The Lord's Rule from Restored Zion

# Chapter 4
1. In the last days
the mountain of the Lord's house
will be established
at the top of the mountains
and will be raised above the hills.
Peoples will stream to it,

2. and many nations will come and say,
"Come, let's go up to 
the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us about his ways
so we may walk in his paths."
For instruction will go out of Zion
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

3. He will settle disputes among many peoples
and provide arbitration for strong nations
that are far away.

They will beat their swords into plows
and their spears into pruning knives.
Nation will not take up the sword against nation,
and they will never again train for war.

4. But each person will sit under his grapevine
and under his fig tree
with no one to frighten him.

For the mouth of the Lord of Armies
has spoken.

5. Though all the peoples walk
in the name of their own gods,
we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
forever and ever.

6. On that day--
this is the Lord's declaration--
I will assemble the lame
and gather the scattered,
those I have injured.

7. I will make the lame into a remnant,
those far removed into a strong nation.

Then the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion
from this time on and forever.

8. And you, watchtower for the flock,
fortified hill of Daughter Zion,
the former rule will come to you;
sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

From Exile to Victory


9. Now, why are you shouting loudly?
Is there no king with you?
Has your counselor perished
so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

10. Writhe and cry out, Daughter Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you will leave the city
and camp in the open fields.
You will go to Babylon;
there you will be rescued;
there the Lord will redeem you
from the grasp of your enemies!

11. Many nations have now assembled against you;
they say, "Let her be defiled,
and let us feast our eyes on Zion."

12. But they do not know the Lord's intentions
or understand his plan,
that he has gathered them
like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13. Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will make your horns iron
and your hooves bronze
so you can crush many peoples.
Then you will set apart their plunder
for the Lord,
their wealth 
for the Lord of the whole earth.




