“Ain’t gonna study war no more”

Won’t it be a great day when we “learn war no more”?  When, in the words of the spiritual, “We stick our swords in the golden sand, down by the riverside?”

Per one of our men’s encouragement, I read Micah today.  It struck me that if I was suddenly asked to preach to a Marines stationed in the mountains of Afghanistan, I would preach from Micah 4:1-5.

³ He shall judge between many peoples,

and shall decide for strong nations afar off;

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;

⁴ 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.

⁵ For all the peoples walk

each in the name of its god,

but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God

forever and ever. Micah 4:3-5

If I did preach to Marines in Afghanistan, I would take Mahalia Jackson along to sing the old Gospel song.  The song preaches too.