A New United Nations

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A New United Nations

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Largely overshadowed by news coverage of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many failed to realize that the United Nations celebrated its 60th anniversary when it convened last month. Coinciding with this event, actor Ron Silver released on September 20 a DVD titled "Broken Promises," a documentary of the failures of the United Nations on the organization's anniversary.

The same day, Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times provided an overview: "The hour long DVD begins with the U.N.'s creation of Israel in 1948—a seminal event that resonated in Silver's family and neighborhood but also had consequences far into the future.

"The film reflects his conviction that the way the U.N. shifted from peacemaker to arbitrator, treating Arabs and Israelis as equals, foreshadows a fatal flaw in the organization's structure. The U.N. is afraid to take sides, the film says, and doesn't have the independence to intervene when vital.

"The rest of the documentary is a greatest-hits reel of U.N. fiascos: the unfinished partition of Israel and Kashmir, allowing Pol Pot's killing fields in Cambodia, not intervening in the genocide in Rwanda, the failure to protect Muslims at a U.N. haven in Srebrenica and paralysis over reform demonstrated last week at the U.N.'s 60th anniversary World Summit"
(www.brokenpromisesmovie.com/092005_latimes.html).

While unaware of the U.N.'s anniversary, a growing number of people have become aware of the organization's weaknesses. Although founded in 1945 upon humanitarian principles as the world's greatest hope for peace, this ideal has never been accomplished. Instead, it has proven impossible to bring all nations into mutual cooperation in international law, security, economic development, and social equity—the goals the organization aspires to fulfill.

From an organizational perspective, we've asked more of the U.N. than it is capable of providing. Adhering to the principle that all sovereign nations have the right to determine their own cultural standards, the U.N. does not make crucial distinctions of right and wrong in terms of governmental corruption or racial violence and prejudice. The U.N. has no army and must beg for peacekeeping soldiers and funding for its endeavors. In its chambers, political positions for or against Israel routinely divide member nations. There is no single standard of law, justice, and fairness to which all nations agree. Every nation does what is right in its own eyes.

Reflecting upon these weaknesses, some in the United States are now suggesting that the U.N. experiment has been a failure and that it is time for the U.S. to stop wasting money via financial support. As the major contributor to the organization, a withdrawal of funding by the U.S. would severely cripple the U.N.

But before dismissing the idea of the U.N., consider what the Bible says about the role of nations united under the reign of Jesus after He returns to establish His Kingdom (Revelation 11:15).

  • There will be one universal law for all nations that will enforced by Jesus Himself. His capitol city will be Jerusalem and international directives will go out from there (Micah 4:2).
  • The present U.N. ideal—taken from Isaiah 2:4—will finally come to pass: "He [God] shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."
  • Nations will send representatives to Jerusalem to seek God and pray to Him. This will help resolve the long-standing animosity between Jews and Arabs. Instead of being the scapegoat for failures, Jews will become respected by all because of their understanding of and commitment to God's law (Zechariah 8:22-23). This will facilitate cooperation and respect between the nations.
  • Another key responsibility for representatives of each nation will be to go to Jerusalem during the biblical Feast of Tabernacles to worship God and thereby secure His annual blessing upon their nation (Zechariah 14:16-19).

A new, reorganized United Nations based upon the preceding concepts could be a great benefit to the world. Such an organization could help facilitate respect for God and respect between all peoples. Such an organization could help disseminate the only knowledge and way of life that can ultimately lead to the peace and happiness all people desire.

There is one more item to consider. Observance of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles, this year October 17-24, is to be observed by God's faithful servants as an annual reminder that the above prophecies of a better United Nations will be fulfilled.