Context No. 3213 of 4322 · Micah

Micah 4:1-13: in context

1But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it. 2Many nations will go and say, “Come! Let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go out of Zion, and the LORD’s word from Jerusalem; 3and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more. 4But every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of Armies has spoken. 5Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever. 6“In that day,” says the LORD, “I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted; 7and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.” 8You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come. Yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. 9Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail? 10Be in pain, and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies. 11Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion.” 12But they don’t know the thoughts of the LORD, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor. 13Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze. You will beat in pieces many peoples. I will devote their gain to the LORD, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.

Micah sees a vision of the last days: the mountain of the LORD's house lifted up above the hills, and the nations streaming to it, saying, come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, that he may teach us his ways. And the fruit of this teaching is peace: they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, and learn war no more, every person sitting under vine and fig tree with no one to make them afraid.

This is one of the great visions of peace in Scripture. In the last days the nations stream to God to be taught his ways, and the result is disarmament: swords become plowshares, spears become pruning hooks. The knowledge of God produces peace; where he reigns and teaches, weapons turn into farm tools and every person rests secure. And notice whom God gathers into this future: the lame, the outcast, those he has afflicted, made into a strong nation under his reign. The kingdom is built not on the mighty but on the wounded and cast-off, gathered and healed.

Do I long for and live toward the day God's reign brings, weapons turned to tools, the outcast gathered, and peace under his teaching?

Sources

Micah 4:3: "They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation."
Micah 4:4: "But every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid."
Micah 4:6: "I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away."