Interpreters throughout the centuries have investigated the intertextual connections between Isa 2:1-4 and Mic 4:1-5, in which the prophets paint a nearly utopian eschatological picture of Israel’s restoration to the land and reconciliation with the nations. Significantly, weapons of war are exchanged for implements of peace, and war between nations is abolished. While much has been written on the reception history of these texts and their significance to ethical conversations related to violence, the focus of this paper is to investigate these texts’ missional implications for believers in Holy Land today through the author’s intertextual exegesis in conversation with readings from an Israeli Messianic Jewish scholar, Golan Broshi, and a Palestinian Christian scholar, Yohanna Katanacho.
In evangelical interpretive circles, often the conversation centers on the timing of the fulfilment of these prophecies in the context of various eschatological and systematic theological grids. Since the focus of this study primarily concerns missional implications of these texts’ readings, the emphasis is less upon debate over the timing of these texts’ fulfillment, and more upon how God calls Christians to live in light of these texts today.
This paper will begin with the author’s exegesis of each text, employing primarily historical-grammatical and literary/rhetorical analysis methodologies (with diachronic and historical critical comment secondarily). Woven into the author’s exegesis, in addition to standard published scholarly sources, will be the readings of two contemporary evangelical scholars: one Israeli Messianic Jewish voice, Dr. Golan Broshi, and one Palestinian Christian voice, Dr. Yohanna Katanacho. These scholars from the Holy Land will address not only their readings of the texts, but also the texts’ missional implications for contemporary believers living in the Holy Land today, and for all believers worldwide.
This paper will also reflect upon differing hermeneutical approaches to the text, as demonstrated by the contributions of these esteemed indigenous scholars, considering how their readings may speak to believers worldwide, and how believers may discern what the Spirit is saying to the churches missionally in light of these readings from our Israeli and Palestinian brothers in Christ. Finally, this paper aligns closely with the 2024 conference theme of Global Evangelicalism, highlighting the voices of two evangelical scholars from Israel-Palestine.
*Note: This paper will be an initial version of a partial chapter in my forthcoming book under contract with Baker Academic on a biblical theology of reconciliation for Israel-Palestine (manuscript due 7/25).