Jan. 2 - Swords into Plowshares

From the First Lesson for this day, Micah 4:1-5, 5:2-4

On the grounds of the United Nations in New York City there is an artistic staircase with black granite walls on which are mounted the words of Micah 4:3, "...they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

This aspiration to peace echoes the chorus of the angels on the night Christ Jesus was born: "Peace on earth, goodwill to men."

What a high hope, a noble thought. The efforts of war transformed into the life of peace; a prosperous land tilled; a fruitful harvest reaped. Not only will war be absent, it will not be "learned." There can be little faulting the U.N. for aiming at these lofty ideals.

However, like so many ideals, the U.N.'s walls are void of the balance of reality. I know this because I am idealist. My favorite dessert is 'pie in the sky.' I relate to that ant who tries to move the proverbial rubber-tree plant - but he has high hopes. It takes a balance of reality to truly understand ideals.

In the case of the U.N.'s wall, the rest of the passage is gone and the missing reality is God. Read what is clear about the swords-turned-plowshares and spears-turned-pruning hook:
Verse 1 - the House of the Lord will be established on the highest mountain
and it will be exalted over all others
Verse 2 - the nations will come to the House of the Lord to learn His ways and walk in His paths
Verse 3 - God Himself will be the judge of the people and there are nations and people who will be rebuked by Him
Verse 4 - The nations will understand God as the provide of all things
Verse 5 - There will be people who follow their own gods, but those who find the peace of verse 3 are those who follow the Lord God

This is some reality, isn't it? The peace desired by the U.N., and by many idealists in life, is unattainable without the God who brings the same peace.

How often do people seek peace in life through means that exclude God! We want peace at home but we don't pray at home. We want love in relationships, but we leave God out of our morals. We want the serenity of a saved soul, but we continue to war with God over who is in control of our hearts.

Often people find fault with the U.N. for its artificial ideals and pluralistic mentality. I find those same faults. In the pursuit of lifting women from oppression, they promote the slaughter of innocents through abortion. In efforts to relieve the poor, they accuse and blame the wealthy. In settling disputes between nations and peoples, they treat all parties as morally equal without recognizing God's judgment and rebuke of those who are clearly evil.

Where can this peace be found? Micah the Prophet proclaims the Truth: "out of thee [Bethlehem] shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel... And He shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall He be great unto the ends of the earth."

The peace of the world can only be found in Christ, who is the Ruler of the World. An old cliche seems to sum it up best:
"Know Christ, know peace. No Christ, no peace."