We are familiar with the Isaiah verse.
He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and 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 2:4).
Isaiah was not the only one who predicted about a peaceful future. We have a nearly identical verse in Micah.
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and 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 (Micah 4:3).
However, if we think the Bible gives us a bright and peaceful future, we are only 66.67% correct. Read Joel.
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior." (Joel 3:10 RSV, 4:10, MT)
He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and 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 2:4).
Isaiah was not the only one who predicted about a peaceful future. We have a nearly identical verse in Micah.
He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations afar off; and 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 (Micah 4:3).
However, if we think the Bible gives us a bright and peaceful future, we are only 66.67% correct. Read Joel.
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior." (Joel 3:10 RSV, 4:10, MT)
Joel was telling the post-exile Jews that God would restore their fortunes.
For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations, and have divided up my land,
and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and have sold a girl for wine, and have drunk it. (Joel 3:1-3 RSV, 4:1-3 MT).
God seemed to be avenging for His Chosen People who had suffered enough.
Ever since Isaiah, prophets saw the invasions of Gentiles as God's chastening. These foreign nations were carrying out God's plan. However, if they overdid, God would harshly punish them instead. For example, the Assyrians. They were conquered by the Babylonians because the Assyrians had done more than God required. They wanted to conquer, not to punish.
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride(Isaiah 10:12).
Similarly, God raised Cyrus, the Persian king to release the Jewish exiles from Babylonian Captivity.
In previous times, God raised alien nations to punish Israel/Judah as well as to deliver them. Now in Joel's time, the Jews were under the dominion of the Greek Empire. The Jews believed that this time, God would not make use of yet another foreign nation to deliver them. He would come Himself. "The Day of the Lord" became the buzzword of the day.
For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations, and have divided up my land,
and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and have sold a girl for wine, and have drunk it. (Joel 3:1-3 RSV, 4:1-3 MT).
God seemed to be avenging for His Chosen People who had suffered enough.
Ever since Isaiah, prophets saw the invasions of Gentiles as God's chastening. These foreign nations were carrying out God's plan. However, if they overdid, God would harshly punish them instead. For example, the Assyrians. They were conquered by the Babylonians because the Assyrians had done more than God required. They wanted to conquer, not to punish.
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride(Isaiah 10:12).
Similarly, God raised Cyrus, the Persian king to release the Jewish exiles from Babylonian Captivity.
In previous times, God raised alien nations to punish Israel/Judah as well as to deliver them. Now in Joel's time, the Jews were under the dominion of the Greek Empire. The Jews believed that this time, God would not make use of yet another foreign nation to deliver them. He would come Himself. "The Day of the Lord" became the buzzword of the day.
Joel had missed the whole point. Truly, the Day of the Lord was drawing near. But the Messiah would not be a military one. Rather, God took up human flesh, lived among us and died for us. From death, He came back to life so as to conquer death once and for all. With limited understanding and perspective, prophets were not expected to pass on the whole truth. Joel saw a revengeful God instructing the Chosen People to beat plowshares to swords. Joel, or any other prophets, could be unable to know God's plan for sure. Even when Jesus told his apostles plainly God's plan, his apostles could not accept such a plan. We don't blame Joel.
Dear Lord, You sent us prophets to reveal Your plan of redemption. May we be more attentive in discerning Your will. Amen.
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