When Were Swords Beaten Into Plowshares?

Many Christians and Jews believe war will cease after Messiah comes, based on the following passage from Micah 4:1–3 (also repeated in Isaiah 2:2–4):

“1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. 2 Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Mic. 4:1-3; see also Isa. 2:2-4).

What is this passage referring to?

To start with, notice that Micah said this would happen in the latter days, a.k.a. the last days (Mic. 4:1). And when did the last days arrive? In the first century! The writer of Hebrews said in AD 62/63: “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son” (Heb. 1:1–2, italics mine; see also Heb. 9:26; 1 Pet. 1:20, 4:7; Acts 2:15–17; 1 Cor. 10:11; 1 John 2:18). Since the last days time period arrived in the first century, therefore, this is when the Micah passage (being discussed) must have been fulfilled. In other words, this is when “swords were beaten to plowshares.”

Notice, also, Micah’s reference to “the establishment of the mountain of the Lord, Jerusalem, and Mt. Zion” (Mic. 4:1); and compare this to what the writer of Hebrews said was being established in his day: “But you [Christians] have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant” (Heb. 12:22–24). Same mountain. Same Jerusalem. Same Mt. Zion. In other words, what Micah had prophesied about finally came to pass in the first century.

Since all these things Micah prophesied about came to pass in the first century, then so, too, must have the part about “spears being beaten into plowshares.” After all, these things would happen in the same time period.

What, then, does “spears beaten into plowshares” refer to? It refers to the time when people from all over the world, Jews and Gentiles alike–even from countries that have historically been Israel’s enemies–would turn to Israel’s Messiah and give up their hostilities toward one another. As people become Christians, they become brothers and sisters in Christ. Lifelong enemies suddenly become friends. As Micah said, “They shall learn war no more” (Mic. 4:3; Isa. 2:4).

In the old covenant age, the kingdom of God was spread and defended by the sword (warfare). In such times of war, Israel would beat her plowshares and pruning hooks (farming equipment) into weapons of war: “Prepare for war!…Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears” (Joel 3:10). However, in times of peace, Israel would do the opposite; she would beat her weapons into farming equipment.

But this is no longer the case in the new covenant age. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight [physically]” (John 18:36). Today, the kingdom of God is spiritual (Rom. 14:17, Luke 17:20–22, John 3:2), and it is not defended or spread by physical swords and warfare: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:3–5).

Christians do not defend/spread the kingdom by warfare; instead, we use spiritual weapons and powerful arguments! We have Truth on our side (John 14:6), and that Truth prevails (Isa. 9:6–7)!

For more about the kingdom of God, see my book The End Is Here: How the New Testament’s Prophecies Were Fulfilled…available for purchase Summer 2024!

By: Alex Polyak, Director of The Bible Fulfilled – TheBibleFulfilled.com – 6/5/24