Highway to Peace

Well, good morning, everyone. Maybe I should say good day. Or is it Aloha? Sorry.

A big thank you to the Festival Chorale. Very nice job. So we appreciate the music they've been putting together. Chantal's flute accompaniment was very nice as well. Thank you very much to them. And I trust you're all having a very good feast of tabernacles this year. We certainly are enjoying the aisles of Hawaii and the friendly people, the good food. And so I trust you are as well.

A number of people from Australia here for the feast that I grew up with. So it's nice to see them here. 20 or 30 of them altogether. Also a number from the home office in Cincinnati that are here. One of those here from the home office is Aaron Booth, who is our internet managing editor. And the internet is very much the backbone of our gospel preaching efforts. And because of the vast array of what we find on our website and the capabilities of our website, you too can be involved in helping with the work that we're doing. You can help at ucg.org. And the reason I mention this is because Aaron Booth has produced a brochure on how you can help at ucg.org. And Aaron's going to be in the lobby after services today over on the right-hand side or the left as you enter the hall. And Aaron has some of these brochures, and you can talk with him about it. Social media, even, is one of the most important things that we do now to preach the gospel. We have five or six different Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, and we do need your help in preaching the gospel, actually. What we're doing now is reaching far beyond what our small staff at the Home Office can do. And over 5,000 people have registered to have an account now at ucg.org. And that's just since May of this year, since we launched the new site. We have about 10,000 visitors a day at ucg.org. I remember when it was 200 when we moved to Cincinnati. 10,000 a day now, and those are not church members in the majority by any stretch. So we need your help to share and encourage others via ucg.org. You can comment on articles, you can answer people's questions, because we allow comments on our articles now. And people have genuine questions. And you, who have grown up in the church for many years, have been in the church for a long time. You can answer them. Don't be afraid to. You can leave a comment. You can put a link to a book or to an article that will answer their question. So please stay here in Booth after services. If you'd like to help, he'll give you one of these brochures. He talks about what you can do today to get more involved in helping to preach the gospel on the internet. You can create an account at ucg.org, fill out a profile, comment on articles, make friends, and leave feedback messages. So certainly we would encourage you to do that.

Well, as we get into the sermon topic here this morning, have you heard of the Peace Society? The Peace Society has a website at peacehighway.org. They have a daily blog at peacesociety.info. And one of the sections of their website features an article titled Peace Highway. And this particular article that I was reading was written in January of last year. Let me read some of it to you. Their article from the Peace Society is titled Peace Highway. The Peace Society envisions the development of a mass transit, super-fast, cost-efficient, underground transportation system to connect over 200 countries around our planet by 2050.

And they say, our goal is to provide a transit system to efficiently move people, products, and ideas smoothly and peacefully around our globe, and in its development, create millions of new businesses and billions of new jobs in every corner of our planet. And they say, this is their vision, the Peace Highway will connect the world and allow Earth civilization to move to a higher level of existence where the standard of living will be significantly raised for those now at the bottom of the gross national product to an average per capita family income of $24,000 worldwide. They say the Peace Highway will become the economic generator to end the international economic crisis we are now experiencing and allow for an economic future in a balanced form of moving equilibrium. The Peace Highway will allow for the development of tens of thousands of new peace villages, accommodating billions of people on Earth. The Peace Highway will become the centerpiece to stabilizing the fair distribution of resources and goods around our planet, stimulate economic growth and prosperity through the progress of technology and just governance, reward nations for maintaining open lines of communications, and long-term peace. And then here's one final quote from the article. What the Peace Society wants is to create the framework for 2,000 years of peace on Earth with no wars, no acts of terrorism or discrimination, and where the experience of living on our planet continues to rise for every man, woman, and child through prosperity and progress for everyone. This is a lofty and a noble goal, isn't it, for a society to want to create peace on Earth through a subterranean network of train lines. Can a worldwide system of highways bring an end to war, terrorism, and unjust governance? You think this will work?

Of course, the Peace Society is not the first organization to desire peace on Earth. Other organizations, even nations, have striven to provide a thousand years of peace. But as we know, each of these attempts has failed so far.

One of the more recent attempts to bring a thousand years of peace on Earth brought about events that triggered the Second World War. On the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea, the Apostle John received an astonishing revelation from Jesus Christ himself. In John's account of that vision, he records a prophecy in which Jesus Christ would reign on this Earth for one thousand years. And during this time, all people will finally know true peace and harmony. Is this prophecy just an old man's meaningless dream as he lived out his later years on the island of Patmos? A dream that can never come true? Or is it the sure word of God? The one hope in today's world for a time when swords will be beaten into plowshares and wild animals will dwell safely with children. Was John's vision of a coming time of world peace true? Well, as we understand from the biblical meaning of the Holy Days we observe and this Feast of Tabernacles in particular? Yes. This time of peace is coming and it will last for a thousand years and then into eternity. I'm going to go back to the Peace Society's vision of the Peace Highway for the sermon today. We're going to look at the biblical version of the Peace Highway. The title of the sermon today is Highway to Peace. I've titled it Highway to Peace.

There is this idea first put to writing a few thousand years ago that is not born out of human thought or human imagination. This idea promises a world of peace and prosperity for all. It's the biblical teaching of the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth. And we call it the Millennium, which is a Latin word which means 1000.

When we speak of a millennial setting, we are speaking to what the Bible describes as a time of peace and harmony on the earth. We talk about the Millennium when we're thinking of that time of peace and harmony. God's promise of a millennial kingdom stands as a symbol of hope for mankind. When we look outside at the terrible trials the world is facing in so many countries, we pray for that kingdom to come. Part of that promise involves a peace highway, a true peace highway, a godly highway to peace. Turn to Isaiah chapter 19 with me. Let's read about it. Isaiah chapter 19.

And we'll read verses 18 through 25.

Isaiah 19 verse 18.

In that day, now when the Bible says in that day, it's referring to the end times. In that day, the end time, five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan, which is probably Hebrew, and swear by the Lord of hosts one will be called the city of destruction. Verse 19. In that day, there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt and the pillar to the Lord at its border. So have the Egyptians worship the true God like this yet? No, not yet. This is going to happen in that day at the end time.

Verse 20. And it will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. For they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a mighty one, and He will deliver them. So Egypt cries out to God. This hasn't happened yet. Then the Lord will be known to Egypt. So this is a future prophecy. And the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering. Yes, they will make a vow to the Lord and perform it.

Verse 22. The Lord will strike Egypt. He will strike and heal it. They will return to the Lord, and He will be entreated by them and heal them. And notice verse 23. In that day, there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria. And the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. Verse 24. In that day, I'm telling you once again, this is a future prophecy. Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land.

The Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed is Egypt, my people. Assyria, the work of my hands. And Israel, my inheritance. I have a question for you. Why is it significant that a superhighway will traverse from north to south through Israel from Assyria to Egypt? Why is it such a big deal that Egypt and Assyria become connected? If we look at end-time events, particularly in the book of Daniel, we find that Egypt and Assyria will be mortal enemies, not peaceful international highway builders. Turn with me to Daniel 11 and notice verse 40. Daniel 11 verse 40. Because here we read that in the end-time, Assyria in the north will destroy Egypt to the south.

In Bible prophecy, the king of the north is equated with the ancient nation of Assyria, which eventually becomes the beast power in Europe to the north of Israel. Notice Daniel 11 verse 40. At the time of the end, so once again this is the head of us, at the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him. And the king of the north, which in the end-time will be the prophesied beast power or the remnants of what was Assyria, shall come against the king of the south like a whirlwind.

With chariots, horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them and pass through. He shall also enter the glorious land, which is of course the nation of Israel today, and many countries will be overthrown. But these shall escape from his hand, Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon.

That's a lot of what is Jordan today will escape this invasion. Verse 42. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt. Also the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. So what we see here is much of the Arab world being conquered by the king of the north. The king of the south, which will most likely be something like an Arab confederation, will provoke the king of the north to the point that Europe says, that's enough, no more, and they go in through Israel down into Africa and the Arab world and annihilate the king of the south.

And from that point forward in prophecy, you don't read much about the Arab world anymore. They're done for until Christ returns. And so the king of the north, the Assyrians and Egyptians to the south, are mortal enemies at the end time. So what happens that changes the nature of these two regions of the world?

We see that something has to change between these two enemies. If there's going to be a highway of peace between them in that day, the time of the end, and in the time of the millennium, the change of heart has to take place. In doing a little bit of research about various attempts to set up peace or highways of peace, I came across a proposal by a Middle Easterner named Arif Al-Wan. Mr. Al-Wan has a proposal called Highway for Peace Trucks.

Let me read to you from his website at arifalwan.com. He said, this proposal entails establishing a trade route, and the trade route would go from Beirut into Israel through Jordan and down to Abu Dhabi.

And so he says, this proposal entails establishing a trade route. This will start in Beirut, go to Haifa in Israel, go down to Nablus in the West Bank, and then go via Amman in Jordan. We'll then cross the northern borders of Saudi Arabia at Mujama al-Hadditha, then go to Al-Damaam and we'll end in Abu Dhabi. He says, as this route would enable new trading relationships, it would represent a tangible step towards real peace in the Middle East.

So this follows ideas to have a highway for trucks, a commerce between the countries, to bring peace in the Middle East. I actually find it interesting that many people see the need for an actual highway, a trade route, an artery of commerce in order to promote peace on Earth. Unfortunately, the best laid plans of men have not provided a peaceful solution to mankind's problems, problems with one another and problems from nation to nation. As we're observing this week, it's going to take a new government to accomplish this, a new leader, a new system in order to bring these lofty but noble goals to pass. It's going to take, not the peace society, not peace trucks. It's going to take God Himself. God Himself in the form of Jesus Christ as king and ruler, in order for mankind to know peace and actually open up that highway from the north to the south, from Egypt to Assyria. The driving factor in all of this will be the power of the Holy Spirit being made available to everyone.

And the forgiveness of sins and the gift of salvation offered to all at Christ's return.

Who is the Prince of Peace? Who's the Prince of Peace? Let's read it in Isaiah 9 verse 6. Let's go back a few chapters to Isaiah 9 verse 6.

Here we see a picture of the true gospel of the kingdom being explained. Isaiah 9 verse 6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government, he'll be a ruler, the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and he'll be called the Prince of Peace.

Let's go to Isaiah chapter 35 for a moment too. Let's take note of this powerful millennial prophecy written by Isaiah and inspired by God. This prophecy foretells a time like no other. It foretells a time when weapons of war truly will be melted down to become agricultural tools. And in this well-known millennial prophecy, it talks about a very special, important highway. Once again, I find it interesting that some of mankind's attempts at peace involved commerce and arteries and freeways and highways between nations to try and fix things. Isaiah 35 verse 1, The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. So here's a picture of the millennium. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice. Even with joy and singing, the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the excellency of our God. So Isaiah says, Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. So here's a helping hand for those who are weak. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, Be strong, do not fear. Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God, and He will come and save you. So God will come. The Prince of Peace will come. Jesus Christ will return. And so verse 5, Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the lame shall leap like a deer, the tongue of the dumb sing. For water shall burst forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool in the thirsty land, springs of water. In the habitation of jackals where each lay, there shall be grass, with reeds and rushes. And notice verse 8, A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the highway of holiness. The highway of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. The redeemed of God will walk on this highway of holiness. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing. With everlasting joy on their heads, they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. A magnificent picture of the millennium, and how when Christ returns, the desert will blossom like a rose. Animals will not harm, and there will be a highway of holiness. It's a spiritual highway, a holy highway, the highway of holiness. It will bring people together on a higher plane than any normal, commercial highway ever could. Not only will there be a highway from Europe to Africa, from Assyria to Egypt, like we read, but there will be a highway of holiness between all people. Not just between the king of the north and the king of the south, but between all people on this globe. Isaiah 40. Go forward a little bit to Isaiah 40 with me, if you would. Just let's turn ahead to Isaiah 40. We'll read the first five verses. Isaiah 40 verse 1. Comfort, yes, comfort my people, says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins. Verse 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. So Christ is about to return, and the voice cries out, prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

And then verse 4. After Christ's return, every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill, every other government will be brought low, because Christ will now be ruling. The crooked places shall be made straight, the rough places are made smooth, the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. So this highway of holiness will extend to all people. All flesh shall see it together. It's not like that now, on this planet, as we know. At the moment, the church is a small flock, a little flock. But when this happens, when Christ returns, when the Prince of Peace comes and establishes a highway of holiness, all people will have an opportunity to walk on that highway.

It's interesting that a highway is part of the peace equation.

Listen to this plan put forth by the Journal for Unification Studies about an international peace highway. Here's another group's idea of an international peace highway. It's actually based upon writings by Sun Myung Moon. So the Journal of Unification Studies has an article titled, The International Peace Highway Reflections on its Role for World Peace. Here's another attempt by a human society to establish world peace, and it's through, once again, highways. The construction, they write, of a bridge and tunnel complex that would connect Russia and the United States by the Bering Strait, along with the building of a tunnel complex to connect Kyushu Island in Japan with Busan, Korea, represent key components of the International Peace Highway, which has been publicly advocated by Sun Myung Moon since 1981. And the journal continues, in 2005 Moon further elaborated on the need for a bridge tunnel complex connecting Russia and the United States, speaking specifically on the need for a connector between Russia and the United States at the Bering Strait. He described this construction as an historical necessity, given the long history during which the physical separation between Russia and the United States has served as a source of the physical and spiritual division of humankind. He emphasized that an international peace highway would play a key role in the fostering of reconciliation and peace. And the article continues, the United States of America, Russia, Europe, China, India, Japan, Brazil, and all the nations and religions of the world should work hand in hand with the complete success of this project. Humankind will be one step closer to the peace kingdom on earth where there is no more division and war. But is that all there is to it?

If we create a bridge to Russia from Alaska, if we create a highway between Japan and North Korea, if we create a worldwide underground mass transit system with peace villages, will that do it? If we create a truck route from Beirut to Abu Dhabi, will peace prevail finally? Can a road eradicate the spiritual division of mankind like Sun Young Moon suggests? Really? Or is there more to it? Yes, there is. There's a spiritual element to it. First of all, the devil has to be removed from influencing mankind. And without that, peace is not possible for the long term. These humanly devised plans will fail sooner or later, and usually sooner than later. No physical highway can accomplish this goal of lasting peace. It requires a change of heart, led by the Spirit of God. It requires a system that's governed by the very Prince of Peace himself.

Not by Sun Young Moon or the Peace Society or a highway. Turn with me, if you would, to Ezekiel 18. Here's an example of what needs to happen. And this was outlined to the nation of Israel many years ago of what they needed. Ezekiel 18, verse 30. Ezekiel 18 and verse 30.

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart. And a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn and live.

And so a new heart, a new spirit is required. The spirit of the devil has to be removed. And our own human spirit needs to be influenced by the Holy Spirit. So that, especially at a time when it all comes to see it at once. Turn to Ezekiel 36 while we're hearing Ezekiel. Please turn over to Ezekiel 36. Notice verse 24. Here now is an end time prophecy about Israel and the spiritual change necessary to bring true peace about. Ezekiel 36 and verse 24.

It's prophesied to Israel, For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all the countries, and bring you into your own land. So here we see in that day all of Israel reunited. Verse 25. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, the Holy Spirit, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36 here is a millennial prophecy from verse 24 all the way down to verse 38. And here we see that it takes a change of heart to bring lasting peace, and the Spirit of God to bring about these changes. We can see that it's not just a physical freeway between Assyria and Egypt. There's a spiritual element as well. It's a spiritual highway. It's a highway of holiness. No doubt there will be physical, international freeways when Christ returns. There will be a transportation system. Of course, there will be. Between all nations of the world. But the highway of most importance will be a spiritual connection, a spiritual highway between all people, and between all of us, all of them, and Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. That spiritual connection, that spiritual highway, that highway of holiness is what will make it happen.

As God's people, we understand what the future portends. What the future portends.

We are blessed in God's church with an amazing perspective of history. When we read about history, we know how it all fits into God's plan and why things happen and why things are the way they are. As God's people, we understand current world events in a different way than most. When we see what's happening in the Middle East, when we see Europe uniting, when we see the United States being punished for its sins, we know why. We understand what's going on in current events. And we have a unique understanding of prophecy. We know what's to come. We know the Prince of Peace will return. We know what the hope is for mankind. And we're able to put all of this into the perspective of God's plan of salvation and his kingdom. We have a road map that helps us navigate and see this highway of holiness. And a big portion of this road map that we have outlined here in God's Word is found in God's Holy Days in his annual Sabbaths. We keep the annual Sabbaths, and they show us what God has in mind for all of mankind. If you don't keep the Holy Days and understand them, you don't have that overall picture and understanding of God's plan.

It's interesting that this highway will pass through Israel, the highway between Assyria and Egypt. It'll pass through Israel. And Jerusalem itself will be the future headquarters of the Prince of Peace. And that highway between Assyria and Egypt goes right through Israel. It'll be connected to the Prince of Peace. And it's not just a physical highway, but a spiritual highway of connection between all peoples and God ruling from Jerusalem.

Highways reflect a human desire to be connected. It's about a visit and travel, while walls reflect another darker human sentiment to remain isolated and separated and closed off. Structures such as the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, the wall between Palestinians and Israel, and the planned wall between Mexico and the United States reflect that humankind still has a way to go before there can literally be one family on earth. We put up walls. We cut people off. And often because it's to try and establish peace and maintain peace in your area of the globe. Turn with me to Proverbs 15 verse 19 for a moment and look at a very wise passage or verse here. Proverbs 15 verse 19. Here one of the wisest men to ever live said, in Proverbs 15 verse 19, the way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway. The way of the upright is a highway. And as we know, the way of the upright is a way of righteousness, a highway of holiness.

But sin leads us and the world down a different path than this.

The sin in the world leads mankind down a rocky trail of rocks and boulders, not a highway. It's a four-wheel drive track that most of humanity is on right now, not a highway or a smooth freeway. Jeremiah 18 is a good place to go in talking about this particular thought. Jeremiah 18 verse 11. Jeremiah 18 verse 11.

Jeremiah writes, Now therefore speak to the men of Judah, this is what God told him to do, now therefore speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD. Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now everyone from his evil way and make your ways in your doings good. God's imploring Israel to turn and repent and do what's right. And so what did Israel say? They said, that's hopeless. We will walk according to our own plans, and we will obey everyone that dictates of his own evil heart. God, we're going to do it our way. Thank you very much. Therefore says the LORD in verse 13. Ask now even among the Gentiles who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

Will a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters? And then verse 15, God says, because my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to worthless idols, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths to walk in pathways and not on a highway.

Israel was not following what they'd originally been taught. The ancient ways, the ancient paths that they should have been following. Instead, they were willingly sinning, saying, don't tell us what to do, God. We're going to go our own way. And God says, you're not walking on a highway any longer. You're on the four-wheel drive track now, and it's going to be tough.

For true peace to prevail for the long term, we must walk on the highways of peace and holiness, God's way, those ancient paths of teaching, not on the side tracks and pathways and four-wheel drive trails where we stumble.

Are we following the Prince of Peace ourselves right now? Are we on the highway of holiness? Are we on the highway of peace? How peaceful is your life?

Are you on the right highway? Are you stumbling along the four-wheel drive tracks of this world? If you are, you've got to get off. You've got to make a detour. You've got to get back on God's highway. Unlike walls, bridges and highways can heal distances and contribute to peace.

And that is true. And I think that's one reason why many of these noble attempts to bring peace to the world involve highways and subterranean rail lines and things. Now, for example, Canada and the United States opposed each other militarily during the American War of Independence and during the War of 1812. The United States and Canada were enemies.

In the years following the War of 1812, Americans and Canadians actively began to explore ways in which to address their differences. And one of the symbols of this process of reconciliation was a construction of a peace bridge between the cities of Buffalo, New York, and Fort Erie, Ontario, in Canada. This was all in the early part of the 20th century. And on the occasion of the opening of the peace bridge, an editorial in the Buffalo Post described this historical development as follows. Let us trust that the structure that is to bring these two great Anglo-Saxon countries into closer contact with each other will serve also to increase mutual respect and appreciation and prolong indefinitely the years of peace. So once again, we see the symbolism of bridges and highways promoting peace, connecting people together. We just need to move, though, to a higher plane of highway than the Buffalo Peace Bridge, the Highway of Holiness.

Here's another angle on the highway to peace idea. Here's a World Wildlife Federation, okay? The World Wildlife Federation has a journal article titled, Peace Park on the Tuna Highway.

The World Wildlife Federation has convinced two countries, Indonesia and the Philippines, that the only real way to have peace and win the fierce fight over the wealth of the ocean is to join together to protect it. The Coral Triangle is the most diverse marine ecosystem on Earth, supplying millions of people around the world with food. The Tuna Highway is a major passage within the Coral Triangle used by Yellowfin, Skipjack and Big Eye Tuna as they migrate. Now, Indonesia and the Philippines have embraced a World Wildlife Federation proposal to create a peace park that will protect this migratory corridor for young tuners on their way to the open ocean and for adult females returning to the birth places to spawn. In response to these threats, Indonesia and the Philippines have agreed to the Federation's proposal that they co-manage a peace park in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Once again, an attempt to work together. Unfortunately, without God in the picture, it's not truly possible. Christ is the way. Christ is the high way. A highway will be built for our God, the highway of holiness, and Christ will be holding the road map. Christ will have the GPS coordinates for everyone to follow.

But we must remember and never forget, without Christ leading the way, any path cannot become that highway. Without God, it is a crooked road to nowhere. The painful path of mankind's sins leads to destruction, not to peace. Let's go back to Isaiah again, if you would. Isaiah 59. Make a note of this one. Isaiah 59 verse 1. Isaiah 59 verse 1. Here's where we see why the best-laid plans of men have not worked in 6,000 years to bring lasting peace on this earth. And it's because of disobeying God and not following the way of life that He wants humanity to follow. Isaiah 59 verse 1. Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor His heart heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. For your hands have defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice, nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies. They can see the evil and bring forth iniquity. Verse 5. They hatch a viper's eggs and weave the spider's web. He who eats of their eggs dies, and from that which is crushed a viper breaks out. Their webs will not become garments, nor will they cover themselves with their works. Their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands. Their feet run to evil. Verse 7. They make no haste to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity. Wasting and destruction are in their paths, on their tracks, and therefore will drive trails. But notice verse 8. The way of peace they have not known. Or the way of peace they have no regard for. Here's what one translation says. There is no justice in their ways. They have made themselves crooked paths. Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. So if you don't obey God, follow His law, you will have made yourself a crooked path. And you won't know peace. It won't work. Without God, it is a crooked path to nowhere. There cannot be peace. And so, while some of mankind's goal is to build peace highways, tuna peace parks, peace truck routes, peace bridges, and peace tunnels are very admirable ideas, without God, though, they will not bring lasting peace.

And all of the examples I've mentioned here today, whether it's the peace park or the peace tunnel, the peace villages, the peace truck routes, and all of these examples, you'll notice there's no mention of God's involvement. Mankind is trying to do it himself. Do it on his own. How he wants to do it. Here's another example. There's a very modern highway that has helped sustain a little more peace between the British Isles and Europe. It's once again somewhat symbolic of what can be done spiritually if mankind would just follow God's way of doing things instead. And it's the channel connecting the United Kingdom with France. And it marked a new level of relationship between United Kingdom and France. These two nations had warred against each other since the days of Joan of Arc. France and Great Britain had stood at opposite sides of the battlefield during the Napoleonic Wars, the American War of Independence, and the American Civil War. Through the channel project, they were finally united. You see, bridges and highways and connecting tunnels serve as a clear statement that partnership and collaboration are viewed by both parties as keys to their mutual future success. The channel was supposed to help unite those nations. But so it is with each of us here today as we develop partnerships, friendships, as we develop collaboration and highways in our spiritual relationships with one another. And as we create those relationships with God our Father, we then see the key to real peace and success. We have to be on the highway of holiness. How are we doing? How are you doing in developing peace in your life? Don't forget that peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5 verse 22. If you're filled with the Holy Spirit, you'll have an element of peace in your life amongst the other attributes as well, of course, of the Holy Spirit. Here today, we are to be ambassadors for peace.

We are supposed to be Christ-like now. We represent the Prince of Peace. We represent the Kingdom that He is bringing to this earth. And so we right now must be living peacefully with one another and with all that we come into contact with. It's very important that we're filled with that fruit of the Spirit, that we are already on the highway of holiness.

Let's turn back to Isaiah 11, if you would. Note this familiar millennial passage. I like this one. Isaiah 11 verse 9.

Isaiah 11 verse 9. This, of course, is when Christ, the Prince of Peace, does return, "...thou shalt not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." How well does the water cover the sea off the coast here?

Totally! There's no air down there. The water covers the sea totally. And God's Spirit will do that when Christ returns. Cover the earth. "...and in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people. For the Gentiles shall seek him, and his resting place shall be glorious." So even those who at one time were not following Christ will now seek him. Verse 10. Verse 11. "...shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand, again the second time to recover the remnant of his people who are left." This is talking about a second Exodus. His people will come from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Kush, from Elam and China, from Hamath, and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations and will assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Verse 16. There will be a highway. There will be a highway for the remnant of his people who will be left from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt, the first Exodus. There will be a highway at this time when God's Spirit fills the earth. A highway for God's people, and it's a spiritual highway. And like I said, no doubt there will be physical freeways and transportation systems, but here today we're talking more of the spiritual highway. Robert F. Kennedy liked to say, some men see things the way they are and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask why not?

And so we asked today, why not? Why not have peace?

With God all things are possible. Notice the Journal of Unification Studies comment on this statement by Robert F. Kennedy. Remember, the Journal for Unification Studies were the ones who want to build the bridge between the United States and Russia.

So in their article, the International Peace Highway reflections on its role for world peace. They say, someday in the not too distant future, Russians and Americans will shake hands and laugh in the cold Arctic air, and Japanese and Koreans will share bulgogi, sushi and kimchi at the completion of the Khushu Busan Tunnel. The International Peace Highway will allow all of us to feel part of one family. When such things come to pass, the world may finally learn more about the work of a still misunderstood individual who throughout his life dared to dream and say, why not? Once again, a noble idea and effort, but not lasting without God's power. Here today, we know that in the future, the Russians and Americans really will be shaking hands on an ice pack somewhere. We know the North Koreans and Japanese will be at peace. We know that all of mankind will be at peace. These goals of these human organizations will actually come to pass, not through their power, but through the power of the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 62, one final passage for us to read. As we wrap it up now, Isaiah 62, verses 10-12. Let's finish on this verse, these two verses, these three verses. Isaiah 62, verse 10. This is, once again, an anti-millennial prophecy or thought. Isaiah 62, verse 10. Go through the gates, prepare the way for the people, build up the highway. And I like the way the New King James puts it. Build up, build up the highway. Take out the stones, lift up a banner for the peoples. And verse 11. Indeed, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the world, say to the daughter of Zion, Surely your salvation is coming. Behold, his reward is with him and his work before him. And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord. You shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.

We all know that the true peace highway, the highway of holiness established by God, is what will bring this dream to reality. Build up, build up the spiritual highway, the spiritual peace highway in your life now. Make sure you're a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. Follow the Prince of Peace in your life every day. We have a taste of the kingdom now. Make sure you are following the Prince of Peace. So that when he returns and you're resurrected to spirit life, you'll be part of the solution showing others how to do it. May God speed that day.