Fence Mending That Will Last
A commentary by David Treybig
United Church of God pastor, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida
Recent efforts to mend the fences that divide world
leaders are encouraging. Note these positive and hopeful developments.
The easing of tensions in the Middles East via a ceasefire between Israel
and the Palestinians provide a glimmer of hope that perhaps even that
volatile region will finally settle down.
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new 24-member Palestinian
Cabinet in Ramallah on February 24, giving locals hope that badly needed
governmental reforms may finally become reality. Adding to this optimism
was the fact that Cabinet members were selected because of their individual
expertise rather than their political loyalty. Almost half of the Cabinet
members have doctoral degrees.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Cabinet
continued their work toward withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Israel's
government released 500 Palestinian prisoners on Monday, February 21.
On that same day, U.S. President George Bush, on a fence-mending trip
to Europe, pledged his support of these efforts to resolve conflicts
between Israel and the Palestinians. Speaking in Brussels, Belgium, Bush
said, "Our greatest opportunity, and our immediate goal, is peace
in the Middle East."
Following a closed-door meeting with President
Chirac of France on Tuesday, President Bush and his counterpart told
the media that relations between their respective nations were good—that
their differences over invading Iraq were now in the past. Citing the
rich history of brotherly relations between these two leading nations
over the past centuries, both men sought to bring their citizens' attention
to the great value of restoring their friendship and cooperation. Bush
said, "As
past debates fade, and great duties become clear, let us begin a new
era of trans-Atlantic unity" (foxnews.com/story/0,2933,148151,00.html).
Reflecting
the European resolve to move beyond past differences with the United
States over Iraq, the EU foreign ministers decided on February 21 to
open a Baghdad office help train 700 Iraqi judges and prosecutors.
This is the first direct involvement with Iraq by the EU since the war.
President Bush joined German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Mainz on
February 23 as part of his continued efforts to restore vital relationships
between the U.S. and leading European countries. Pre-meeting comments
by Karsten Voight, German coordinator for trans-Atlantic relations,
indicated that Germany was also interested in better relations with
the U.S. Voight noted that the two countries were already cooperating
in forgiving Iraq's debts, in training Iraq's security officers, and
in stabilizing Afghanistan.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President
Bush to discuss the war on terror, democracy in Russia, and the nuclear
capabilities of Iran and North Korea. In a joint press conference, "both
agreed that that neither Iran nor North Korea should have a nuclear weapon
and said their respective countries have more issues in common than not" (foxnews.com/story/0,2933,148559,00.html).
All of this seems too good to be true! To hear our leaders speak, one
would think we are on the cusp of a new age of peace. Certainly, we can
applaud the efforts expended for this cause. But will all of this apparent
goodwill last?
The Bible notes a fundamental flaw in humanity's efforts to secure
peace. It explains: "The way of peace they do not know; there is
no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads;
no one who walks in them will know peace" (Isaiah 59:8, New International
Version).
Shortly before the inevitable slide into the traumatic conflict that
will mark the return of Jesus Christ, real peace will probably appear
to have been achieved. As often in the past, people will be saying, " 'Peace,
peace!' when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14). Then suddenly
conflicts so great will erupt that only Christ's intervention can
keep humanity from completely destroying itself (Matthew 24:22).
Universal peace, however, is coming—but in a different way than
most people expect. The Bible—speaking of Jesus Christ as the "Prince
of Peace"—tells us: "Of the increase of His government
and peace there will be no end ... to order it and establish it with
judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever" (Isaiah
9:6-7). At that time, "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn
from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke
1:79, NRSV).
  There is a "way of peace"! The overlooked ingredients for
a fair and just peace are contained in God's instruction in the
Bible. To understand how this lasting peace will finally come to our
strife-torn world through the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, request,
read, or download our free booklets: You
Can Understand Bible Prophecy and The
Gospel of the Kingdom.
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