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Isaiah and Micah: Assyrian Crisis

  1. Lesson One
    Isaiah - YHWH and the Nations
    22 Activities
    |
    3 Assessments
  2. Lesson Two
    Isaiah - YHWH and His People
    23 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  3. Lesson Three
    Isaiah's Anticipated Messiah
    24 Activities
    |
    4 Assessments
  4. Lesson Four
    The Authorship and Unity of Isaiah
    24 Activities
    |
    4 Assessments
  5. Lesson Five
    Micah
    17 Activities
    |
    2 Assessments
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

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Isaiah is the prophet most often referenced by popular culture. One frequently quoted passage from Isaiah is the prediction of YHWH’s judgment of the nations and future peace:

(YHWH) 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. 
Isaiah 2:4 NIV

This image of turning instruments of war—swords—into instruments of peaceful prosperity—plowshares—is paralleled by a nearly identical passage in Micah 4:3. It has been referenced by many people in a wide variety of contexts throughout history. See some examples below:

The referenceThe source
Peace is sweet, my lady . . . but on what terms? It is no good hammering your sword into a plowshare if you must forge it again on the morrow.George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
They will live again in freedom,
In the garden of the LORD.
They will walk behind the ploughshare,
They will put away the sword.
The chain will be broken,
And all men will have their reward.		The musical Les Misérables
Create a world with no fear,
Together we’ll cry happy tears,
See the nations turn
Their swords into plowshares.		Michael Jackson, “Heal The World”
Cannot swords be turned to plowshares? Can we and all nations not live in peace? In our obsession with antagonisms of the moment, we often forget how much unites all the members of humanity.U.S. President Ronald Reagan, “Address to the United Nations General Assembly”

Sources:

George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One, 2016, p. 832.

Edward Behr, The Complete Book of Les Misérables.

Michael Jackson, “Heal the World,” Dangerous, 1991.

Ronald Reagan, “Address to the United Nations General Assembly,” quoted from: https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/address-42d-session-united-nations-general-assembly-new-york-new-york