Nations wished to no more have war

Lunminthang Haokip *

PROMISE OF END OF WAR: The United Nations Head Quarter in NYC - New York City - was opened in 1948. In the post-World War II era, Nations wished to no more have war. On the walls of the UN building, Isaiah 2:4 was prominently inscribed in tune with the collective global aspiration:

"And He shall judge among the Nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

This verse was a prophecy beyond the birth and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. It had an overtone of the millennial reign after His second coming on earth. Until then, the world will see more wars and bloodshed on this crazy mess between two poles.

Neighbours bray for one another's blood. Merciless bombs explode in public places right under the nose of peace-keeping agencies. Much though they get sold on and hooked on world order, there's nothing much global players can do about chronic enmity of Nations. Every action devoid of divine sanity is destined to cause enmity that will ultimately teeter on the brink of collateral collapse.

UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN: Isaiah 9:6, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the Government shall be upon his shoulder:" We evangelicals speak more about the Lordship of Jesus and much less about His human side. "Unto us a child is born" presupposes that the Saviour-to-be-born would be a human being fully. He was born to a human mother (Matt 1:25), experienced hunger (Matt 21:18) and thirst (John 19:28).

He was tempted by the devil like any other 'man of woman-born' (Matt 4:1-10). That "Unto us a Son is given," on the other hand underlines His deity. Jesus was with God in heaven. He himself stated in John 8:58, "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am." His resurrection after death also proved that He was God. John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh."

Christ was perfect man, and perfect God. While He was in His earthly form, He dictated disciple John to write down about the other-worldly things to take place in heaven. The last book of the NT is all about the things revealed by Jesus. In short, the birth of Jesus was 'deity' coming in the form of 'humanity.'

EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW BEFORE HIM: Earthly governance, by and large, is going by the diktats of popular whims and fancies of a fleshly subject. What I came across as an administrator makes me believe that the citizenry goes by that which they perceive as 'politically correct.' But that doesn't mean such are 'spiritually right!'

That will not be the case when the Son of man reigns in the millennial kingdom from the 'throne of David (Isaiah 9:7). The verse also adds that "He will establish it with judgment and with justice...." All those victims of fate who are denied justice, here where the just suffer and the unjust prosper, can rest-assured that the 'wrongs' that hassle their lives will be `righted' when Jesus reigns.

Earlier He came as the 'Lamb of God (John 1:29).' His mission was to "save His people from their sins (Matt 1:21)." He rode on a donkey en route to Jerusalem. But Rev 19:11 says, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war."

Then, 'Every knee shall bow before Him and every tongue confess that He is LORD (Rom 14:11)." Such a day of universal judgment will happen when Christ comes back with a bang to reign.

HIS NAME WILL BE WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR: Reading the four Gospels written on His life, we learn that there's nothing ordinary about our LORD. His approach to life, lifestyle, thorough understanding of human nature and the most apt counsel He gave to others were simply wonderful. Isaiah 9:6 did not mean that the Son of God will be called 'Wonderful, Counsellor etc.'

The verse gave a foretaste of what His character would be. The Samaritan woman mentioned in John Ch. 4 was an 'adulteress-gone-berserk.' But the redeeming words uttered by Jesus to the 'sinner' He met at the well brought about drastic change in her.

On another occasion, the officers of the high priest and the Pharisees failed to fetch the Lord as they were instructed. But they reported in John 7:46, "The officers answered, Never man spake like this man."

His utterances had a piercingly searching impact that was salted with a healing grace. The blind Bartimaeus was given scant attention at Jericho when the Messiah passed by. But the LORD asked him, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? (Mark 10:51)." The soothing Word of the Saviour resulted in the blind man gaining sight. Who else on earth can offer such a sight-gaining counsel?

JESUS CAME TO RECOVER MAN'S PROXIMITY TO GOD : We find delight in doing things that excite us. There are certain things that other persons can't do but we can do them effortlessly. That's the core competence inbuilt in us by our Creator. But many recipients of such free gifts from above do not use the undeserved favour to glorify the Giver.

So, leanness and frustration come to those who have no room for God in their lives. That's why many successful people carry an excess baggage of dissatisfaction. The emptiness within in a man of woe is caused by the mistake of letting worldly fads and fancies usurp the place meant for God in his person. That happens because sin had cut off human proximity to the Almighty.

Jesus came to suffer on earth to repair that vital devil-plotted breach that separates man from his Master. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, bring put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

It's worthy of note that God did not put the penalty for sin on anybody else. He Himself took the blame and sent His Son to redeem the damage caused by sin. 2 Cor 5:21 says, "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

THE PEACE OF GOD : Luke 2:14, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." In the Lord's Prayer, we often say, "Thy kingdom come." In John 18:36, our Lord Himself said, "My kingdom is not of this world." This statement should make us sit loose on temporal things. The eternal kingdom will come after all cohorts of the adversary are destroyed by our Saviour.

"Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7)." The content of Luke 2:14 is a bit of a narrative about the millennial kingdom. True lasting peace will come to stay, then. The prediction in Isaiah 2:4, "Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more" will also come true.

Even otherwise, today, those who obey the Word of God faithfully will know peace in their heart. Psalm 119:165 says, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." There are myriad issues that trouble us and threaten to rob the peace we have in trusting Jesus.

But there's higher wisdom in taking our Lord at His word, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27)."

Let the peace of of God keep you 'under seize.' Nothing will offend you.