The Prophet Micah

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- Chapter 4 -

(Isaiah 2:1–4)

And this shall be: In the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be prepared at the top of the mountains and high above the hills. And the people will flow to it.(a)

And many nations will hurry, and will say: “Come, let us ascend to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

And he will judge among the many peoples, and he will correct strong nations, even from afar. And they will cut up their swords into plows, and their spears into hoes. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will no longer learn to wage war.(b)

And a man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one to fear, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.(c)

For all people will walk, each one in the name of his god. But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, forever and ever.

The Restoration of Zion

(Zechariah 8:1–23)

In that day, says the Lord, I will gather together the lame. And I will recover her whom I had rejected, and her whom I had afflicted.

And I will place the lame within the remnant, and she who had been in distress, within a healthy people. And the Lord will reign over them on Mount Zion, from the present time and even unto eternity.

And you, cloudy tower of the flock of the daughter of Zion, even to you it will come. And the first power will arrive, the kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem.

Now, why have you come together in grief? Is there not a king in you, or has your counselor gone away? For sorrow has overtaken you, like the pain of giving birth.

Be grieved and overwhelmed, daughter of Zion, like a woman giving birth. For now you must depart from the city and dwell in the countryside, and you will approach even to Babylon. There you will be delivered. There the Lord will redeem you from the hand of your adversaries.

And now many peoples have been gathered together against you, and they say, “Let her be stoned and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.”

But they have not known the thoughts of the Lord, and they have not understood his counsel. For he has gathered them together like hay on a threshing floor.

Rise and thresh, daughter of Zion. For I will set your horn like iron, and I will set your hoofs like brass. And you will shatter many peoples, and you will immolate their spoils for the Lord, and their strength for the Lord of the whole earth.

Footnotes

(a)4:1 Interestingly, the expression ‘novissimo dierum’ can mean ‘the last days,’ or it can mean ‘the newest days.’ Thus, ‘the last days’ are also the beginning of a new time period.(Conte)

(b)4:3 Neither shall they learn, etc:The law of Christ is a law of peace; and all his true subjects, as much as lies in them love and keep peace with all the world.(Challoner)

(c)4:4 The phrase ‘et non erit qui deterreat’ literally says ‘and there will not be (anyone) who frightens (them).’ The words in parentheses are implied. The phrasing in Latin is more terse than that, so a better phrasing in English is one that is also terse, but less literal: ‘and there will be no one to fear.’(Conte)

(Isaiah 2:1–4)

But in the latter days, it will happen that the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established on the top of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills; and peoples will stream to it.

Many nations will go and say, “Come! Let’s 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 will go out of Zion, and the LORD’s word from Jerusalem;

and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.

But every man will sit under his vine and under his fig tree. No one will make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of Armies has spoken.

Indeed all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

The Restoration of Zion

(Zechariah 8:1–23)

“In that day,” says the LORD, “I will assemble that which is lame, and I will gather that which is driven away, and that which I have afflicted;

and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD will reign over them on Mount Zion from then on, even forever.”

You, tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come. Yes, the former dominion will come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.

Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

Be in pain, and labor to give birth, daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now you will go out of the city, and will dwell in the field, and will come even to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies.

Now many nations have assembled against you, that say, “Let her be defiled, and let our eye gloat over Zion.”

But they don’t know the thoughts of the LORD, neither do they understand his counsel; for he has gathered them like the sheaves to the threshing floor.

Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron, and I will make your hoofs bronze. You will beat in pieces many peoples. I will devote their gain to the LORD, and their substance to the Lord of the whole earth.