Micah 4:3

There is a very great difference between the old Jerusalem and the new Jerusalem. Often in the old Jerusalem, the rulers and *priests were evil. They did not teach people the right way to live. God’s message did not reach into society. Just a few people were loyal. But there is hope. In the end, God’s message will reach the nations. And so the people will hear his message about the right way to live. This will bring great changes in society.

God’s law will become the law for the nations. People will live by his laws. God will be active among the nations. He will be the judge in quarrels between many people. He will settle the arguments of strong nations. This will happen all over the world. Leaders will ask God for wisdom and instruction. He will be their authority. There will be no evil judges any longer. God will be the most important person at the courts. The judges in the courts will study the Bible, the book that tells about God’s law. They will check it when they are making their decisions. God will therefore be the judge. He will make the decisions.

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, will have authority over the nations. He will be their king. This will affect the governments of strong nations. These distant nations will not need to fight each other. They will not need arms for war any longer. The people will destroy the arms that they had intended for war. ‘Swords’ and ‘spears’ (like long thin swords) refers also to all military arms. The people will use hammers to make their swords into ploughs. They will make their spears into tools to cut plants. Nations will not want to fight each other any longer. They will have no need to train for war. The nations will use rare materials for good, proper purposes. They will use them to give life rather than death.

v4 Each person will sit under his own grapevine (plant that yields fruit to make wine). And he will sit under his own fig (sweet fruit) tree. Each person will live in peace. Nobody will make the people afraid. This is a serious promise by the *LORD who has all power.