What is the meaning of the prophecy “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks”? Should this prophecy affect the way we live today?
Where does the Bible say that swords will be turned into plowshares?
Isaiah 2:4 reads: “He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; 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.”
On July 1, 1916, British and French troops launched an all-out offensive on the German line. By the end of the first day, over 57,000 British soldiers were casualties of war (dead, wounded or missing). More than 19,000 of those died.
The Battle of the Somme had begun.
By the end of the battle 4½ months later on Nov. 18, over 3 million soldiers had been involved, a third of whom would be labeled as casualties.
The first tank in human history had been deployed, and despite its very limited success, the way was paved for its use in future warfare. In the air above, the newly invented airplane had opened up horrifying new military possibilities.
While historians still debate the psychological impact of this pivotal World War I battle, the strategic gains from all of the bloodshed aren’t debatable. After all this death and agony, the Allies had moved forward a mere 7 miles.
Human history is a history of warfare—of men rising up with weapons and doing their best to kill their fellow man.
A history of warfare
This is just one example of the countless battles and wars that mankind has fought throughout the millennia. It’s no wonder that God inspired the prophet Isaiah to declare, “The way of peace they have not known” (Isaiah 59:8).
Human history is a history of warfare—of men rising up with weapons and doing their best to kill their fellow man. In the midst of all this combat, the innocent often die—those who have never carried a weapon but were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
History and current affairs support the conclusion that civilian and military deaths by warfare are an inescapable part of the human condition and that they will continue perpetually.
Yet, thankfully, God gives us an assurance that it won’t always be this way.
A prophecy of peace
God inspired Isaiah to prophesy, “He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; 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” (Isaiah 2:4).
This scripture is a prophecy for “the latter days” and, specifically, what is often called the Millennium (verse 2; Revelation 20:4). This is the time period when Jesus Christ will establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Christ and His followers will lead physical mankind and teach everyone God’s way of life.
It’s in this environment that Isaiah 2:4 comes into play.
Warfare will become a foreign concept to mankind—not the familiar evil that we all know and dread today.
Jesus Christ will take an active role in the affairs of this world. He will judge the nations and rebuke those in error, whether individuals or mighty nations. The international community won’t have to decide if they’ll place embargoes, declare war or just ignore countries that violate international norms.
War will cease. The money, manpower, genius and resources that have gone into killing one another will finally go to helping all of mankind through agriculture and peaceful endeavors.
To put this into some perspective, the United States spent about 13 percent of its budget, or $820 billion, on its military in 2023. That means that if this prophecy were to be fulfilled today, the United States would have $820 billion for other noble and worthy causes.
This change will be so powerful that the weapons, which most nations stockpile in case of an attack, will be turned into farming implements—into tools to aid people. The tanks, helicopters, guns, military satellites, missiles and bombs will be converted into devices that will be used for peaceful purposes.
Warfare will no longer be taught, so military schools will be either shut down or converted to teach about peace and other constructive pursuits. Warfare will become a foreign concept to mankind—not the familiar evil that we all know and dread today.
It will be a world clearly ruled by the Prince of Peace instead of the dark god of this world (Isaiah 9:6).
This prophecy today
It can be hard to imagine the full scale and ramifications of this prophecy, but we can each individually put it into practice in our lives today. One fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is peace, so we should constantly be working toward having peace in our lives, relationships and interactions (Galatians 5:22-23).
James declared that war and enmity, the opposites of peace, come from desiring what we shouldn’t have (James 4:1-4). All too often, our selfish desires get in the way of peace. That’s why overcoming selfishness is and will be the first step to peace.
We can’t control the conflicts in the world, but we can control the conflicts in our lives.
As we look forward to a peaceful world in the latter days, let’s do all we can to beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks today.
Watch this video to learn more about the good news of the coming Kingdom of God.
Joshua Travers grew up and lives in Athens, Ohio. He graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in social studies and Spanish education from Ohio University. He also studied theology at Foundation Institute, Center for Biblical Education, in Allen, Texas and graduated with a certificate in biblical studies in May 2017.
