While the idea may seem unfathomable right now, God will bring about peace. We just cannot do it through our own merits and prevent His prophesied wrath.
In a question-and-answer article with evangelist Billy Graham, a reader faced a similar quandary:
I used to believe that if we just worked hard enough and tried to understand each other, we’d make the world a peaceful place, but I’m not so sure anymore. Does the Bible give us any hope for a better world?
No matter how hard we strive to bring about His goodness here on Earth, sin will strike. Look at headlines proclaiming the Islamic State destruction or racist bitterness wreaking havoc.
But Graham is not distracted by things of this world. He writes:
Yes, the Bible does promise us a better world when Jesus Christ comes again to establish His rule. In that day, all evil will be destroyed, and we will live in perfect justice and harmony. Even nature itself will be at peace: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat” (Is. 11:6).
We can barely imagine what this will be like, because right now so much is wrong with the world. As soon as one problem gets solved, another crops up that often threatens to be even more dangerous. Yes, we have made great strides in technology and medical science, and we should be grateful for this. But how often have we turned something that could be good into something evil? In spite of our educational and scientific advances, wars and conflicts continue to ravage the world.
Nor will this change, no matter how hard we try. What’s the problem? The problem, the Bible says, is within each one of us, within our own hearts and minds. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder, theft, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride and foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22).
Only God can change our hearts, and He made this possible by sending Jesus Christ into the world to forgive us and transform us. He alone is our hope, for He alone has the power to remake us from within. Have you committed your life to Him?
