“He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall decide disputes for strong nations far away;
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;”
– Micah 4:3
In a world full of war, be encouraged that God’s ultimate plan is for perfect peace. Though we currently live in a violent, dark, hate-filled, war-plagued world, when Christ returns, perfect shalom peace will reign over the world. Yes, there will be a final battle, but Micah 4 reminds us of God’s ultimate plan for perfect peace. God will draw to Himself followers from every nation, tribe, and tongue. He is creating a new family based not on national or ethnic identity but on faith in Jesus Christ.
Citizens of every earthly kingdom and people will one day seek God through Christ, submit to His authority, and worship Him. The bitter divisions between peoples that have characterized our world for so long will be erased. What unites us in Christ will be infinitely greater than what divides us and we will all know and live in light of that. We will truly be one in Christ Jesus!
In that renewed world of peace, our cultural distinctions won’t be lost but our divisions, hatred, and strife will be no more. War will simply be a distant memory and we’ll spend eternity in fruitful labor for God rather than attacking or defending against others made in His image. War is truly terrible, but ultimately, it’s temporary. On that great day, after Christ’s return and the final war has been waged, all that will remain will be perfect peace in Christ. What a day that will be! Until that great day, walk in the peace of Christ’s Spirit no matter what conflict you may experience on earth.