Visions of the Kingdom:
In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s house will be established as the highest of the mountains and raised above the hills. People will stream to it. Then many nations will come and say, ‘Let’s go to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.’ The teachings will go out from Zion. The word of the LORD will go out from Jerusalem. Then he will judge disputes between many people and settle arguments between many nations far and wide. They will hammer their swords into plowblades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again. They will sit under their grapevines and their fig trees, and no one will make them afraid. The LORD of Armies has spoken.
And:
You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago. That is why the LORD will abandon Israel until the time a mother has a child. Then the rest of the LORD’s people will return to the people of Israel. The child will become the shepherd of his flock. [He will lead them] with the strength of the LORD, with the majestic name of the LORD his God. They will live in safety because his greatness will reach the ends of the earth. This man will be their peace.
The “days to come” seem to be characterised, chiefly, by Peace. We might even say, that Israel is to look forward to a time of peace.
Or even, The people of God are to be a people of Peace.
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