Swords Into Plowshares

[Darris McNeely] This week in New York saw the opening of the United Nations, the general assembly meetings, which take place at this same time every year. World leaders come in to make speeches and meetings and to open another session of the United Nations. Of course the United Nations was founded to preserve peace and to create peace within the world, something which has not always been done through the many decades of its existence. Out in front of the United Nations is this very famous statue of a figure beating swords into plowshares, which comes from the book of Isaiah chapter 2 (Isaiah 2:4) and is a picture of the time of the Kingdom and of the Millennium and of the time of God's rule upon the Earth when nations will learn war no more. Unfortunately, many of the leaders who speak at the United Nations are those who are threatening war against their own neighboring nations, especially in the Middle East. And we see that even more so right now with what's taking place over there. But it brings us back to this image and to this Scripture and to also this time of year, which is the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles, which pictures Christ's rule on the Earth when people and nations will indeed beat their swords into plowshares.

[Steve Myers] Absolutely. In fact, this festival, the Feast of Tabernacles, pictures that very time. And it's a representation of what's happening in Isaiah chapter 2. Isaiah chapter 2 talks about mountains, and it represents governments. And of course man's governments have not come up with the solutions. We find war. We find this adamant opposition to each other even though we're supposed to be coming together as the United Nations and it just doesn't happen. But the time is coming. Isaiah 2 says that God will establish His government on the top of the mountains and eventually what's going to be happening when that time comes, when Christ returns and establishes the Kingdom, that's when it says, "They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks." That's in verse 4 of Isaiah chapter 2. So ultimately that's the time that we can look forward to, not a solution that's going to come from the United Nations.

[Darris McNeely] Scriptures like this in Isaiah point us again to this time of year and it's more than just a coincidence I think that among the human nations, the world's nations and leaders, they come together right as God's festivals take place at this time of year. And God's festivals point us to a time of peace with Christ's rule upon this Earth. And it's also, I think, a contrast to the nations of the world today unable to find that peace and the way to peace because they don't know how to achieve that. We're reminded of that every year with what takes place. But when our mind is on the Feast of Tabernacles, God's festivals, we're on a different wavelength and a different track that shows us and gives us hope.

[Steve Myers] So, if you don't know about the Feast of Tabernacles, study your Bible. Look it up and find out the connection between Isaiah chapter 2 and keeping the Feast of Tabernacles.

[Darris McNeely] That's BT Daily. Have a good Feast and join us next time.