Peace To You

Since about 1950 in the little park across from the United Nations building in New York stands  the Isaiah wall. The wall displays an etching in granite of Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and 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 any more. Because of this great statement in behalf of peace, the wall has become a consistent gathering place for protests at, and of, the United Nations.

The people of the world want men and nations to take these words to heart and to bring peace to the world. They want terrorists to lay down their arms and live at peace with their neighbors of whatever religion, they want armies to cease crossing the borders of other nations to invade, they want nuclear weapons to be disbanded by all nations so that a threat of total war for the world will be eliminated, and they want so many other things that speak of peace.

These are wonderful thoughts, great desires, delightful dreams for a world of peace in this time when there is no peace. However, these actions may be things that cannot happen on earth without a causal intervention by God. The context of Isaiah’s statement includes the verse before (2:3) which states: And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Plowshares will one day be made of weapons of war, when the peoples and nations of the world seek the one, true, and living God, and learn His ways and walk in them. When they do God will judge among the nations and peace will fill the earth. When that will happen we don’t know, but we do know that the nations of the world are not walking in His ways now, and don’t want His judgment among them. Naturally, they would have to change their ways. Peace comes from seeking the righteousness of God. If you are a true protester for peace in the world seek God and His righteousness. When the world does that, whenever it happens, there will be more plowshares made from swords and other weapons than you can imagine.

Don't forget this part of the Christmas message: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

A Verse Out Of My Devotional Reading Today

He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul;
but he that despiseth his ways shall die.

Proverbs 19:16