The United Nations has a goal and a motto of bringing peace to the entire world and quotes a verse from the Bible to express this goal. A plaque in front of the UN headquarters quotes from the end of Micah 4:3, saying, "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 anymore." (NKJV)
Though there is nothing wrong with desiring this lasting peace among the nations, the United Nations will never be able to meet that goal. No human government or organization of governments is able to establish this kind of worldwide peace. The context of Micah 4:3 makes it very clear that only God can establish a lasting peace between all nations on Earth. That is because there will no longer be any other nation or government, but that of the Lord God, as Micah explains, "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; 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 anymore." (Micah 4:1-3, NKJV)
Only when the nations of the world have been judged and put under subjection to God, where they will learn "His ways" and how to "walk in His paths," will there be real peace. Lasting peace will come through one last war, which the nations will wage against God Himself. God is well-prepared and expecting this last war, as He said through the prophet Joel, "Proclaim this among the nations: 'Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears...'" (Joel 3:9-10, NKJV). There cannot be lasting, worldwide peace without this last war being won by God. Of the outcome of this war, the Apostle John leaves us with no doubt: "Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Revelation 11:15, NKJV)
Individuals can make their peace with God now by acknowledging, believing in, and following "His Christ," the Lord Jesus Himself. Again, Micah put it best concerning the birth and future kingdom of this "One," saying, "But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from old, from everlasting. Therefore He shall give them up, until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; then the remnant of His brethren shall return to the children of Israel. And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace." (Micah 5:2-5a, NKJV)
"Lord Jesus, I thank-you that the first part of this passage has come true, as well as part of the second for me personally. I have found peace in my life through You since I believed! I love You, praise You, and pray that You will come back soon to establish Your kingdom! Amen!"
Friday, May 26, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
The Power of the Redeemer
In the book of Hosea, right in the midst of God pronouncing His judgment on Israel for their continual sin against Him, God says, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes." (Hosea 13:14, NKJV)
We all are guilty of sin against God and we have already been convicted in His court (Romans 3:23). He is the judge, but He is also the witness who has seen our lives perfectly. That is why the sentence has already been passed. Simply put, God's promised punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is more than physically dying, though physical death is an illustration of what God ultimately means. When we die we are separated from all those we love here on Earth. In spiritual death, our spirits are separated from the One who loves us more than any on Earth. After physical death, a person will naturally continue being away from God and spend eternity in Hell as part of the punishment of death.
That's when we come to the good news that God said in Hosea 13:14. Just like Israel, we have sinned and deserve punishment, but He has a plan to save us! He said, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave." That plan has already been put into motion through Jesus Christ! The Bible says, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6, NKJV). The Bible also explains, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. " (Romans 5:6-9, NKJV) Jesus had the power to save us from paying the price of death! That's why He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NKJV)
Those who believe in Jesus Christ, as the one who paid their ransom and lives to give them life, will experience the rest of the promise of Hosea 13:14, as it is referred to by the Apostle Paul: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Corinthians 15:53-57, NKJV)
Lord God, I thank-you for sending someone who could and did die in my place. No-one could have done that but You. I couldn't save myself from the penalty that I earned, but you offered Your own self in my place. No wonder they call it "Amazing Grace!" Amen.
We all are guilty of sin against God and we have already been convicted in His court (Romans 3:23). He is the judge, but He is also the witness who has seen our lives perfectly. That is why the sentence has already been passed. Simply put, God's promised punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is more than physically dying, though physical death is an illustration of what God ultimately means. When we die we are separated from all those we love here on Earth. In spiritual death, our spirits are separated from the One who loves us more than any on Earth. After physical death, a person will naturally continue being away from God and spend eternity in Hell as part of the punishment of death.
That's when we come to the good news that God said in Hosea 13:14. Just like Israel, we have sinned and deserve punishment, but He has a plan to save us! He said, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave." That plan has already been put into motion through Jesus Christ! The Bible says, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all..." (1 Timothy 2:5-6, NKJV). The Bible also explains, "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. " (Romans 5:6-9, NKJV) Jesus had the power to save us from paying the price of death! That's why He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26, NKJV)
Those who believe in Jesus Christ, as the one who paid their ransom and lives to give them life, will experience the rest of the promise of Hosea 13:14, as it is referred to by the Apostle Paul: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. " (1 Corinthians 15:53-57, NKJV)
Lord God, I thank-you for sending someone who could and did die in my place. No-one could have done that but You. I couldn't save myself from the penalty that I earned, but you offered Your own self in my place. No wonder they call it "Amazing Grace!" Amen.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Importance of Hearing God's Word
Through ancient Israel, God provided an example of the problem in our culture today. The majority of our population has become unwilling and even hostile to hearing what the Word of God says. The Bible has already explained the cost.
"Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:1-2, 6a, NKJV)
"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law." (Proverbs 29:18, NKJV)
I thank God that though I doubted once, I finally listened to and believed what God has revealed in His Word. This is the outcome that is hoped for by all those who love to tell about the Good News of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul said, "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13, NKJV)
The Word of God is powerful and able to change lives like mine, but only if you believe it!
Lord Jesus, thank-you for showing me the truth of Your Word and for showing me Yourself through Your Word. My life will never be the same! Amen.
"Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, For the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "There is no truth or mercy Or knowledge of God in the land. 2 By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed... My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:1-2, 6a, NKJV)
"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law." (Proverbs 29:18, NKJV)
I thank God that though I doubted once, I finally listened to and believed what God has revealed in His Word. This is the outcome that is hoped for by all those who love to tell about the Good News of Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul said, "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." (1 Thessalonians 2:13, NKJV)
The Word of God is powerful and able to change lives like mine, but only if you believe it!
Lord Jesus, thank-you for showing me the truth of Your Word and for showing me Yourself through Your Word. My life will never be the same! Amen.
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