A World without Fear

IN PART 1 OF OUR CONSIDERATION of this subject in last month’s issue of The Dawn, we identified many of the fears that plague our world today. We also pointed out the many Scriptures which speak prophetically of these “last days,” showing that the unprecedented trouble upon the earth is for the purpose of bringing to end this present world order under the rulership of Satan.

These are not the “last days” of the earth, nor of human existence on the earth, but the final days of the present reign of sin and death. All of the current institutions of unrighteousness must be removed to make way for the new day of God’s promised kingdom. (Matt. 6:10) We will now continue our examination of this subject, in particular the many promises of God’s Word to end forever the fear in the hearts of mankind.

LAST DAYS TO RESULT IN BLESSINGS

We are even now living in the time of these prophetic “last days,” and have already witnessed the destruction of some of the past evils which have afflicted most of the nations. For example, the hereditary ruling monarchies of Europe, which oppressed the people in the name of God for centuries, have already come to an end. As the divine purposes progress in these last days, we will eventually witness also the end of totalitarian dictatorship, whether communist, fascist, or otherwise. We will also see the end of war, and the last of that blighting fear which now fills the hearts of the people.

Indeed, the last days foretold in the prophecies are a glorious time in which to be living, and soon it shall come to pass, even as the prophet has declared, that the “mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.” (Mic. 4:1) The mountain of the Lord represents the kingdom of the Lord. Daniel, in the second chapter of his prophecy, when interpreting a dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, symbolically depicts human rulership over the earth by an imposing, humanlike image. The end of this rulership is pictured by the destruction of the image. The instrument of destruction is shown to be a stone, which ultimately grows until it becomes a great mountain that fills the whole earth. In his interpretation of this wonderful prophecy, Daniel states that this mountain, “which shall never be destroyed” and “shall stand for ever,” represents the kingdom of God.—Dan. 2:31-45

The “house of the Lord” described in Micah’s prophecy above is God’s ruling house, made up of those whom the Scriptures identify as his own family of sons. Jesus is chief among these, and together with him will be those who have accepted the invitation to suffer and die with him. To these the promise is given that they shall live and reign with him. The Apostle Paul reassures the followers of the Master on this point, saying, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”—Rom. 8:16,17

Miracle-working divine power guarantees the success of this new government. Satan thought he had killed Jesus, the Prince of Peace and King of Kings, but divine power raised him from the dead. Those who have suffered and died with him are also raised from the dead in what the Scriptures designate the “first resurrection,” that they might live and reign with Christ.—Rev. 20:6

In another prophecy descriptive of the victorious rulership of Christ’s kingdom, Isaiah tells us that “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isa. 9:7) When we consider that the power of God has already raised the King of Kings from the dead and that divine power is likewise used to restore his associate rulers to life, can we doubt the ability of the Lord to fulfill all his good promises? Surely not!

IN THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS

Let us take further note, therefore, of what has been promised. Referring again to Micah’s prophecy, he declares that this ruling house of God shall be established in the “top of the mountains,” or kingdoms. That is to say, it will occupy a controlling position in the affairs of all nations, for, as Isaiah states, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”—Isa. 9:7

“And people shall flow unto it,” continues Micah. Human experience thus far has been that when imperialistic governments sought to extend their spheres of influence over other nations, many fled for refuge into other countries. However, it will not be so in the case of Christ’s kingdom. As the people learn of its universal power they will, as the prophet declares, flow unto it.

Giving us further details along this same line, the prophecy continues: “And many nations [Hebrew: people] shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, … and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” (Mic. 4:2) By the time this portion of the prophecy is fulfilled, the people will have learned the futility and folly of their own ways. Failure having attended their every effort to save their world from chaos and ruin, they will then be ready to look to him who alone can provide the solution, even Christ, the one who by that time will be recognized as the rightful king of earth.

When mankind is willing to learn the Lord’s ways and apply them, what will be the result? It will be a most happy result, for the prophecy declares that they will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks,” and “neither shall they learn war any more.” (vs. 3) Human wisdom has always contended that the only way to keep the peace is to be prepared for war, but this order will be reversed by earth’s new king, for as the people come under the hallowed influence of his kingdom laws, the resources of the earth, which formerly were diverted to provide the implements of war, will be used to supply the people with the necessities of life.

Nations shall learn war no more! Think of the far-reaching changes in human outlook and experience these few words imply. They do away with all the various acts of violence, atrocities, and destruction which are committed in war. They assure the mothers of all nations that they will not be raising their children to lose their life in war. They do away with militarism in all its ugly forms. They take away fear and hatred from the hearts of the people, and when the nations no longer learn war, they will not engage in war. Thank God for a program of education which omits from its curriculum the strategies of war, conflict, strife, and hatred!

UNDER VINE AND FIG TREE

Because the people will then learn and practice the ways of peace and righteousness, they will have economic security. This assurance is given us in that beautiful picture given by Micah of every man sitting “under his vine and under his fig tree.” This is just another way of saying that under the administration of Christ’s kingdom the resources of the earth will be available to all and that the rights of all to share equally in those resources will be guaranteed by the laws of the divine kingdom. Because this will be true, the prophet adds, “and none shall make them afraid.” Thank God for this assurance of freedom from fear!—Mic. 4:4

Fear of aggression in its many forms haunts the minds of all people today, and it is not limited to the possible or threatened aggression of nations going to war. Economic aggression, with its resulting price gouging and other inequities, also inflicts equally severe suffering upon the masses. Fear, engendered by societal aggression and man’s inhumanity to man along many lines, continues to destroy the heritage of peace and joy which is the right of every human being, whose original parents were created in the image of God. Under the laws of Christ’s kingdom that right will be restored, for then none shall make afraid.

DEATH DESTROYED

As beautiful and reassuring as the prophecy of Micah is, by itself it does not present the full plan of God pertaining to human destiny under the rulership of Christ. A world without war and the fear of war would be a vastly better world than the one which is now coming to an end. If we added to this the certainty of social and economic security for all, we would have a world of the sort that philosophers have dreamed about but could never establish. However, there would still be other fears.

There would still be the fear of death, and because of the distorted teachings that have been handed down for centuries, there would be fear of what lies beyond death. There would still be the need for hospitals and doctors and morticians. Thank God, however, for the other promises of his Word which assure us that even sickness and death, with all their attendant evils, are to be destroyed by the reign of Christ.

Here we note the words of Isaiah 25:6-9. In this prophecy, even as in the prophecy of Micah, the kingdom of the Lord is symbolized by a mountain. We are told that “in this mountain,” death will be swallowed up in victory, and that “the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces. … And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

This hope of salvation for a dying race is referred to by the Apostle Peter in the New Testament. In Peter’s prophecy he tells us of the purpose of Christ’s return and Second Advent, that it will bring about what he describes as “times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:20,21) We are indeed glad for the information that the second coming of Christ is not to result in the destruction of the earth, but rather, the restitution or restoration, of all things.

This will mean not only restoration to health for the living, and also the resurrection of the dead for all those billions of mankind who have gone into the grave. Jesus said, “The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth.” To this Paul adds, “There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust,” and “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15; I Cor. 15:21,22) That is, not only will all mankind be raised from the dead, afterwards all who will then obey from the heart the righteous laws of Christ’s kingdom will “be made alive” in the full sense of restoration to perfect human life here upon the earth. Thus will be fulfilled the words of the oft-quoted prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—Matt. 6:10

Today we are already witnessing the tearing down of this present evil order of things preparatory to Christ’s rulership of justice and love, but this is only the destruction of the selfish institutions of men. The human race, the living and the dead, if obedient to God’s laws in his kingdom, are to be restored to that which was lost because of Adamic sin. Man did not lose a home in heaven, but on the earth. The earth was made for man, and when man was created he was given dominion over the earth. (Gen. 1:26-28) Mankind’s dominion, and his life also, were lost as a result of Adam’s disobedience. This lost paradise is to be restored, and it is this work of restoration which is described by the Apostle Peter as “times of restitution of all things.” He declares that this grand purpose of God has been foretold by his holy prophets since the world began.

Among these prophetic utterances descriptive of the restoration of mankind under the administration of Christ’s kingdom is that which has already been quoted from the Prophet Isaiah—that blessed promise that death will be swallowed up in victory, and that God will wipe away tears from off all faces. Think of the change in human experience that will be! God will wipe away the tears of the people by removing the cause of their sorrow. Consider the many causes of sorrow there are in the world today and what it will mean to all mankind when these are removed!

THE DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS

The Prophet Haggai, in describing the times of restitution, declared that the “desire of all nations shall come.” (Hag. 2:7) Nearly every nation desires peace; they desire security against aggression; they desire prosperity for their people. The Prophet David declares of earth’s new king, Christ Jesus, that “he shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.”—Ps. 72:4

In another restoration promise, the Prophet Isaiah declares that then—that is, during the reign of Christ and his church—“shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.” He also says that the “eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped.” (Isa. 35:5,6, English Standard Version) All of these physical maladies will no longer exist. In addition, however, these words have reference to those who, symbolically speaking, are blind and deaf to the things of God. Of these there are millions, for the Apostle Paul tells us that “the god of this world,” who is Satan the Devil, has blinded the minds of all who believe not, and thus has prevented them from knowing and loving and praising the true God of love.—II Cor. 4:4; Gal. 1:4

The Prophet Habakkuk, describing the blessings of restitution from still another angle, says of that thousand year period of Christ’s reign that “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab. 2:14) No longer will the people worship a diversity of gods and embrace conflicting religious beliefs. On this point another prophecy declares that God will “turn to the people a pure language [or message],” and that they will “call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9) Then the people will be free to worship and serve the true God of love with their whole heart and with proper understanding.

In the Book of Revelation we have another wonderful promise of the blessings that will come to the people during the reign of Christ. It declares that then “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”—Rev. 21:4

It is difficult to imagine a world in which there is no death, but God has promised that it shall be so, and we believe it and take courage. If such a promise were made by one less powerful than God we might be justified in doubting. However, the Creator is able to fulfill such promises, for he is the fountain and source of all life. “In him we live, and move, and have our being,” declared the Apostle Paul.—Acts 17:28

God knows what makes us live and what gives us strength to move. He is our Creator. Hence, he is abundantly able to give life everlasting to all who will obey the laws of Christ’s kingdom. It is just this that he has promised to do. It is for this purpose that Christ returns and establishes his kingdom. The Scriptures state, however, that any who under the favorable conditions of that time refuse to believe and obey will, as Peter puts it, “be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) Everlasting life will be given only to those who qualify through belief and obedience.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE

This is the glorious hope which now can be held out to the people of a distressed and fear-filled world. It is a glorious hope, and in proclaiming it we are following the suggestion of the prophet when he wrote, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.”—Isa. 35:4

One of the descriptive names given to our day in prophecy is the day of vengeance. (Isa. 61:1,2; 63:4) It is a time when God’s righteous anger is being manifested in the overthrow of age-old systems and institutions of sin and oppression. While fear and distress are experienced by the people as a result of the uprooting of this present evil world, the ultimate purpose of God is to save the people from sin and death through the establishment of Christ’s kingdom. Hence we can say to the world today, to this fear-filled world, “Fear not!” Divine intervention in the affairs of men will soon bring peace and health and life—indeed, the opportunity for everlasting salvation—to all the families of the earth.

Think of living in a world with all fear removed—no fear of enemies, of war, of catastrophe, of crippling sickness, of financial ruin, of poverty, starvation, and greatest of all, no fear of death. God’s Word assures us that this is what he has ultimately purposed for mankind. Truly, freedom from fear is guaranteed by the sure promises of God!