Sacred Scripture #86
86. We can see more clearly from passages where it says nations and peoples that there are in the Word repetitions of what seems to be the same thing for the sake of the marriage of goodness and truth. See, for example, the following passages:
Woe to a sinful nation, to a people weighed down with iniquity. (Isaiah 1:4)
The peoples walking in darkness have seen a great light; you have multiplied the nation. (Isaiah 9:2-3)
Assyria is the rod of my anger. I will send him against a hypocritical nation; I will appoint him against the people of my rage. (Isaiah 10:5-6)
It will happen on that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, the one who stands as a sign for the peoples. (Isaiah 11:10)
Jehovah is striking the peoples with a plague that cannot be healed and ruling the nations in anger. (Isaiah 14:6)
On that day a gift will be brought to Jehovah Sabaoth - a people scattered and shaven and a nation measured and trampled. (Isaiah 18:7)
A strong people will honor you; a city of powerful nations will fear you. (Isaiah 25:3)
Jehovah will swallow up the covering that is over all peoples and the veil that is over all nations. (Isaiah 25:7)
Come near, O nations, and listen, O peoples. (Isaiah 34:1)
I have called you to be a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. (Isaiah 42:6)
Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples convene. (Isaiah 43:9)
Behold, I will lift up my hand toward the nations, and my sign toward the peoples. (Isaiah 49:22)
I have made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and a lawgiver to the nations. (Isaiah 55:4-5)
Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north and a great nation from the farthest parts of the earth. (Jeremiah 6:22)
I will no longer let you hear the slander of the nations, and you will not bear the reproach of the peoples anymore. (Ezekiel 36:15)
All peoples and nations will worship him. (Daniel 7:14)
Do not allow the nations to turn [your heritage] into a joke or to say among the peoples, “Where is their God?” (Joel 2:17)
The remnant of my people will plunder them and the remainder of my nation will possess them. (Zephaniah 2:9)
Many peoples and vast nations will come to seek Jehovah Sabaoth in Jerusalem. (Zechariah 8:22)
My eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the nations. (Luke 2:30-32)
You have redeemed us by your blood out of every people and nation. (Revelation 5:9)
You must prophesy again about peoples and nations. (Revelation 10:11)
You will make me the head of the nations; people I have not known will serve me. (Psalms 18:43)
Jehovah makes the counsel of the nations ineffective; he overturns the thoughts of the peoples. (Psalms 33:10)
You are making us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples. (Psalms 44:14)
Jehovah will subdue peoples under us and nations under our feet. Jehovah has ruled over the nations; those who are willing among the peoples have gathered. (Psalms 47:3, 8-9)
The peoples will praise you, the nations will be glad and rejoice, because you are going to judge the peoples with righteousness and lead the nations in the land. (Psalms 67:3-4)
Remember me, Jehovah, in the good pleasure of your people, so that I may be glad in the joy of your nations. (Psalms 106:4-5)
There are other passages as well.
The reason it says both nations and peoples is that “nations” means people who are focused on what is good (and in an opposite sense, on what is evil) and “peoples” means those who are focused on what is true (and in an opposite sense, on what is false). That is why those who are in the Lord’s spiritual kingdom are called peoples, while those in the Lord’s heavenly kingdom are called nations. The underlying reason is that everyone in the spiritual kingdom is focused on what is true and therefore on wisdom, while everyone in the heavenly kingdom is focused on what is good and therefore on love.
Isaiah 10
1
Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers who write oppressive decrees;
2
to deprive the needy from justice, and to rob the poor among my people of their rights, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!
3
What will you do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?
4
They will only bow down under the prisoners, and will fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
5
Alas Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation!
6
I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people who anger me will I give him a command to take the spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7
However he doesn't mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.
8
For he says, "Aren't all of my princes kings?
9
Isn't Calno like Carchemish? Isn't Hamath like Arpad? Isn't Samaria like Damascus?"
10
As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols, whose engraved images exceeded those of Jerusalem and of Samaria;
11
shall I not, as I have done to Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
12
Therefore it will happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the willful proud heart of the king of Assyria, and the insolence of his haughty looks.
13
For he has said, "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.
14
My hand has found the riches of the peoples like a nest, and like one gathers eggs that are abandoned, have I gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved their wing, or that opened their mouth, or chirped."
15
Should an axe brag against him who chops with it? Should a saw exalt itself above him who saws with it? As if a rod should lift those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up someone who is not wood.
16
Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire.
17
The light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; and it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in One day.
18
He will consume the glory of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and body. It will be as when a standard bearer faints.
19
The remnant of the trees of his forest shall be few, so that a child could write their number.
20
It will come to pass in that day that the remnant of Israel, and those who have escaped from the house of Jacob will no more again lean on him who struck them, but shall lean on Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21
A remnant will return, even the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.
22
For though your people, Israel, are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.
23
For the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will make a full end, and that determined, in the midst of all the earth.
24
Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, says "My people who dwell in Zion, don't be afraid of the Assyrian, though he strike you with the rod, and lift up his staff against you, as Egypt did.
25
For yet a very little while, and the indignation against you will be accomplished, and my anger will be directed to his destruction."
26
Yahweh of Armies will stir up a scourge against him, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb. His rod will be over the sea, and he will lift it up like he did against Egypt.
27
It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil.
28
He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage.
29
They have gone over the pass. They have taken up their lodging at Geba. Ramah trembles. Gibeah of Saul has fled.
30
Cry aloud with your voice, daughter of Gallim! Listen, Laishah! You poor Anathoth!
31
Madmenah is a fugitive. The inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.
32
This very day he will halt at Nob. He shakes his hand at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
33
Behold, the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, will lop the boughs with terror. The tall will be cut down, and the lofty will be brought low.
34
He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.
