# the wolf shall lay down with the lamb



## Scott (Mar 16, 2007)

Isa. 11:6-8 reads: "6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted beast together, and a little child shall lead them. 7And the cow and the she-bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put forth its hand to the viper's den."

[1] Is any part of this taken literally? Calvin says that this refers in part 
a restoration of Eden-like circumstances in which literal animals do not prey on one another. He does not say when this would happen. He also explains that the primary thing represented here is peace among men.
[2] If this is a non-literal symbol of peace among men, how would you argue this? What other passages would you point to to show that animal symbolize men?

Scott


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## DTK (Mar 16, 2007)

Scott said:


> Isa. 11:6-8 reads: "6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatted beast together, and a little child shall lead them. 7And the cow and the she-bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put forth its hand to the viper's den."
> 
> [1] Is any part of this taken literally? Calvin says that this refers in part
> a restoration of Eden-like circumstances in which literal animals do not prey on one another. He does not say when this would happen. He also explains that the primary thing represented here is peace among men.
> ...



1) I suppose, first, I have a question which your questions presuppose. Should we assume that spiritual realities are not literal realities? I am disposed not to think in terms of that kind of dichotomy. I think we would do better not to accept the presuppositions (for example) of the dispensationalists who would argue otherwise. Perhaps expressing these realities as a distinction between physical and spiritual realities might serve us better, though the spiritual can affect/effect the physical outcome.

2) I know that in addition to Calvin, two other ancients (Jerome and Chrysostom) are in agreement with Calvin that the primary motif in view here is that of the peace of the people of God. It is no difficult task to find in one's Bible many instances where men are described under the imagery of different animals, or in terms of acting with animal-like features. A few examples...

_"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil."_ Genesis 49:27.

_The king's wrath is like the roaring of a lion_, Proverbs 19:12.

_Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people._ Proverbs 28:15.

_"Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves."_ Luke 10:3. 

_"Feed my lambs"_ - John 21:15.

_"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves._ Acts 20:29-30. 

_Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority._ Revelation 13:2.

3) Calvin does indicate *broadly* the time frame he has in mind, when he states in his gloss on v. 11 of the passage that prophet is referring to "the future glory of the church", and that he has in mind the history of the progress of the church in the world, for he goes on to say: "We see that the Prophet speaks here not only of the deliverance which took place under Zerubbabel, (Ezra 2:2,) but that he looks beyond this; for at that time the Israelites were not brought back from Egypt, Ethiopia, and other countries. These words, therefore, cannot be understood to relate to the deliverance from Babylon, but must be viewed as referring to the kingdom of Christ, under whom this deliverance was obtained through the preaching of the gospel. Besides, it is proper to observe that this work belongs to God, and not to men; for he says, _The Lord shall stretch out his arm_; thus ascribing to his heavenly power this work, which could not have been accomplished by human ability."

Our confessional standards speak of these realities in these terms...

WLC: Question 191: What do we pray for in the second petition?
Answer: In the second petition (which is, Thy kingdom come), acknowledging ourselves and all mankind to be by nature under the dominion of sin and Satan, we pray, that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed, the gospel propagated throughout the world, the Jews called, the fulness of the Gentiles brought in; the church furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances, purged from corruption, countenanced and maintained by the civil magistrate: that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up of those that are already converted: that Christ would rule in our hearts here, and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him forever: and that he would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends. 

WSC: Q26: How doth Christ execute the office of a king?
A26: Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.

These, then, are my thoughts,
DTK


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## Scott (Mar 16, 2007)

Thanks. Do you think that literal/physical wolves will stop preying on lambs at some point during the church age? I was surprised that Calvin seemed to take that position. 

Some other thoughts on animals representing men. In Nebuchadnezzar's dream in daniel 3, in which Nebuchadnezzar is a tree, it is noted that the tree is "providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air. . ." This looks like it refers to the peoples of the earth as animals. 

The passage of Ezekiel's river, which is the Kingdom, will have large numbers and many kinds of fish. Ez. 47. Again, I would interpret this to symbolically refer to people. 

Is anyone aware of other prophecies in which people are depicted as animals? DTK mentioned Rev. 13:2, which also raised the other images of animal kingdoms in Daniel. 

I am gathering this info for discussions with some friends who would interpret Isa. 11 to refer to literal animals and not have any reference to peace among men or the current work of Christ's gospel in men's hearts.

Thanks!
Scott


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## DTK (Mar 16, 2007)

Scott said:


> Thanks. Do you think that literal/physical wolves will stop preying on lambs at some point during the church age? I was surprised that Calvin seemed to take that position.


I would encourage one not to think of this as an overall description of a particular point in history when all wolves cease to prey on lambs, but rather as reflective of an on-going and continuing reality until the consummation of all things when Christ returns, as men are being subdued by the gospel. I think it's interesting that the prophet Isaiah doesn't seem to reflect (or represent this as) a particular point in time, but rather of realities that *are occurring*, as Calvin would put it, under the preaching of the gospel. For example, when they are converted, men who were formerly wolves become as docile as lambs, and cease to persecute the people of God. One thinks, in this connection, of the conversion of tyrants or atheists, etc. Thus, it is an on-going reality of which the prophet is prophesying, i.e., of the coming of Christ and the commencement of the proclamation of the gospel to all nations; converted wolves dwell with lambs, leopards lie down with goats, etc., and a little child (humble ministers of the word) shall lead them, whereas formerly they would not. In short, God's enemies (wolves, leopards, lions) are being subdued under the preaching of the gospel.


> Some other thoughts on animals representing men. In Nebuchadnezzar's dream in daniel 3, in which Nebuchadnezzar is a tree, it is noted that the tree is "providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air. . ." This looks like it refers to the peoples of the earth as animals.


This is an insightful observation.


> The passage of Ezekiel's river, which is the Kingdom, will have large numbers and many kinds of fish. Ez. 47. Again, I would interpret this to symbolically refer to people.


This comment brings to my mind a couple of glosses of Chrysostom on Isaiah 8. Being from Antioch and of the Antiochene school of exegetes (whose tendency it was to employ a literal hermeneutic as opposed to an allegorical hermeneutic), Chrysostom makes the following comments on some passages from the 8th chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah... 


> *Chrysostom (349-407) commenting on chapter 5 of Isaiah:* There is something else we can learn here. What sort of thing is it? It is when it is necessary to allegorize Scripture. We ourselves are not the lords over the rules of interpretation, but must pursue Scripture’s understanding of itself, and in that way make use of the allegorical method. What I mean is this. The Scripture has just now spoken of a vineyard, wall, and wine-vat. The reader is not permitted to become lord of the passage and apply the words to whatever events or people he chooses. The Scripture interprets itself with the words, “And the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord Sabaoth.” To give another example, Ezekiel describes a large, great-winged eagle which enters Lebanon and takes off the top of a cedar. The interpretation of the allegory does not lie in the whim of the readers, but Ezekiel himself speaks, and tells first what the eagle is and then what the cedar is. To take another example from Isaiah himself, when he raises a mighty river against Judah, he does not leave it to the imagination of the reader to apply it to whatever person he chooses, but he names the king whom he has referred to as a river. This is everywhere a rule in Scripture: when it wants to allegorize, it tells the interpretation of the allegory, so that the passage will not be interpreted superficially or be met by the undisciplined desire of those who enjoy allegorization to wander about and be carried in every direction. Why are you surprised that the prophets should observe this rule? Even the author of Proverbs does this. For he said, “Let your loving doe and graceful filly accompany you, and let your spring of water be for you alone.” Then he interprets these terms to refer to one’s free and lawful wife; he rejects the grasp of the prostitute and other woman. Duane A. Garrett, _An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of John Chrysostom’s Commentary on Isaiah 1-8 with an English Translation_ (Lewiston/Queenston/Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1992), pp. 110-111.
> 
> *Chrysostom (349-407) commenting on Isaiah 8:6-7:* Do you see how flawlessly the passage shines before us? For Scripture everywhere gives the interpretation of its metaphors, just as it has done here. Having spoken of a river, it did not stick to the metaphor, but told us what it means by river: “The king of Assyria, and all his glory.” Duane A. Garrett, _An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of John Chrysostom’s Commentary on Isaiah 1-8 with an English Translation_ (Lewiston/Queenston/Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1992), pp. 161.



Elsewhere in Ezekiel, the prophet speaks of Israel's rulers under the following imagery, *Ezekiel 22:25 & 27* _"The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst..."Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain._

or...

*Ezekiel 19:1-7:* _1 "Moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, 2 "and say: 'What is your mother? A lioness: She lay down among the lions; Among the young lions she nourished her cubs. 3 She brought up one of her cubs, And he became a young lion; He learned to catch prey, And he devoured men. 4 The nations also heard of him; He was trapped in their pit, And they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt. 5 'When she saw that she waited, that her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion. 6 He roved among the lions, And became a young lion; He learned to catch prey; He devoured men. 7 He knew their desolate places, And laid waste their cities; The land with its fullness was desolated By the noise of his roaring._ 

or...

*Jeremiah 50:17-18:* _"Israel is like scattered sheep; The lions have driven him away. First the king of Assyria devoured him; Now at last this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bones." Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, As I have punished the king of Assyria. _ 


> Is anyone aware of other prophecies in which people are depicted as animals? DTK mentioned Rev. 13:2, which also raised the other images of animal kingdoms in Daniel.



Isaiah is full of this kind of imagery, as are the other prophets...

*Isaiah 5:29-30:* _Their roaring will be like a lion, They will roar like young lions; Yes, they will roar And lay hold of the prey; They will carry it away safely, And no one will deliver. In that day they will roar against them Like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks to the land, Behold, darkness and sorrow; And the light is darkened by the clouds._

*Isaiah 40:31:* _But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint._ 

*Jeremiah 49:20-22:* _ 20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD that He has taken against Edom, And His purposes that He has proposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out; Surely He shall make their dwelling places desolate with them. 21 The earth shakes at the noise of their fall; At the cry its noise is heard at the Red Sea. 22 Behold, He shall come up and fly like the eagle, And spread His wings over Bozrah; The heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs._ 

*Jeremiah 48:40:* _For thus says the LORD: "Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over Moab._ 

*Ezekiel 38:10-13:* _10 Thus says the Lord GOD: "On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11 "You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates' -- 12 "to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?' " _

*Hosea 8:1* _"Set the trumpet to your mouth! He shall come like an eagle against the house of the LORD, Because they have transgressed My covenant And rebelled against My law."_ 

*Nahum 2:7-13:* _7 It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, She shall be brought up; And her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, Beating their breasts. 8 Though Nineveh of old was like a pool of water, Now they flee away. "Halt! Halt!" they cry; But no one turns back. 9 Take spoil of silver! Take spoil of gold! There is no end of treasure, Or wealth of every desirable prize. 10 She is empty, desolate, and waste! The heart melts, and the knees shake; Much pain is in every side, And all their faces are drained of color. 11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, And the feeding place of the young lions, Where the lion walked, the lioness and lion's cub, And no one made them afraid? 12 The lion tore in pieces enough for his cubs, Killed for his lionesses, Filled his caves with prey, And his dens with flesh. 13 " Behold, I am against you," says the LORD of hosts, "I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more." _ 

*Zephaniah 3:1-3:* _1 Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, To the oppressing city! 2 She has not obeyed His voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the LORD, She has not drawn near to her God. 3 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning. _

*Zechariah 11:1-7:* _ 1 Open your doors, O Lebanon, That fire may devour your cedars. 2 Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen, Because the mighty trees are ruined. Wail, O oaks of Bashan, For the thick forest has come down. 3 There is the sound of wailing shepherds! For their glory is in ruins. There is the sound of roaring lions! For the pride of the Jordan is in ruins. 4 Thus says the LORD my God, "Feed the flock for slaughter, 5 "whose owners slaughter them and feel no guilt; those who sell them say, 'Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich'; and their shepherds do not pity them. 6 "For I will no longer pity the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD. "But indeed I will give everyone into his neighbor's hand and into the hand of his king. They shall attack the land, and I will not deliver them from their hand." 7 So I fed the flock for slaughter, in particular the poor of the flock. I took for myself two staffs: the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bonds; and I fed the flock._

*Hebrews 11:32-33* _ 32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,_ 

*Habakkuk 1:6-10* _6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs. 7 They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves. 8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat. 9 "They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand. 10 They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it._

DTK


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## DTK (Mar 16, 2007)

> Do you think that literal/physical wolves will stop preying on lambs at some point during the church age? I was surprised that Calvin seemed to take that position.


I don't think this was Calvin's point so much as to emphasize that whatever curses (such as death and the violence of beasts) will be reversed by Christ in his kingdom. For he goes on in his gloss on v. 6 to say... 


> "Though Isaiah says that the wild and the tame beasts will live in harmony, that the blessing of God may be clearly and fully manifested, yet he chiefly means what I have said, that the people of Christ will have no disposition to do injury, no fierceness or cruelty. They were formerly like _lions_ or _leopards_, but will now be like _sheep_ or _lambs_; for they will have laid aside every cruel and brutish disposition. By these modes of expression he means nothing else than that those who formerly were like savage beasts will be mild and gentle; for he compares violent and ravenous men to _wolves_ and _bears_ which live on prey and plunder, and declares that they will be tame and gentle, so that they will be satisfied with ordinary food, and will abstain from doing any injury or harm. On this subject it is proper to argue from the less to the greater. “If Christ shall bring brute animals into a state of peace, much more will brotherly harmony exist among men, who will be governed by the same spirit of meekness.” And yet Isaiah does not mean that any are mild and peaceful by nature before they are renewed, but yet he promises, that whatever may have been their natural disposition, they will lay aside or conquer their fierceness, and will be like _lambs_ and _sheep_."



DTK


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## Scott (Mar 26, 2007)

Another relevant piece. In Act Peter has a vision in which God abolishes the distinctions between clean and unclean animals. The dream involves a sheet with allt he different kinds of animals on the earth. Peter interprets this vision: "He said to them: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.’"

Anyway, this seems to signify in part that the clean/unclean distinctions in the animal laws of the OT symbolized a Jewish/gentile distinction. In any event, the animals seems to symbolize people.


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## Sydnorphyn (May 20, 2007)

It appears to me as metaphorical language, no more. An ideal state much like Isaiah 65-66 new heavens and earth. See "Plow shears into Pruning Hooks" by Brent Sandy. An excellent work on apocalyptic/prophetic literature. 

Concerning the second point, see Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar; the wild beasts in Mark 1.12-13 appear to be "code language" for Rome/Satan; the beast in Revelation - a Roman emperor, etc.


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