CHAPTER XXXVII
SERMON—PREPARE FOR WAR—MARSHALLING OF THE NATIONS
“For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem.
“T will also gather all nations, and will bring them into the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
“Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare for war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say I am strong.” (Joel 3.1, 2, 9 and 10.)
“But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established on the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow into it.
“And many nations shall come, and say Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
“And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off ; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
“But they shall sit every man under his vine and his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it.” (Micah 4.1; 2, 3 and 4.)
These two quotations from Joel and Micah sound a little’ contradictory. I have heard people say so. But the statements refer to two different parties and times.
The first, “Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears” means “Get ready for battle,” and it refers to this present time, a time of war.
The second, “Beat your swords into plowshares and your
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