Man has failed to find the way to peace. History has proved this in the chronicles of the wars of man. Except for God's intervention, peace is further away from man today than it was almost 6,000 years ago when man was put on the earth. Will man ever find peace? Is man always doomed to live under the threat of war? Is he doomed to live in times of increasing violence? Man has sought peace in every conceivable way possible except the right way — the only way. He has tried every form of government, every kind of political ideology, every imaginable philosophy. He has tried all kinds of laws, pacts, leagues and the uniting of nations which have all failed to bring lasting peace. All kinds of education, every aspect of science or new knowledge, has not shown him the way to this much needed peace. Even the religions of the world have not brought peace, but rather have caused more wars as previous chapters proved. All of the factors just mentioned have not brought peace, they have all increased the number and severity of wars. This world is getting to be a very unsafe place in which to live. In most cities of the United States it is now hazardous for a person, either man or woman, to walk the streets alone at night. In the few short years since World War II, crime in the United States has doubled, and there is no end of crime in sight! Man is running headlong away from peace as fast as he can. While still hoping that peace will miraculously come, he goes his own way in defiance of God and His laws. The only way for mankind to find peace is for the nations to turn to God with all their hearts and obey him. Man is unwilling to do this, therefore the only way that peace can come is for God to intervene directly in the affairs of man. Man's disregard for God and His laws will lead to a prophesied time of trouble such as has never been on this earth before. During this time the population of this earth may be reduced by nine tenths. A terrible blood bath is coming! Thank God there is a way of protection for His own people!
God Will Prevent Mankind's Destruction
Except for God's intervention, man would completely destroy himself (Matt. 24:22). What will happen concerning warfare and fighting when God does put a stop to man's self-destruction? Will the meek and peaceful Christ find the earth in peace at His return? No! Will He permit the nations to spit upon Him and crucify Him again? NO!
This Is How Christ Will Bring Peace
When He returns to this earth, how can He bring the world peace? If He sent prophets or ministers, would the people heed them, repent and become peaceable? No! That is just what Christ has been doing for almost 6,000 years and the world has not heeded. Instead, the world persecuted them and killed many of them. Could Christ bring peace by supernatural signs, disasters, floods, or earthquakes? He has already used these same signs to warn and instruct man, and man has not repented (Rev. 9:20-21).
Christ will do the only thing that will bring peace. There is no other way.
That way is to crush the nations, and then rule them with a "rod of iron." Fighting is wrong for us today and yet Christ will have to fight with the nations, to force them to repent of their ways. He will purge out the rebellious, in order to bring peace. Is it "morally" wrong for Christ to fight and kill these unrighteous people? Christ has created all things, including life. Therefore He has the inherent right to take life away from rebellious people. Christ will return as the conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will then wreak vengeance on the wicked, and against any who will not obey Him and His holy law. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ (Rev. 11:15), the earth will still be engaged in the terrible bloodbath of war. The nations have been angry with each other and with God. His divine intervention in nature will by this time have brought terrible havoc and fear on the disobedient! Yet most will still not repent and change. The nations have been angry. At that time Christ will be angry with the nations (Rev. 11:18) — for their sins and their crimes against each other and against the saints. He will destroy those wicked men who are at that time seeking to destroy the earth, thus the designs of Satan against God's creation will come to naught. All nations of the world will have armies assembled at the place known as Armageddon (Rev. 16:16). With them will be the ruler of the Beast Power and the religious leader, the false prophet. All of these armies will make war against Christ (Rev. 17:14). God is not fighting against the nations of the world today, but He will then, in the day of the Lord. "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle" (Zech. 14:3). God will not wage war unrighteously but He will make war in righteousness, bringing retribution and vengeance on those that fully deserve such severe punishment. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war" (Rev. 19:11). God is waiting now. The sins of man have not yet come to "the full." At that time the Kingdom of God will be here on this earth. Then Jesus' Kingdom will be a Kingdom of this world. Then He and His servants will supernaturally intervene to put an end to war' (John 18:36). At that time, true Christians will be changed from mortal to immortal beings. They will no longer be flesh and blood. They will be God's very sons. They will be like Him for they shall see him as He is (I John 3:2). Though Christians do not participate in wars between nations now, they will participate with Christ in stamping out war at that time. "Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high places of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord" (Ps. 149:5-9). When He wages war against all of these nations, He will not use bows and arrows and He will not use atomic and hydrogen weapons. He will use His supernatural power in ways that will make the puny weapons of men appear ridiculous! In His fury He will then go to various nations and tread down the wicked into a "winepress." Those who will not submit to His rule will be no more (Isa. 63; Rev. 14:20). His indignation will be against the nations (Isa. 34) and He will utterly destroy their armies. "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion" (Isa. 34:8). As a result of this DIVINE WAR all rebellion and disobedience will be put down. But, rebellion will soon rise again. Ezekiel prophesies (Chapters 38 and 39) that the North and east Asian nations will come against Christ at Jerusalem. Christ will again supernaturally fight against them and destroy them utterly. "I will summon every kind of terror against Gog says the Lord God, every man's sword will be against his brother. With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain upon him and his hordes and the many peoples that are with him, torrential rains and hailstones, fire and brimstone, So I will show my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord" (Ezek. 38:21-23, R.S.V.). This is the way that peace will then come to this war-torn world. "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 pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Micah 4:3). No longer will it be necessary for the world to spend $330 million a day — $14 million an hour — on arms and armies. It will no longer cost mankind $120 billion dollars annually to try and bring peace that NEVER COMES! All of this tremendous expenditure will then go for peaceful production. Then, all mankind can enjoy the fruit of their labors. They will begin to learn God's way of life. This will lead to peace, happiness, and joy. All people will know God's ways and will follow them. "Of the increase of his (Christ's) government and PEACE there shall be no end, and upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Isa. 9:7).