| Highlights of Dawn | February 1958 |
All Human Plans Are Failing
“Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.” —Isaiah 33:7
THE almost numberless vexing problems which confront the world, many of which threaten to erupt into global war, are no nearer to being solved now than they were a year ago; and new ones have been added. However, the hope that springs eternal in the human breast is causing many to wish, even if they do not actually believe, that progress toward a secure and lasting peace will be made in 1958.
Those who have confidence in the inspired prophecies of the Bible cannot share this viewpoint, for the pattern of world events foretold in the Word of God is seen to become more and more chaotic. The prophecies reveal that all human plans and efforts to establish peace will continue to fail; that peace will come to the world only when it is God’s due time to say to the nations, “Be still, and know that I am God.”—Ps. 46:10
But the world has not yet learned this lesson. Even the professed Christian world believes that peace and good will foretold in the Bible must be brought about by human efforts. This fact was pointed up by President Eisenhower in his Christmas message. Referring to the angelic message of “peace on earth” and “good will toward men,” he said that these will continue to be but empty words unless “we” get busy and do something about it.
For nearly two thousand years men and women have been trying to fulfill the angels’ peace message to the shepherds, but have failed. Just why the President thinks the people will now be able to do any better, we do not know. However, this viewpoint has prevailed for so long that it is the natural one to accept. So, all the worldly-minded “ambassadors of peace” in essence unanimously proclaim, “Let us really go to work for peace, and everything will be all right.”
The cry of “peace and safety” has been particularly dominant in world affairs from shortly before the outbreak of the first World War. The claim was that so much progress had been made in science, education, and culture, that the nations would be able to find a solution for their differences without going to war. But this viewpoint did not prove to be true. The “ambassadors of peace” were presented with tragic disappointment when the first World War in human experience brought devastation upon the nations involved.
For more than four years that “war to end wars” continued. At its close the League of Nations was formed to keep the peace. By many of the clergy this “peace” organization was hailed as the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth. But again the “ambassadors of peace” had cause to “weep,” for the League of Nations failed to prevent war, and the world found itself in the throes of a life and death struggle much more horrible than the one which was supposed to end all war.
After years of killing and destruction, the second World War was officially brought to a close. The “enemies” were beaten, humiliated, and just about completely destroyed. Now, it was believed, we will surely have peace. And certainly the “ambassadors of peace” have continued to work hard for peace.
Professedly, every strategic move that has been made by the great powers on both sides of the Iron Curtain has been to safeguard the world’s peace. Doubtless the nations do want peace. Certainly the heads of governments in every part of the earth know what the result of another global war would be. So, while both sides feverishly equip themselves with weapons of war that conceivably could destroy the human race itself, it is all being done to the accompaniment of “peace and safety.”
The danger of this paradoxical situation is that the “enemy” does not believe the “ambassadors of peace.” And deep down in their hearts the “ambassadors themselves are not too sure about it. It is realized on both sides of the growing line up that almost any time a false move by one or the other could send ballistic missiles screaming across oceans and continents, each with its hydrogen warhead with which to destroy a city and kill countless thousands of innocent victims.
And today, in almost every part of the globe, and in nearly all areas of human endeavor, there are strained situations which could easily lead to war. Actually, of course, the world is already at war. It is called a “cold war,” meaning, simply, that for the time being no bombs are being dropped. Recently, Russia declared “economic war” on the capitalistic nations. This did not materially change anything, for actually economic warfare has been going on between nations ever since there have been nations.
What makes the “economic warfare” declared by Russia different is her readiness to extend economic aid to people of hitherto backward countries and nations, and thus help them realize their desires for a higher standard of living, and for more favorable recognition in the world of nations. The United States has been doing just this for years, but apparently not extensively enough, and communist propaganda claims with too many “strings” attached.
Russia’s increased belligerency on the economic battlefield has increased apprehension in the western world. It would be difficult to justify the dropping of hydrogen bombs on Russia simply because she is extending economic aid to small countries in Africa and the Middle East which the western world earnestly desires to keep on its side. But what can be done about it? How much more aid can Uncle Sam extend in order to keep his “friends” happy? In this aspect of world tensions alone there is sufficient to make the “ambassadors of peace” weep.
By now, of course, Russia’s sputnik is an “old story.” But what a story it was! The “beep beep” of the sputnik told a story to the western world that countless millions of words could not have told, regardless of how eloquently and glibly they may have flown from the tongues of Russian propagandists. It is now known that science-wise communist world is out in front, and much nearer being ready and able to wage a push button war than the western world. Here again, is another cause of unhappiness on the part of the “ambassadors of peace.”
We might continue to mention situations which are contributing to the growing apprehensions of the world. The Korean dilemma continues to worsen. The Arab nations continue to hate Israel. Germany remains divided. Whether we look in the Near East, the Middle East, in Europe, Africa, or South America there are almost continuous “crisis” conditions.
Many paradoxical situations have developed since the close of the last “shooting war.” Germany was beaten and virtually destroyed in that war, and now she is being rearmed by her conquerors. Recently there has been a “turn over” in the Israeli Government over the issue of buying arms from Germany. This is understandable in view of the treatment imposed upon the Jews by Germany, but who could have foreseen that anyone in Israel would ever have wanted to buy arms from Germany? But, for that matter, who could have foreseen that there would be an Israeli government in Palestine?
Other Ambassadors
We predict that the “ambassadors of peace” referred to in our text will continue to “weep.” The word “weep,” as thus used, simply denotes chagrin and disappointment due to the failure of human efforts to establish peace. But this does not mean that peace will never be established in the earth. It means merely that it will not and cannot be done by human efforts. Selfish and fallen man will continue to stand in his own way.
But God has a peace plan which will work, and his people are the appointed “ambassadors” to announce the divine plan to the world. Concerning these we read, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”—Isa. 52:7
The “good tidings” referred to in this prophecy describe the message announced by the angel on the night that Jesus was born. “Fear not,” the angel said to the shepherds, “for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10) Then the angel explained, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”—vs. 11
For thousands of years Jehovah had been promising to send the Messiah, “Christ the Lord.” His faithful servants throughout the ages had clung to these promises, and had espoused the cause which they represented. Many of them sacrificed life itself in their devotion to the messianic hope. It was a long wait for the coming of the Messiah; but finally he came, and to the shepherds the angel announced, “Unto you he is born.” God’s promises began to be fulfilled. Surely this was “good tidings!”
The prophecies had foretold, and the angel affirmed, that the Messiah would also be a Savior, One who would save his people from their sins; and also, of course, from the consequences of their sins. He was to do this not only for his people Israel, but also for all mankind. This is why the angel said that the “good tidings of great joy” were for “all people.”
Sin brought death to the human race, and to be saved from sin would therefore mean to be saved from death. This, in God’s due time, is to be literally true. That is to say, sickness, pain, and death will not forever plague the human race. These “enemies” of man are to be destroyed. Death is to be “swallowed up in victory,” and tears are to be wiped away.—Isa. 25:8; I Cor. 15:25,26; Rev. 21:4
This glorious work of the Savior was made possible through his death as man’s Redeemer, and it will he accomplished through the agencies of his kingdom—that “government” which, according to the Scriptures, is to rule over mankind for a thousand years. Concerning this we read in Isaiah 9:6,7, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”
No wonder the angels sang, “On earth peace, good will toward men”! But millions who have echoed this peace song of the angels have not known, or believed, that this foretold peace was to be established by divine power, and through the agencies of Messiah’s kingdom. How reassuringly Isaiah stated this essential truth of the Scriptures when he wrote, “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”—Isa. 9:7
What would we think of a professed believer of the Bible who, when reading its promises that blind eyes would be opened, deaf ears unstopped, the sick healed, and the dead restored to life, would say to his hearers, “All these promises are but empty words unless we start doing something about them”? Surely, no one expects the world to be saved from sin and death through human efforts. Why, then, should we expect that peace will not come to the earth except as it is imposed by military air bases and stock piles of hydrogen bombs and long range ballistic missiles?
Thank God for the privilege of declaring a better message than this to a distraught and fear-filled world! Yes, we can be “ambassadors of peace,” who, instead of weeping, will rejoice as we proclaim “good tidings of good” to the people; and as, by every means possible, we publish the glorious fact that peace will be established by the Lord, even as he has promised.
It is also our privilege to proclaim, or to publish, the hope of salvation; to tell the people, that is, that the end of the reign of sin and death is near; that the time has come for divine intervention in the affairs of men. We can declare with assurance that the very situations in the world which are filling the hearts of the people with fear simply mean that human rulership is proving its inadequacy in anticipation of the full manifestation of Messiah’s kingdom. Yes, God has the situation well in hand, so we can say unto Zion, “Thy God reigneth!
Isaiah refers to the Lord’s ambassadors of peace as “watchmen.” These “watchmen,” he says, would “together” lift up the “voice.” This means that they would unitedly: declare the “good tidings of good,” and together would be publishers of peace. Isaiah prophesied that these watchmen would see “eye to eye,” meaning that through the prophecies and through signs of the times they should recognize the presence of Christ and the approaching establishment of his kingdom.—Isa. 52:8
What a wonderful privilege it is to be one of these publishers of peace and salvation! Isaiah speaks of them as being “beautiful”—“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him.” This is a reference to the “feet members” of the body of the Messiah, the last members of the true church on earth. They prove their worthiness of living and reigning with Christ by their faithfulness in publishing the “good tidings” of peace and salvation.
And they are “beautiful,” just as Isaiah foretold. This does not refer to their physical appearance but to the beauty of holiness with which they are adorned. They wear the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and their lives reflect the beauty and the glory of the message which they proclaim. Their confidence is in the God of their salvation. They know that while all human plans are failing, he has a plan, and they are happy to devote all that they have and are to help make known the truths concerning this plan to all who will hear.