“For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; 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 anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:3a-5)
A portion of this passage from Isaiah is engraved beneath a sculpture in the United Nations plaza which depicts a man beating his sword into a plow. This was meant to symbolize the hope for peace for which the UN was formed. The hope was that the UN would put an end to war, but in the decades wars continue to be waged by nations and people groups. This is because the UN and the rest of the world it would seem, has forgotten that the Lord God Almighty is the one who will bring about peace among all men, not any human organization, no matter how noble or altruistic. The Lord works through human government to enforce law and establish order, but, as we see daily, government cannot do this effectively nor can government provide eternal peace.
Today, our hope for peace and an end to human suffering is the Lord Jesus Christ. That hope we lift up as we began this season of Advent as we light our first candle: Hope. The words of Isaiah encouraged such hope in the people of God because his prophecy looked forward to the day when that hope would be fulfilled with the coming of the Messiah. We rejoice in that hope at Advent because it is a hope fulfilled in Christ.
In addition, we faithful believers look forward with joyful expectation to the Day of the Lord for, as Isaiah tells us, that Day brings blessings and peace to all the peoples of the earth for all will acknowledge the Lord Jesus as King. Yet as we look forward with anticipation and joy to the Lord’s return and His universal peace, we must be soberly aware that it will be a day of suffering and terror for those who reject Jesus as their sin offering, their salvation. For those who do not believe in Jesus as their sacrifice for sin, the Day of the Lord will not be a welcome event. They are trusting in gods who cannot help or save them. When the Lord reveals Himself in all His majesty, they will fear for their lives and run. We who are believers may rejoice at the coming of the Lord but the tragic events that overtake our unsaved friends and loved ones will be sad. We must, therefore, present the gospel to them before it is too late for them. Now is the time!