“And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.” (Mic 4:3-4 AV)
Kind of appropriate considering all that is going on in the world, isn’t it? These verses are a promise to Israel and Judah in light of the pending invasion of Assyria and Babylon. Because of their apostate condition, God had no choice but to allow the enemies of Israel into their borders to break up and carry away the nation. God has a way of balancing judgment with mercy. The hope of Israel, when the invaders arrive, is the circumstances of their disobedience will not last forever. We know several things. First, we know God made a covenant with Abraham because he chose to believe in God. This promise was passed down through the descendants of Isaac. This covenant, among other things, promised a nation, land, and many offspring. This covenant was and still is, unconditional. At times it was suspended. But it is still in force. We also know God made an unconditional promise to David. It would be by David the eventual Messiah would come. This Messiah, Jesus Christ, would sit in governance over the entire world and bring in a time of peace, righteousness, and prosperity. These promises were rehearsed time and again in the ears of the Hebrew people. So, when Micah raises the subject again, it is a reminder to Israel that even though the covenant will be suspended while they spend time in Babylon, God has not forgotten them.
When we look at the turmoil in the Middle East, we must look at it through the reference of the unconditional covenants. The promise above is absolutely mute if the wars in the Middle East rage on. Israel has made available some footage of the horrible things inflicted upon its citizens. No doubt, all who would watch it would have a dramatic reaction. I read of a pool of reporters assembled for a press conference. I think it was 200 European reports of all stripes. The IDF showed films of these horrible things and someone said, “Please make it stop.” Although we are comparing apples and oranges here, war is horrible no matter which side one fights for. The causes might be different, but the tragedy remains the same. Warfare is violent and ugly. No one really wants the tragedy associated with it. No matter how driven one might be, when a loved one dies or a buddy loses his or her life, there is sorrow, bitterness, and anguish. Peace is the only answer.
The problem is, that peace is impossible without a central authority figure to whom all submit. Peace is impossible as long as that authority figure is unrighteous. The only hope of Israel and the rest of the world is the Son of God. The promise above is a wonderful one. There will come a day, perhaps in the near future, when all warfare ceases. The Messiah will reign for 1,000 years and there will be perfect peace. There will be no need for weapons of war. Those living during those years with flesh and bone will be busy meeting the needs of their family and serving the LORD in whatever business He desires of them. The promise above is absolute. It is coming. Knowing this, we can pray for the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ which is the only hope for the peace of Israel. Until they are willing to accept Jesus, these wars will continue. It is their only hope.
No comments:
Post a Comment