Devotion: Gospel Gems from the Old Testament — Micah 4:1-4 By Tom Nass For this Old Testament gospel gem, we hear the words of Micah 4:1-4.

In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. 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. Every man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the Lord Almighty has spoken. I'll begin this afternoon with two trivia questions. First, where can you see the words of this text carved in granite? "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." The answer is, on the grounds of the United Nations in New York City. This verse has been like a creed for the United Nations over the years.

Second question. Do these words fit with the United Nations? The answer is, really no. Certainly it is a laudable goal for the United Nations and all of us to pursue peace among nations, as much as it can be attained. But we know that peace between nations is never going to happen on earth. Jesus predicted that wars and rumors of war will continue and even intensify as the earth comes to its end. The peace promised by Micah therefore cannot be external peace between earthly nations. What are these verses speaking about then? From the way the New Testament uses prophecies like this, we know this is a prophecy of the New Testament church, expressed in Old Testament language. The New Testament church is the "new Jerusalem." It's the new dwelling place of God. We can go through the thoughts of this passage and find them figuratively or spiritually fulfilled in the church.

• Micah says that Mount Zion will be lifted higher than all other mountains. We know that from God's perspective, the church has the position of prominence in God's world. There is no organization or country more important, more permanent, more glorious than the New Testament church.

• Into the New Testament church come people of all nations, Micah says. It's true that we see Christian churches all around the globe. Why do people come? Micah says they want to hear the Word of God. We know from our own experience that we have been attracted by the message of the forgiveness of sins through a Savior who shed his blood in our place and rose triumphantly. It's the teaching of the gospel. • In the church people are guided by God to love each other. Christians put down their weapons in their relationships with other believers in Christ, and put their arms around their brothers and sisters in Christ. Finally, believers in Christ live in peace and security, knowing that our loving God will provide all their needs. Spiritually they sit under their own vine, with no one to make them afraid. This is a beautiful picture of life in the New Testament church. It's a picture we can apply to ourselves in our present circumstances. When I hear this passage, I think of descriptions of our CELC conventions. At our CELC conventions we find people from places like Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Scandinavia, Puerto Rico, and the United States—with various languages and colors of skin—all gathered at the Lord's altar together to receive the body and blood of Jesus in the Lord's Supper. Here are people from many nations, all who have beaten their swords into plowshares. Also in our congregations and at our synod convention, we see people from a variety of nationalities and backgrounds. This is nothing to take for granted. In Old Testament times, of course, the worship of the true God was primarily limited to the descendants of Abraham through Jacob. Certainly there were some proselytes or converts from the Gentiles who joined the people of Israel. But they seem to be few in number. I presume that most if not all of us are Gentiles. If we had lived in Old Testament times, it would have been very unlikely for us to be saved. In New Testament times, part of the marvel of God's new day of grace is that people from all nations are streaming into the church, like water flowing down a river. This is something new, something radically different. We do well to recognize this as a remarkable gift of God's grace, that God would include people like us. As we see it predicted by Micah, we give God praise. This surely is a gospel gem.

But there is still more to be said about these verses. As we think about our life on earth and compare it with the words of this text, we undoubtedly sense that our experience still falls short of this prophecy. Does the church on earth have perfect harmony among its members? You and I know there still are sinful divisions, contentions, and dissensions. Do you and I live without any fears? We know that throughout our lives on earth, we and all people still have sinful natures. We don't enjoy the bliss of heaven on earth.

For this reason, Christian interpreters find it best with prophecies like this to look beyond the New Testament church on earth to see a fulfillment also in heaven. Prophecies like this can be said to have multiple fulfillments. They are fulfilled continually throughout time on earth. We can call the New Testament church a partial fulfillment. But the final and complete fulfillment will be in heaven.

So when we hear the words of this gospel gem, we can also let our hearts and spirits be uplifted with thoughts of heaven. In heaven, fully and completely our Lord God will settle disputes between people. There will be no more war or fighting, no more contention and dissension. In heaven, fully and completely we will enjoy contentment and security. In Old Testament language, we will sit under our own vine and fig. No one will make us afraid. There will be no tears and no pain. With heaven, we've got something great to look forward to, thanks to Jesus our Savior. Oh, how wholesome and refreshing it is to contemplate our final goal! I recently heard a speaker talk about a soldier just back from Iraq. When asked what kept him going in Iraq, the soldier spoke in part about his longing to return home. What helped keep him going was the thought of stepping off the plane in America again, and seeing his wife. He thought about his small children running to him and throwing their arms around him. This is the way it is for us in the church. While on earth, we may be shot at on every side. Bombs may be exploding all around us. But we know we are heading toward a glorious home in heaven. It won't be long and we will be getting off the plane into our Savior's arms. Thoughts of heaven keep us going as individuals and as workers in the church. Here is a gospel gem. We as Gentiles come into the new Jerusalem of the church, and we have peace—partial peace on earth and complete in heaven.

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