendment and its unintended consequences.
On War - Causes of War.
By Jonathan Dymond0PSA 34:14PRO 14:12ISA 2:4MIC 6:8MAT 5:9ROM 12:182CO 10:3EPH 6:12JAS 4:11PE 3:9Jonathan Dymond preaches about the causes of war, highlighting the impure motives and lack of true patriotism that often lead to conflicts. He questions the glorification of military exploits and challenges the notion of dying for one's country, pointing out the mercenary and criminal aspects of war. Dymond urges readers to critically examine the true foundations of military glory and the detrimental effects of promoting war through literature, religion, and public opinion.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Neither shall they learn war any more - If wars are necessary, how deep must that fall be that renders them so! But what a reproach to humanity is the trade of war! Men are regularly instructed in it, as in any of the necessary arts. "How to dislodge most souls from their frail shrines By bomb, sword, ball, and bayonet, is the art Which some call great and glorious!" And is this a necessary part of a finished education in civilized society? O Earth! Earth! Earth!
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
"And He will judge between the nations, and deliver justice to many peoples; and they forge their swords into coulters, and their spears into pruning-hooks: nation lifts not up the sword against nation, neither do they exercise themselves in war any more." Since the nations betake themselves in this manner as pupils to the God of revelation and the word of His revelation, He becomes the supreme judge and umpire among them. If any dispute arise, it is no longer settled by the compulsory force of war, but by the word of God, to which all bow with willing submission. With such power as this in the peace-sustaining word of God (Zac 9:10), there is no more need for weapons of iron: they are turned into the instruments of peaceful employment, into ittim (probably a synonym for ethim in Sa1 13:21), plough-knives or coulters, which cut the furrows for the ploughshare to turn up and mazmeroth, bills or pruning-hooks, with which vines are pruned to increase their fruit-bearing power. There is also no more need for military practice, for there is no use in exercising one's self in what cannot be applied. It is useless, and men dislike it. There is peace, not an armed peace, but a full, true, God-given and blessed peace. What even a Kant regarded as possible is now realized, and that not by the so-called Christian powers, but by the power of God, who favours the object for which an Elihu Burritt enthusiastically longs, rather than the politics of the Christian powers. It is in war that the power of the beast culminates in the history of the world. This beast will then be destroyed. The true humanity which sin has choked up will gain the mastery, and the world's history will keep Sabbath. And may we not indulge the hope, on the ground of such prophetic words as these, that the history of the world will not terminate without having kept a Sabbath? Shall we correct Isaiah, according to Quenstedt, lest we should become chiliasts? "The humanitarian ideas of Christendom," says a thoughtful Jewish scholar, "have their roots in the Pentateuch, and more especially in Deuteronomy. But in the prophets, particularly in Isaiah, they reach a height which will probably not be attained and fully realized by the modern world for centuries to come." Yet they will be realized. What the prophetic words appropriated by Isaiah here affirm, is a moral postulate, the goal of sacred history, the predicted counsel of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
judge--as a sovereign umpire, settling all controversies (compare Isa 11:4). LOWTH translates "work," "conviction." plowshares--in the East resembling a short sword (Isa 9:6-7; Zac 9:10).
John Gill Bible Commentary
And he shall judge among the nations,.... Or, "it shall judge"; either the mountain of the Lord's house, as Abarbinel thinks, that is, the church; for in the spiritual reign of Christ, in the latter day, the judgment shall be given to the saints of the most High, and they shall possess the kingdom; the power of civil government will be in their hands, and they shall judge the world; for kings will then be nursing fathers to them, and queens nursing mothers. Or the law and word of the Lord, the Gospel, which judges men now, and declares who are condemned, and who are not; and will judge them at the last day: or, "he shall judge", that is, the Messiah, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech interpret it; he shall be King over all the earth; the kingdoms of this world will become his, and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the end of the earth: and shall rebuke many people; either the church shall rebuke by her ministers, whose work it is to reprove and rebuke for and to convince of both immorality and error; or, the word preached by them, which is the means of the conviction and conversion of sinners; or, Christ by his Spirit, whose office it is to reprove and convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. It is a prophecy of numerous conversions among the Gentiles, in the latter day: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: instruments of war shall be no more used, but shall be turned into instruments of husbandry, much more advantageous and useful to mankind. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. This clearly proves that this prophecy belongs to future times; for this has never yet had its accomplishment in any sense; not in a literal sense; for though there was an universal peace all the world over, at the birth of Christ, in the times of Augustus Caesar, yet there afterwards were, as our Lord foretold there would be, wars, and rumours of wars, and nation should rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and so it has been, more or less, ever since; nor in a spiritual sense, for though Christ has made peace by the blood of his cross, and came and preached it by his ministers, and wherever the Gospel of peace takes place, it makes men of peaceable dispositions, and reconciles them, as to God and Christ, and the way of salvation by him, so to one another; and it is peace saints are called to, and, when grace is in exercise, it rules in their hearts; and yet there have been sad contentions and quarrels among the people of God, and which yet still continue; but in the latter day glory, or spiritual reign of Christ, this prophecy will be fulfilled in every sense; for after the hour of temptation is over, that shall try all the earth, after the slaying of the witnesses and their rising, after the battle at Armageddon, when the beast and false prophet will be taken and cast alive into the lake of fire, there will be no more wars in the world, nor any persecution of the saints; and then will the peaceable kingdom of Christ appear, and all his subjects, and the members of his church, will live in the utmost unity and harmony together; they shall no more envy and vex one another; and of this peace there will be no end, Psa 72:7 these words are applied to the times of the Messiah, both by ancient (q) and modern (r) Jews. (q) T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 63. 1. (r) R. Nachman. Disputat. cum fratre Paulo, p. 41. R. Isaac. Chizzuk Emuna, par. 1. cap. 1. p. 43, 44. Kimchi in Isa. lxv. 19.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:4 The Kingdom of God is evident when conflict and violence end, and it is characterized by peace (Rom 14:17). People will cooperate willingly or they will be forced to end their hostilities (Ps 46:9). The nations will submit to divine arbitration rather than go to war (see Isa 1:18-20). • The words mediate and settle refer to God’s acts here, but later verses show the Messiah as the executor of justice (11:3-4). When this takes place, war will cease, and the nations will change their instruments of war into agricultural tools. • swords into plowshares: Cp. Joel 3:10, where the nations are exhorted to hammer their plowshares into swords.