ADVENT II
December 8, 2024
“Swords and Spears or Bombs and Rockets”
“Many peoples shall come and say,
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
. . . that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ ”
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.” Isaiah 2:3a, 4
Every Advent, I read and hear once again the words of promise from the prophet Isaiah. They’re written in beautiful poetic form, and resonate with great truth and clarity. These verses speak of the most greatly desired of circumstances — living in peace. Chapter 9 contains more of God’s promises with the verses that speak to “The people who have walked in darkness” and the child who will be born and who will bring peace and harmony to a world in conflict.
Finding a sense of connection with people who lived thousands of years ago can be quite a stretch — after all, we connect with people with whom we have things in common. Language, culture, life experiences, interests and abilities, all help create a feeling of connectedness with others. And yet, reading and hearing these promises, they touch our hearts, inspire us, and offer us comfort and hope.
As I looked through Isaiah and read some of the margin notes in my Study Bible, I began to have a sense of the breadth and depth of this major book of the Old Testament. The prophet warns the people that God will judge them, and calls out sinners, wrongdoers, and those who turn away from God’s will for his people. There’s that moment of apprehension for God’s coming judgment, but we learn that the law, along with his mercy, brings people into a right relationship with God. Throughout the book, there are warnings and cautions, and then comfort. Jesus himself told his disciples why he was sent to live among people as a human — that he came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.
The verses from Isaiah 2 and the references to swords and spears, plowshares and pruning hooks can sound old-fashioned and obsolete, but the message remains clear. Our world is yearning for an end to conflict, war, death and destruction. To believe that instruments of war, whether swords and spears or bombs and rockets, can be turned to purposes that will benefit humanity rather than destroy it, might be viewed as a waste of time, and an impossible hope. But take a look at the first part of the verse, where it tells us God will judge between the nations, and then they will cease making war. There’s the challenge — being God’s people in turbulent times, showing the world that we don’t give up hope, and calling others to learn God’s ways and to walk in his paths. The promises are there, and they are real, and we have a part to play in bringing them to our weary world.
Blessed to hear these words of peace and hope,
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers