Revolution or Restoration?

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be  established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and 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; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. Micah 4:1-4 

A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. Psalm 90:3 

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance 2 Peter 3:8-9 

I have been listening to a book about the making of the very popular hip-hop Broadway musical, “Hamilton: The Revolution”.  I was very surprised to hear that they included a phrase about, “the vine and the fig” from the prophet Micah, in the lyrics because it was in the favorite scripture of George Washington. I’ve never heard George Washington had a favorite scripture. I wondered what “sitting under the vine and fig tree” could mean. It turns out that during this period of war and strife, George Washington had a vision of providing a land where people could live out in the open in their own place of peace, as Micah prophesies in Micah 4:4. George Washington envisioned it occurring during his lifetime, and hoped to be able to help it to come true.  I don’t remember ever reading this passage from Micah, but found it to be a great promise.

When Micah made the prediction that President Washington loved, it was about times still to come, for them and for us. A time when the whole world will be at peace. It comes to pass in a world made by the Lord who established the highest of mountains.  It’s a time when all the people will flow to the house of the Lord. In the verses that follow this passage, Micah prophesies the Babylonian exile and the return, which have already happened.  I love the way the final phrase in this passage is translated in The Message, “The God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so, and he means what he says.” Our hope comes from knowing that the “God-of-the-Angel-Armies” has a plan for peace and in the end, all will worship Him together. God means what He says, and He keeps His word.

We feel so much division and divisiveness in our world. People are afraid and at war, physically and emotionally. We pray to God to do something. Now.  However, we are reminded many times in scripture, both in the Old and New Testament, that God’s time is not our time. As Peter explains, God isn’t slow. He’s patient. His patience is so that all can come to follow Him before the end. The time is coming, and we have work to do.  

Prayer: Dear Lord, You have always done what you’ve promised. And you will keep the promise made in Micah too.  Help me to do Your work in the world, so that when the time comes, there will be more people who enjoy your kingdom forever.  In this time of division and divisiveness, help me to remember that my hope is in You and that my true home is where You are.  Amen

Lori Snyder-Sloan, reprinted from 2017