World Peace by Jesus
“Only the dead have seen the end of war," said Plato more than 2000 years ago. The truth is that in these last two millennia war has come more frequently, and has been more ferocious and destructive than ever before.
The Lord Jesus told His disciples, "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars," and so it has been, and still is even to this day. One of the great wars of this present century was spoken of as the war to end all wars. Philosophical men have said that war is unthinkable, and have looked to science and reason to gain the victory and remove war from the face of the earth. Because science and reason cannot guarantee good conduct, men must now say that war is not unthinkable, but unacceptable.
What has happened since the "mother of all wars" ceased a year ago? One notable certainty is that the armaments of most nations that surround Israel have increased noticeably. Science has multiplied the power and destructive force of weapons to a formidable height, yet it does not stop war, but rather makes it that much more horrible.
In Job it says this about reason: "By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty." Job 35:99By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. (Job 35:9).
To whom must we look to bring peace to this poor war-weary world? The prophet Micah fully answers this question. Read chapter 5: the birthplace of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem is predicted in the second verse. He is God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:1616And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)). He is "to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been of old, from everlasting." Mic. 5:22But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2). In verse 5 it says, "This man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land.”
By following the teaching of this chapter, we learn when this shall be. Because Israel rejected and crucified Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem, we learn that God has given them up until a certain time.
“Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of His brethren shall return unto the children of Israel." v. 3.
The time of Israel's travail is the time of Jacob's trouble, which is the tribulation. (See Matt. 24; Jet 30:4-9.) At the close of this time, the Lord comes to His earthly people and delivers them. The Assyrian is the last enemy to come up against God's people and it is then that it is fulfilled, "This man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land.”