"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 28 November 2016 with Scripture Isaiah 2:1-5

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Monday, 28 November 2016 with Scripture Isaiah 2:1-5 
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Isaiah 2:1 This is the word that Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz saw concerning Y’hudah and Yerushalayim:
2 In the acharit-hayamim
the mountain of Adonai’s house
will be established as the most important mountain.
It will be regarded more highly than the other hills,
and all the Goyim will stream there.
3 Many peoples will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Adonai,
to the house of the God of Ya‘akov!
He will teach us about his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah,
the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim.
4 He will judge between the nations
and arbitrate for many peoples.
Then they will hammer their swords into plow-blades
and their spears into pruning-knives;
nations will not raise swords at each other,
and they will no longer learn war.
5 Descendants of Ya‘akov, come!
Let’s live in the light of Adonai![Complete Jewish Bible] 
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Isaiah already announces this marvelous happening! God's word, that is God's manner of being present with us, will come forth from Jerusalem, from the city of peace! And God's word is peace. This presence is one not of fear or anxiety but of mercy. Even God's word of judgment is not one of reprisal and punishment but a word that places all things in a right relationship to one another. One person does not triumph over another. One nation does not oppress another. Justice--equilibrium throughout creation and peoples--is established on earth. And our marvel is expressed by action: we lay down our weapons, our defenses. We tear down our walls, even those we build up within ourselves, and turn all things and all our energy towards building up community, tending the land and each other. 
God of peace, let your face shine upon all humanity so that we seek the good for one another. Amen.
Dirk G. Lange
Associate Dean, Graduate Theological Education and Fredrik A. Schiotz Chair of Missions and Professor of Worship, Luther Seminary
Isaiah 2:1 The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2 In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
3 Many peoples 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 instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; 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 any more.
5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! [New Revised Standard Version]

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