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https://jungjinbu.blogspot.com/2025/02/blog-post_22.html
Isaiah 2:1-4 - Swords Turned into Plowshares (Advent 1)
Waiting
Perhaps some of you here today have a pet dog.
When I was a student, I spent most of my time with a dog. There were many
things I felt while raising a dog, but one of the things I felt most was
intimacy and loyalty. Of course, it varies depending on the breed and
personality, but most dogs are loyal, trust their owner, and wait for them.
That’s why, after being away for a day or two and meeting again, they are so
happy to see you. The dog believed the owner would return and waited, so they
are even more joyful when the reunion happens.
A Story About a Dog
I recently saw a story on the news
by chance. It was about a pet dog named Caramelo. This dog, Caramelo, has been
living like a staff member at a hospital in Brazil. But Caramelo has quite a
story behind it. In 2016, Caramelo's owner was admitted to this hospital and
then passed away. From that moment, Caramelo has remained at that hospital. Of
course, the owner’s family tried to take the dog home several times, but it kept escaping and
returning to the hospital. Eventually, the late owner’s children gave up trying to bring
Caramelo home. Instead, the hospital decided to adopt the dog. Since we can't
communicate directly with dogs, we don't know Caramelo’s deepest thoughts, but maybe it is
still waiting for its owner to return, faithfully staying at the same spot.
The Background of Isaiah
Today's passage is about waiting.
In verse 2, it says: “In the last days, 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.” The prophet Isaiah, who wrote today’s passage, was active from around
740 BC to 681 BC. Isaiah's ministry took place when both the southern kingdom
of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel were in political turmoil. The
greatest threat at that time was the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrian Empire was
expanding its power through violence to satisfy its greed, and it was a
significant threat to surrounding nations. Therefore, we can easily imagine
that people of that era lived every day with rumors of war and threats. Their
hearts must have been filled with fear and anxiety. And it was during such
times that Isaiah proclaimed the message of waiting for the last days.
Waiting for That Day
The phrase "in the last
days" refers to the end times. Isaiah prophesied in today’s passage what
will happen when that time comes. In verse 2, it says: “The mountain of the LORD’s temple will be
established as the highest of the mountains.” The "mountain of the LORD's
temple" refers to Mount Zion, where the city of Jerusalem is built, and
the temple was there. I remember the first time I saw Jerusalem during my
pilgrimage. We were on a bus heading toward Jerusalem for a long time, and I
began to see the city. The first thought that came to my mind was,
"Jerusalem isn’t as high as I thought." In the Bible, there are many references to “the mountain of
the LORD,” so often we think that Jerusalem is built on a high, scenic mountain. But
in reality, what is it like? It feels like a huge, gently sloping hill. Of
course, the city of Jerusalem is magnificent, but there are many mountains
taller and more glorious than it. But what does today’s scripture say? It says, “The mountain of
the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will
be exalted above the hills.” What does this mean? This is referring to the spiritual importance of
Jerusalem. Though it may appear to be a low mountain on the outside, because
the temple of the LORD is there, it can be called the most important place.
All Nations Will Stream to It
What is truly astonishing in
today's passage is the latter part of verse 2, which says: “All nations will
stream to it.” The word "stream" in the original language means to flow like a
river, which makes this part even more vivid. Originally, it was a place where
only the Jews gathered to worship God. Now, all nations and all peoples are
streaming in, like a mighty current, to come before God and worship Him. This
is a vivid vision of the future.
Come
Moreover, in today’s passage, we see a lively
conversation that the people have as they head up to Jerusalem. In the first
half of verse 3, it says: “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.” What do you feel
when you hear these words? As I read this passage, I felt the excitement of
these people. It feels like they are going on a journey to a beautiful place
they have never been before in their life or heading toward a place they had
long dreamed of. So what are these people so excited about? Their anticipation
is about God. They are filled with a beautiful resolve that God will teach them
and that they are willing to obey His words. So the latter part of verse 3
says: “The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” What is the
conviction in their hearts? They no longer wish to hear the stories of the
world. They want to hear the word of the LORD. They are confident that only
God's word is the truth, and that is why they approach the temple of God with
boldness and joy.
The Lord Will Judge Between Nations
After showing us this picture of
nations coming to God and the hopeful conversations they are having, verse 4
continues by saying: “He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many
peoples.” God promises to judge what is right and wrong in the disputes that have
existed thus far and to resolve their conflicts. And then, the transformation
in reality is shown: “They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning
hooks.” And finally, it says, “Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war
anymore.”
Why War?
What are your thoughts as you read through
this passage? As I prepared this sermon, one of the biggest questions that came
to my mind was, “Why the imagery of war?” Why would God use the image of war to describe the transformation of those
who seek Him earnestly and come to Him? Why is it that when describing the
changes in those who truly seek the Lord, God uses the imagery of warfare? I
thought we should go back and reflect on the history of war and what it
represents. With that in mind, let us think about it. If we consider peace as
the opposite of war, then when was the most perfect peace shattered in human
history? That was when sin entered the world with the eating of the forbidden
fruit, and at that very moment, complete peace was shattered into pieces.
Broken Relationships
In Genesis 3, after Adam and Eve
ate the forbidden fruit, God came to Adam and rebuked him, wanting Adam to
admit his sin. God asked him: “...Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I
commanded you not to eat from?” (Genesis 3:11) But how did Adam answer? Adam said: “The woman you put
here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” (Genesis 3:12) I think this scene
might be one of the saddest in the entire Bible. Why? Because the very creature
God loved most—Adam—turned his back on God by refusing to admit his sin. Furthermore, Adam went
so far as to blame God by implying that the woman God gave him was the root of
all problems. We also see the beautiful relationship of marriage that God
allowed being completely broken here. Adam refused to take responsibility for
his sin and, instead, blamed his beloved wife. He claimed, “Because of that
woman, I ended up like this.” Right in front of Eve, his partner, Adam is recorded in Scripture
displaying this ugly scene of blaming her. Ultimately, the reason peace among
humans was shattered and wars broke out was because of our sinful, fallen
nature, which says, “It’s not my fault; it’s yours.”
Why Did They Leave the Church?
Recently, I read a book called “Why Did They Leave
the Church?” The title itself is both intriguing and heartbreaking. It’s a book by a
journalist, Sookhee Chung, who works for the Korean Daily News in America. She
wrote about a conflict that occurred in a church in the LA area years ago: “When you meet both
sides who are fighting, they all seem like perfectly fine Christians. Each of
them has a deep faith, and each has a great love for the church—greater than
anyone else’s. Their reasons and arguments are also logical in their own way. Then who
is right, and who is wrong? Before determining who’s to blame, the problem is that
everyone points at each other, saying, ‘It’s your fault.’ In church
disputes, people say they ‘pray while fighting’ and label the other side as ‘Satan’—that’s what makes it so serious.” What are your
thoughts on this? And how can you connect this writing with today’s scripture? As I
meditated on today’s passage, I realized how serious the war brought by our fall really is. It’s a war of blaming
others—even blaming God. No one takes responsibility for their sins, and instead,
everyone keeps blaming others. This is humanity's greatest war.
The Lord Took Our Place
So, let us think for a moment—what hope could
there be in such a situation? What hope is there for us in a situation where
humanity has turned against God, blames Him, and even becomes enemies with one
another? But as I meditated on Isaiah today, I found the phrase in verse 4, “He will judge
between the nations,” to be particularly significant. The word “judge” here carries the meaning of
mediation. In other words, God Himself will mediate between people. So what
kind of God is the LORD? The LORD is not a God who passively watches wars from
afar. He is a God who actively intervenes. He does not leave us alone as we
blame God and blame one another. Instead, He works on our behalf. In 1 Timothy
2:5, it says: “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man
Christ Jesus.” The Bible tells us that in order to turn a relationship of war into one of
peace, it is Jesus Christ alone who stands as the mediator between God and
humanity.
God Who Bears Responsibility for Us
How did Jesus carry out the work of
mediation? Isaiah 53:5-6 says: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds,
we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to
our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” In 2 Corinthians
5:21, it says: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.” Isn’t this truly astonishing? What
amazes us is that what God does is the exact opposite of what we do. While
sinners continually blame each other, saying, “It’s all your fault,” the Lord does not
blame us but instead has compassion on us and willingly takes responsibility
for our lives.
This Is True Grace
Therefore, the gospel is completely
against our instincts. We are people who feel it’s only natural to get even when we’re hurt. We are
people who resolve, “I won’t let anyone else’s mistakes cost me.” And if something is unclear, we are the kind of people who just have to
blame others to feel better. But God carried all of it alone and worked for us.
This is true grace. I remember talking to a young man during a book club
session a long time ago. I asked him, “What do you think God’s grace is?” He answered, “Pastor, it is that
Jesus died on the cross.” So I slightly corrected him: “That’s good, but I think something
important is missing. The grace is that Jesus died on the cross for me.”
The Lord Takes Full Responsibility for Us
In that
sense, perhaps we still have not fully grasped the true grace of God. We say we
know God, but in reality, we may not truly know Him. Why? Because when we think
of Jesus, we rarely think, “I am truly a sinner, and Jesus came to this earth because of me.” Instead, it’s like we think
God was in some way indebted to us and, out of necessity or guilt, had no
choice but to send His Son to this earth. But that’s not the case. That Jesus died on
the cross in our place means that God did not hold us accountable for our sin.
Rather, the Lord took on all responsibilities, and this is the essence of
Christ’s mediation. Therefore, even amid our failures and despair, we do not lose
the hope of salvation. Furthermore, even though we still stumble due to sin, we
can stand again and approach God boldly because we are assured that God still
takes responsibility for us.
Restore Your Relationships The “last days” that Isaiah the prophet spoke about
are the times we live in now. After Jesus’ first coming and as we wait for His
second coming, this era is what Isaiah was referring to as the “last days.” In this plan,
Gentiles like us would come to seek the Lord, and because of Jesus, our
relationship with the Father would be restored. We would hear the Lord’s words and seek
His will—a remarkable miracle is taking place. In that regard, I would like to ask
you this: Are you in the middle of a war? Are you in an uncomfortable
relationship with God? This question is about whether your relationship with
Father God has been fully restored. Do you feel peace when you think of God? Do
you understand, believe, and trust in Jesus, and do you have the assurance that
you are His child? And further, I would also like to ask how your relationship
is with your spiritual brothers and sisters.
The True Characteristics of the Church
What we should pay attention to is that those who have come to believe in Christ have become the temple of God. In Ephesians 2:22, it says: “And in him, you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” In other words, in these last days, we have become one body in Christ, a complete spiritual family. Then what is the ultimate picture of the church that the Bible shows us? The latter part of verse 4 today is like the highlight of a movie. It shows us the ultimate image that the gospel of Jesus Christ creates. And here we see people who overcome war.
This is truly remarkable. Why? Because this is
contrary to all of human history, and it shows that those who have overcome the
sinful nature of humanity have finally appeared. Take note of how vivid this
scene is. They have beaten their swords into plowshares. A plowshare is a
farming tool like a plow. The tool of war has become a farming tool. There is
no longer any tool to wage war. It says they will no longer take up swords to
strike one another, nor will they train for war. In other words, there will be
complete peace without even a hint of that horrible sin of blaming others,
destroying me, the church, and the world. So in Romans 14:17, it says: “For the kingdom of
God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and
joy in the Holy Spirit.” What does this mean? Many people still misunderstand the church, focusing
on our buildings, our numbers, and how we appear outwardly. But the Bible
speaks of the true church, where the Holy Spirit pours out boundless peace and
joy. In other words, it speaks of the true characteristics of the church—a church where war
has disappeared and inner satisfaction, peace, and awe are present.
Have True Faith
Isaiah 2:4, which we read today, is
inscribed on a stone in front of the United Nations headquarters. It represents
the determination to achieve world peace through political and diplomatic
efforts. But what’s the problem? The world is still filled with war and anger. The world’s methods will
never bring about complete peace. Sookhee Chung writes in her book: “Today, I want to
ask those involved in disputes at the 'frontlines'—how long will you keep saying, ‘It’s your fault’? By now, I want to
see someone say, ‘It’s my fault,’ and show the true image of a Christian by breaking the pride in their
hearts and repenting.” What does this mean? Just looking like a Christian outwardly will never
bring about this peace. Only those who have been deeply moved by God’s grace, who
continues to bear responsibility for sinful me and guides me, can bring about
this peace in their lives. Only those who wait for the Lord with loyalty and
sincerely long for Him can achieve and enjoy this peace.
What Are We Waiting For?
Therefore, as we meditate on today’s passage, I want
us to ask ourselves honestly: Are we waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ as
Isaiah waited for the end times? Today is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is
a time of waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ and preparing for Christmas.
But if we reflect, it seems that many people have forgotten the true value of
Christ. It seems that we have lost our loyalty to Him. We are busy with
year-end activities and excited about the holidays, but it seems like we have
forgotten the times we are living in. Yet in verse 3 today, it says: “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.” In other words, today we are
listening to the cries and exhortations of many people who walked the true path
of faith through this time of worship. We are learning the true way of life.
And God is inviting us away from a life of war—where we blame and condemn others—into a life of
genuine grace, where we even take responsibility for others' faults.
The Lord Invites Us to Peace
Therefore, at this very point, we
face the greatest challenge in our faith. The world we live in is like a
battleground. It feels like if we lose even once or overlook someone’s mistake,
everything will fall apart. Our reality is that we live with a sense of crisis.
The truth is, we fear that if we don’t blame others and live naively, we
might end up living a miserable life. So today’s message may seem so unrealistic.
It may sound as idealistic as the promise of peace given to Isaiah amid the
threats of war. When we hear the command to end the war today, it may seem like
it surpasses our reason completely. However, the Bible clearly shows us that
Christ has already emptied Himself completely and came to this earth, that He
willingly gave up everything for us. The Lord sacrificed for us first. The Lord
made us His body, the church. The Lord told us that this is the right way and
is asking us today, “How long will you continue to fight? How long will you live blaming others?” As we approach
Christmas, the Lord invites us, who have pledged loyalty to Him, to end the
war. On this Advent Sunday, He invites us into His peace.
Conclusion
I want to conclude today’s message. Beloved congregation, what are you earnestly waiting for this year-end? Though there are many things we can wait for and enjoy, I hope we wait for the true peace of Jesus Christ. And I pray that through the Prince of Peace, the relationship between God and us will be restored. I pray that the relationship between fellow believers, which has been broken, will be healed. I pray that the terrible war engraved in our sinful nature will gradually disappear. May we no longer lift the sword against one another. May we not wield it or train for war anymore. I sincerely bless you all in the name of the Lord, that you may live as the people of God’s peace, without wielding the sword against one another. Let us pray together.
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