(Transcribed from the Words of Life Radio Program)
It is great to be together again as we look into the Word of God. The title for the lesson is “Train for War Anymore.” And our primary text is taken from the Old Testament the book of Isaiah chapter 2 verses 1 through 4. Please listen to the Word of God: “This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem: In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. 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, that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”
Wonderful, glorious words concerning yet future. In the year of our LORD 1919 the United States of America President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day to commemorate the end of WWI, the “war to end all wars” as Americans were assured of at that time. The word “Armistice” means: an agreement made by opposing sides in a war to stop fighting for a certain time; a truce, a ceasefire.
Yet about 21 years later WWII broke out, then especially regarding the United States of America, about five years later the Korean War broke out, then according to official historical records, one year later the Vietnam War began. And you dear listener probably know the rest of the story regarding wars, and conflicts, and chaos that has been true in our lifetimes and long before.
Today in the year of our LORD 2025: multiple conflicts and crises are happening around the world. The Russia-Ukraine War, the Palestine-Israel War, the Sudanese Civil War in Africa, the Myanmar Civil War in Southeast Asia, the Ethiopian conflict in Africa, The Sudanese continue to fight, the Haiti Gang conflict, the Mexican Drug War, etc. The world is currently experiencing a record number of wars and conflicts since WWII. In 2024 and upwards, it is estimated that 300 million people are expected to need humanitarian aid.
So, obviously, the term “Armistice or ceasefire will soon become obsolete, woefully, and grossly inaccurate regarding wars and rumors of wars and conflicts around the world. There aren’t ceasefires, there aren’t evidently of any length truces that hold true. Woefully and grossly inaccurate regarding man’s ability to fight man. Therefore, in part at the urging of major United States Veteran organizations, Congress renamed this federal holiday from Armistice to Veterans Day in the year of our LORD 1954 in America to honor all living U S Veterans. Memorial Day also is a federal holiday and celebrated in May specifically honoring and mourning United States Military personnel who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Well-meaning, but naïve humanists claimed in a more civilized world that worldwide democracies would prevail to finally bring peace and prosperity, and that wars and rumors of wars would end permanently. That has not come to pass. Yet instead of a world of liberty for all, and democracies thriving peaceably, many nations are still under the brutal heel of totalitarianism, of dictatorships. Inspite of all the education, religion, science, and technology there is no peace, but instead even more lethal ways to kill one another as the human race continues in this carnal carnage.
As Scripture predicts, the world is not getting better. Mankind is not going to stop war.
Long ago, in the first century AD, Jesus predicted “When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away. Nations will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” That’s recorded in Luke chapter 21 and verses 9 through 11.
Many believed that our world in the 21st century onward would be rid of wars and pestilences. Fact is wars in the 20th century, worldwide, have claimed an estimated, a conservative estimated 187 to 231 million souls and that’s a conservative estimate. The estimated deaths world-wide due to pestilence, plague, and pandemics (there are distinctions regarding these terms) between the year of our Lord 1347 and 2019 have claimed, at least officially 147 million more souls. And sadly, deaths due to war or especially pandemics have subsided one quarter into the 21st century.
In the 25 centuries since the Hebrew prophet Isaiah prophesied there have been an estimated war going on somewhere in the world in at least 11 out of every 12 years! That certainly does not bode well for mankind going forward regarding warring nations against nation, kingdom against kingdom even within nations civil wars and the rest. Our military needs to stay strong and ready. Whatever country you are in needs to be strength, and readiness against those that would cause war.
God alone who has promised peace, the absence of war permanently can accomplish this.
So, let’s unpack our study passage of Scripture: beginning in Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 1 “This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:”
God gave His prophet Isaiah a vision the Scripture quote “saw” or in the sense of foretelling what was to come describing the future exaltation of Judah, and Jerusalem its capitol. Yes, the focus here is Israel, but this time will also include the nations on this earth at that glorious time to come.
Verse 2A “In the last days…”
The original Hebrew for this phrase occurs 13 times in the Old Testament, sometimes simply meaning the far future, however, most of the time meaning the Messianic Age when Messiah reigns on this earth. Compare Hosea chapter 3 verse 5, the Hebrew prophet Hosea in the Old Testament chapter 3 and verse 5 which says “Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.”
“Return” here in context means Israelites’ repentance which the nation did not do at Messiah’s first coming.
“David their King” refers to their Messianic king promised of David’s royal dynasty. David, Israel’s second king had been dead for centuries when Hosea prophesied. Messiah, whose given name was not as yet known was to be Jesus of Nazareth, the greatest descendant of David. Regarding “in the last days” the vast majority of the Israelites did not repent nor seek their Messiah-King at His first coming, the last days did begin at Messiah’s first coming (Hebrews chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 in the New Testament) however, this will be completely fulfilled at His second coming.
Furthermore, consider Jeremiah chapter 23 and verses 5 and 6 which states “The days are coming,” declares the LORD,” when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteous Savior.”
These words can only refer uniquely to Jesus Christ the Messiah “for David” refers to the Lord’s fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant as his greatest son, that is Jesus Messiah, his descendant will reign as KING-OF-KINGS and LORD OF LORDs.
“In the land” Jesus Messiah-King will reign on this earth in Israel’s totally promised land not just reign in heaven.
“Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety” Implies a united nation in which “saved and in safety” did not occur at Messiah-King’s first coming but will occur at His second coming. Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 2B “The mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.” “Mountain of the LORD’s temple: will be established.” Refers to Mount Zion where the 3rd temple will be built. According to Ezekiah chapters 40 through 43. “As the highest of the mountains.” Often in Scripture mountains denote governmental authorities in a figurative sense as chief. That will be because Messiah-King’s rule from this temple will be gloriously preeminent. Compare Daniel chapter 2 and verse 35)
Verse 3 of Isaiah chapter 2 “Many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths. The law will go out from Zion, the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
During the messianic age Mount Zion or Jerusalem will become the center focus of all nations and peoples not Washington, DC, not New York City in America because the LORD God will be in residence there to instruct “His Ways, His Paths.” His commands which includes (“the law, the word of the LORD”) In the messianic kingdom nations and peoples will voluntarily seek the LORD’s “ways…paths…law…and word” as foundational to everyday life. Verse 4A “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples…” Today the institution of the United Nations and its members, in New York City, that meet in New York City do a lot of judging between nations, however settling disputes usually is not successful. And why is this? Because they are all fallen human beings. All have national agenda’s and etc. Jesus Christ will judge, and He will settle disputes successfully every single time. Why? Because He is Lord God He is “Deity in bodily form!” According to the New Testament passage in Colossians chapter 2 verse 9) Enough said!
Verse 4B “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” That is all instruments of warfare will turn instead to instruments of peace. Peace will finally come not by human achievement but instead by God’s presence as Messiah-King reigning and ruling in His millennial Kingdom, thousand-year kingdom. (First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 24 in the New Testament states “Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.” That is destroy His enemies first, and all evil human authority.
Therefore, eventually all will go full circle back to the very beginning pristine, peaceful sinless creation; as it reveals in (First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 28) “So that God may be all in all.” That is when the Lord Jesus hands over the kingdom to His Father into the new heaven and the new earth.
What does “God may be all in all” mean? A good answer: Romans chapter 11 verse 36 which states “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Then it will be God’s Day: forever, everywhere, no one will “train for war anymore.” No more new veterans of wars. All in Christ will enjoy perfect peace inwardly and outwardly!
So, you dear listener, are you in Christ? God’s Day is only for believers! Have you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord and been baptized into him? Do so today. For today can be your day of salvation.
David Johnson is minister of the Sellersburg Church of Christ in Sellersburg, IN.