ed for refuge to the God
of Jacob, and the God of Israel; and we, who formerly were filled with
war and murder, and every wickedness, have put away the instruments of
war from the whole earth, and have, every one of us, changed the swords
into ploughshares, and the spears into agricultural implements, and
cultivate the fear of God, justice, brotherly love, faith, hope,"
etc.,--show that, even soon after the appearance of Christ, it was held
that the fulfilment of this prophecy had commenced. But it was
acknowledged by the prophet also, that even after the appearance of the
salvation, this description would, in the meantime, give only a partial
exhibition of the truth; inasmuch as not every one will submit to the
judging activity of the Lord, how powerful soever may be the effect of
the new principle which entered into the life of the nations; for in v.
4, 5 (5, 6) he speaks of the nations which, in the Messianic time,
attack the people of God; in ver. 8 (9), of their adversaries and
enemies; and in ver. 14 (15), of such as do not hear. But the [Pg 450]
imperfect fulfilment is a pledge and guarantee for that which is
perfect, as it will take place when, by the last judgment, they have
been removed who have obstinately preserved within themselves the
spirit of strife and hatred. According to the predictions of the
prophets--compare especially Is. xi. 6, 7--peace shall, at some future
period, be extended even to the irrational creation, and the strife
which has come upon earth by the fall, shall entirely cease from it.

Ver. 4. "_And they sit every man under his vine, and under his
fig-tree, and none maketh them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of
hosts hath spoken it._"

This verse contains a description of the happy consequences which the
peaceful influence which goes forth from the Lord to the heathen world,
shall have upon Israel. For Israel is the subject in [Hebrew: iwbv],
and the verse does not at all pretend to give a description of "a
Solomonic time for all the nations." This is shown by what is stated,
in the following verse, as to the ground of this happy change, as well
as by a comparison of the fundamental passages. Lev. xxvi. 6: "And I
give peace in the land, and ye lie down, and none maketh you afraid;"
and 1 Kings v. 5 (iv. 25): "And Judah and Israel dwelt safely every man
under his vine and fig-tree, from Dan to Beersheba, all the days of
Solomon;" and of the parallel passages, Micah v. 4 (5); Zech. iii.