SUMMARY
When all nations come to ZionZion originally referred to a mountain near Jerusalem where David conquered a Jebusite stronghold. Later the term came to mean a number of other things like the Temple, Jerusalem, and even the Promised Land. More and submit to God’s judgments, then weapons will be destroyed and peace will be established for both nations and individuals.
ANALYSIS
This is one of the three best-known passages from Micah, although it is usually associated with Isaiah where almost the exact same words are found (Isaiah 2:2-4). Micah adds a verse (4:4) about how individuals, as well as nations, will be able to live in prosperity and without fear. Several questions are raised when the same words occur in more than one biblical book. Is one borrowing from the other? If so, which is the original? Or do they both borrow from another source? Or was this prophecyProphecy is the gift, inspired by God, of speaking and interpreting the divine will. Prophets such as Amos, Isaiah, and Ezekiel spoke words of judgment and comfort to the people of Israel on behalf of God. More added to both books at a later time, after Isaiah and Micah? Scholars differ on their answers to these questions. Most likely, both books borrow this passage from another source, whether done by the prophets themselves or someone coming after them.
Zion and the God of Israel are put at the center. All nations will turn toward Jerusalem and submit to the authority of the Hebrew God. When they are able to do this, then weapons will no longer be necessary and there will no longer be wars.
This is an ideal that we may long for, but which seems impossible to achieve. In a world of many cultures and religions, it is a far-off vision that all will submit to the same God. Even Christians cannot agree on what God expects from us and what human authority represents God’s presence on earth. The same is true for most other religions. Further, when wars are always happening, when one “enemy” is replaced by another, when the impulse to fight is always close to the surface, it is hard to imagine the elimination of all weapons of war. “If we give them up, how can we defend ourselves?” we wonder. This prophecy remains a vision, a hope, the way life should be. Whether it can ever happen in this world, it stands as God’s goal for the future, which might, we hope with the prophets, influence our lives and actions in the present.
