The Gift of Peace
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Key Verse: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Selected Scripture: |
THE APOSTLE PAUL describes the present time while sin is prevailing, as “this present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4) God’s Word assures us, however, that the time is near when the ‘rod’ out of Jesse (our Lord Jesus) “shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Isa. 11:4) It is clear that when his kingdom is first established there will not be only the poor needing assistance and succor, but there will also be those who were wicked followers of Satan. God’s remedy is to restore mankind to human perfection and harmony with his Maker. When the prophet Zephaniah comments on this point, he said, God will “turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9) The people will then be able to speak God’s language of righteousness, because the Christ will then rule perfect mankind with justice and integrity. Perfect communications will be established.
Isaiah says in that day the animal kingdom will also undergo a great change. There is no intimation that the animals over which Adam had control were wild, vicious, or at enmity with man. The prophet informs us that when the present wild animal kingdom is transformed, “The wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze; their young will lie down together; and the lion will eat straw like the ox. And the nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.”—Isa. 11:6-8 (New American Standard Version)
Nothing shall be permitted to do violence or work injury throughout all God’s holy kingdom after it shall have been established. Love will be the law and Divine power will be the means which will enforce that law. How evident it is that this kingdom has not yet come, when we see that amongst mankind selfishness is the rule and there are many influences of evil which hurt and destroy throughout the world today. We continue to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10) We believe that this petition so long offered by the Lord’s people is soon to be answered.
The Lord thus assures us that in due time the true light shall lighten “every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9) The Apostle Paul also declares God “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (I Tim. 2:4) It is in God’s kingdom that all the world of mankind, many who never heard of the name of Jesus, will be given the necessary knowledge of how Jesus became their ransom. When Peter healed the lame man at the Temple, shortly after the Day of Pentecost, he said of Jesus, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) Thus, salvation shall come because “the Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.”—Ps. 29:11