United Church of God

Needed: A New Vision for World Peace

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Needed: A New Vision for World Peace

The novelist, Herman Wouk, published his highly popular second book in 1971, The Winds of War. The novel, which is a mixture of real and fictional characters, begins six months before Germany's invasion of Poland in September 1939 and ends shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. A television series was later shown in 1983 based on the book. It brought back depressing feelings regarding war.

When wars begin, they have a way of casting gloom over the people and the nations that fight them. Wars can seem almost endless and very often nothing gets settled in the end. What is needed in the world is a different kind of vision for world peace, or the winds of war will keep blowing. Who has the answers?

Wars without end 

Nations are so inclined to get involved in wars they have made it into an art. The U.S. has Westpoint, the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, the Air University, and the Marine Corps War College—all linked to their respective branches of service. At these colleges, the young men and women who enter are taught to be leaders in making war.

Every nation has some form of training to make war. The Royal College of Defence Studies instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces. The Australian War College is part of the Australian Defence College, the strategic provider of joint professional military education and individual training for the Australian Defence Force.

We could list such institutions in most nations dedicated to learning how to make war. This does not include the cultures which teach children to hate and kill those who do not believe as they believe. A study of Palestinian textbooks reveals their children are being taught to glorify and value terrorism and violence. 

In America's six generations of existence, there were two supposed generations of peace (1815 to 1846, and 1865 to 1898). But even those periods of so-called peace were times of war and violence against the Indians, as the boundaries of America were expanded. Additionally, there were even conflicts over differences regarding States' rights, tariffs, and slavery after the American civil war. 

If we look at the past in regard to the entire world, according to Collier's Encyclopedia, "The period from 1496 B.C. to A.D. 1861 shows 227 years of peace to 3130 of war."

Since the end of World War I in 1918, there have been numerous wars and conflicts around the world. According to data, there have been over 285 distinct armed conflicts since 1946 alone. These conflicts range from major wars involving multiple nations to smaller, localized skirmishes.

A common theme in western movies depicts a hotshot gunslinger, who after so much killing in his life, repents of his violent past and retires, making a decision to hang up his guns for good. Of course, there is typically some young upstart gunslinger wanting to prove himself by killing the retired gunman. 

The Mideast is a situation where enemies need to hang up their guns and renounce violence. Iran attacks Israel, and naturally now Israel must strike Iran. It is always a vicious cycle which must stop somewhere.

Violence in nations due to elections

This election year may prove to be a watershed time. The United States is more divided than any other time in history. There are those who predict there will be a clash between the right and left, and some even speak of a violent civil war. The same thing is happening to other nations of the west. 

The United States has often been called the leader of the free world. How long will that last if the nation is so divided and major violence erupts in our midst because of the elections? Australia and New Zealand have political divisions, but they are not as polarized as the U.S. 

Britain, Germany and France are struggling over political ideologies which threaten their nations. 

Peace needs a new attitude and reeducation 

"There is a plan," Sir Winston Churchill said, "being worked out here below" which we can count on. This plan, when we understand it, promises not one, but many generations of peace. And peace that is sure for a thousand years! The success of this plan doesn't depend upon the abilities of men—but upon the existence of a living Almighty God.

Jesus gave a key element of how peace will come about in the Kingdom during His millennial reign. He began to change the world by first teaching His disciples that vengeance belongs to God (Hebrews 10:30). Romans 12:19 says we should not give place to wrath. That means we should put it in the hands of magistrates. If those civil authorities, who are given the duty to deliver justice, do not give it, then God says He will repay. When we take out our own vengeance, we take it both out of the hands of magistrates, and out of God’s hands. 

Christ taught: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45).

A new vision for peace is needed, but it will never come by human beings. Oh, that the whole world lived by the teaching of Jesus Christ now! There will have to be a change in the fundamental nature of human beings and reeducation. Mankind truly does not know the ways of peace (Isaiah 59:8-10). Man’s carnal hateful nature has been injected into him by Satan. God will bring about change through repentance and teaching all humanity His way, a godly loving nature.

The prophet Isaiah wrote anciently of the time ahead when human beings will have a great change of heart and mind:

“The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and 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” (Isaiah 2:1-4).

Envision a world in which people deeply desire to be taught the true ways of God and then walk in His way of life! Imagine a world which not only doesn’t practice violence, but is no longer engaged in learning about fighting and war. There will be no armaments of war! All war implements will be converted to peaceful uses, such as making farming equipment or other tools that are useful for building. 

Zachariah the prophet envisaged this great day:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand because of great age. The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.’ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘If it is marvelous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, will it also be marvelous in My eyes?’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 8:4-6).

What a wonderful world it will be, when the winds of war will cease blowing all around the world. Imagine a world, in which we will have a thousand years of peace and tranquility! 

This is my Perspective!