The Last War and the Lasting Peace

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!"