This is a part of a bigger post that I have been working on for the past few days which covers Isaiah 2:1-5 and Micah 4:1-5.

This particular post will only address the b-portion of Isaiah 2:4 / Micah 4:3. It was so amazing I couldn’t wait to share this part with you.

I pray it blesses you as much as it has blessed me.

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They shall beat their swords

into plowshares,

Now here is where things get interesting again.

So I decided to look up plowshares because I wanted to know what it looked like. I did not expect what I found.

When I think of plowshares, I am reminded of the picture above. We always see a man beating a sword, but what does a plowshare really look like.

My journey in search of a plowshare began here and you will never guess what I found instead.

KING JESUS – The Ploughshare

In the process of my looking up definitions, I came across this…

What is a plowshare in the Bible?

— Isaiah 2:3–4. The ploughshare (Hebrew: אֵת ‘êṯ, also translated coulter) is often used to symbolize creative tools that benefit humankind, as opposed to destructive tools of war, symbolized by the sword (Hebrew: חֶרֶב ḥereḇ), a similar sharp metal tool with an arguably opposite use.

Imagine my surprise when I saw the Aleph Tav. It shook me and I am still trying to wrap my brain around this and the significance of it. Let me try to explain.

The Ploughshare (Hebrew: אֵת ‘êṯ, also translated coulter)

THE SIGNIFICANCE IS FOUND IN THE HEBREW NAME FOR PLOUGHSHARE – אֵת ‘ÊṮ

אֵת is pronounced ‘êṯ and is also known as the Aleph Tav, the beginning and the end. This is who Jesus told the Apostle John that HE was, and following in Jesus footsteps, it is who we are supposed to be. (See Revelation 1:8,17; 2:8; 22:13; Isaiah 44:6; 48:12)

In all of our Bibles, in Revelation 1:8 and 22:13, you will read that Jesus said that He was the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha and Omega is Greek. Jesus would not have spoken to Jews in a Greek language. Their language was/is Hebrew.

When the Apostle Paul was arrested and bound in chains, he asked to speak to the Commander. The Commander asked Paul if he spoke Greek and Paul told the Commander that he was a Jew who was a citizen of Rome. After receiving permission from the Commander to speak to the people, we are told in Acts 21:40-22:2 that Paul spoke to them in Hebrew.

But here is more proof:

In your bibles, whether you are using a print copy or an online version, turn to Psalm 119. Verse one has as a heading א Aleph. If you continue to look at each of the verses you will see the HEBREW Aleph Bet. Turn now to Psalm 119: 169 and there you would see the last Hebrew letter ת Taw (also written Tau or Tav). Jesus would have said that He is the Aleph Tav. אֵת The very definition given for the ploughshare or coulter.

God’s Word tells us to not turn to the right or to the left. (See Deuteronomy 5:32; 28:14; Joshua 1:7; 23:6)That is because Jesus is the ploughshare. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the life. (See John 14:6) He is the path that we are to follow.

The ploughshare breaks up the fallow ground cutting a path where the good seed is to be sown. I find that there are times when a picture or video can better explain or describe a matter than my stumbling over finding the words to speak so I am going to share a video that shows that.

In the Word of God, we are told to not turn to the right or the left because we are to follow the path and Jesus is that path.

The more I looked at this, I found myself asking the question, “Is plowing and tilling the same? (My husband is into gardening so I am familiar with tillers and that is what made me ask the question about whether they were the same. Check out the answer I got by watching this 3min video that I found that describes the two.)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=vjSGzLMarZk%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den%26autohide%3D2%26start%3D224%26wmode%3Dtransparent

To understand what is being said here in this part of the verse – “They shall beat their swords into plowshares,” you must understand what the sword is and where we carry it.

This is one of the things that is taught on my website TheArtisansPEN.org where we learn not only how to Dress for Battle but also how to activate and use our full armor of God. Module 7 addresses the Sword of the Spirit, what it looks like, how to carry it, and how to use it both offensively and defensively.

Many times we are shown pictures of warriors holding their swords in their hand. Is this correct?

Much of the misunderstanding of how to use our sword is due to the misunderstanding of what the sword is and how to handle it. Here is one of the quizzes I offer in the Dressed for Battle module. Can you identify the pictures that are true in reference to how we carry our sword?

Once the sword is understood along with how to carry or use it; then, what one will find is that beating our swords into plowshares has reference to our changing how we walk, how we talk, it is the crucifying of the flesh (as shown in the video of the difference between plowing and tilling).

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rSM96kWKg1s%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

And their spears

into pruning hooks;

The purpose of pruning is to get rid of what is dead and unfruitful, as well as to encourage new growth.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YLYolsTjmKs%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

What I was reminded of as I considered what was explained in this video on pruning is that God resists the proud. He humbles the proud and exalts the humbled. (See Psalm 107:33-43)

That which we just considered is huge. It has caused me to be stuck for several days in considering this and still it is so huge and overwhelming. There is so much more to be said both in the following of the Plowshare and in the pruning for growth.

I feel so much that I can’t even begin to explain this quickening that I feel. My cells feel alive and that is putting it mildly. I am overwhelmed and again I find myself wondering what did I initially think was meant in the turning of swords into plowshares and spears into pruning shears.

I kind of think I simply pictured gardening or farming all while forgetting that I (we) are the garden of the Lord. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches.

I need to be still now

but at the same time I cannot keep this to myself any longer.

I pray that you have enjoyed this

and I look forward to hearing from you as to what else or more the Lord has shared with you about this.