You asked

how might working towards peace and justice for all nations challenge contemporary ideas of national interest?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Isaiah 2:2-4

“It shall happen in the latter days, that the mountain of Yahweh’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many peoples shall go and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For out of Zion instruction shall go out, and Yahweh’s word from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations, and will arbitrate concerning many peoples. They will 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.”

This passage is from the prophet Isaiah, who lived in the 8th century BCE during a time of political instability for the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. It's an oracle of hope, envisioning a future where Jerusalem becomes a spiritual center for all peoples, leading to universal peace.

What aspects of our current understanding of national interest might need to shift to embrace a vision of universal peace and justice?

Then — the setting

Isaiah prophesied in Judah during the 8th century BCE, a period marked by the rise of the Assyrian empire, which threatened and eventually conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and devastated Judah. The original audience was a people facing political and military upheaval, often tempted to rely on alliances with powerful nations rather than on God. This vision of a future Jerusalem as a center of peace and justice for 'all nations' would have challenged their immediate concerns for national survival and self-preservation, redirecting their hope towards a divine, universal order beyond current political realities.

Across the Testaments

This passage from Isaiah, in the Old Testament, envisions a future where God's law goes out from Jerusalem to all nations, leading to global disarmament and peace. The New Testament echoes this universal scope, particularly in Jesus's commission to his followers to make disciples of 'all nations' (Matthew 28:19) and the Apostle Paul's emphasis on breaking down divisions between Jew and Gentile, creating one new humanity (Ephesians 2:14-16). While Isaiah focuses on a future earthly reign of peace and justice centered in Jerusalem, the New Testament often interprets this 'reign' as inaugurated through Christ and the spread of his message, leading to a spiritual transformation that has ethical implications for how nations and individuals interact. Both testaments share a vision of God's universal concern and a hope for reconciliation that transcends ethnic or national boundaries.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Micah 4:1-3
This passage is almost identical to Isaiah 2:2-4, reflecting a shared prophetic hope for universal peace centered in Zion.
Psalm 72:1-4
This Psalm describes a righteous king who delivers the needy and brings justice to the oppressed among all peoples.
Revelation 21:24-26
It depicts a new Jerusalem where the nations bring their glory and honor, living in light and peace.

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