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What Must I Do To Be Saved?

  

FROM: 12/22/02 Radio Program

Question:

In reading Isaiah 2:4, when will there be no more wars?

Answer:

Before answering this question, let us read Isaiah 2:1-4 to understand the context.

"The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

In his writing, Isaiah describes what was going to happen in the "last" (KJV) or "latter" (NKJ) days. This corresponds to what Peter said when he quoted Joel 2 to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, showing that what would happen in the "last/latter days" had come to pass (Acts 2:16-17). In the last days the "mountain of the Lord's house shall be established." "Mountain," when used symbolically in the Bible, refers to government, rule, or a kingdom. Therefore, Isaiah was saying in the last days God's kingdom would be established, and would be over all other earthly kingdoms or nations. It would appeal not to one nation or another, but to "all nations" as people from everywhere would "flow unto it." This kingdom would have a peaceful aspect to it, and this is the meaning behind Isaiah 2:4. Within this kingdom God would establish, one could have peace, wherein people from all nations would treat one another peacefully, seeing as they, though from different ethnic backgrounds, now belonged to the same kingdom, and worshipped the same God in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). We see the fulfillment of Isaiah's words on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

Therefore, Isaiah was not prophesying a day when earthly war will end, but speaking of a time when all those who wish to be a part of the Lord's kingdom may do so freely. Within this spiritual kingdom there would be peace. There would be peace, first of all between man and God, and as a result of this peace, men could enjoy peace with one another!

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