November 25, 2019
For full passage click: Isaiah 2:1-5“ … He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; 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 any more.” vs. 4
Isaiah believed that one day Jerusalem would be established as the hub of God’s rule. From there, God would establish order and justice among the nations and there would no longer be any need for war. We’re still waiting! For many centuries, that vision of beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks has motivated peacemakers in every land, but we haven’t come close to making it a reality. In fact, we seem to be more in love with guns and bombs than ever before. Military spending dwarfs every other item on our national budget and woe to any politician who even hints that we need to cut back. Every year tens of thousands of people are killed in wars around the world. And still we keep hoping! We know that such violence is not a part of God’s intention–all people are created in the image of God and are programmed for love and not for hate. Perhaps one day our eyes will be opened to the foolishness of this endless struggle for power and control and Isaiah’s vision will become a reality. The gift of life is so precious. It’s heartbreaking to see how accustomed we’ve become to all the killing–it’s as though it’s part of the natural order and not a senseless tragedy.
Thought for the Day: Why do some leaders love war so much?
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