War is a real problem in the world we live in! Are there any wars or is there any fighting going on in the world right now? If so, why are they fighting? Does one country have what another country wants?
Man has been fighting and killing ever since Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4)! According to the Society of International Law at London, during the last 4,000 years there have been only 286 years of peace in the world:
286Years of peace
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On planet earth, years of war are more common than years of peace! Years of peace are RARE (like trying to find a four-leaf clover).
Is modern man more peaceful than ancient man? Does the world today have less wars than it used to have? Can you think of any wars that have been fought in the last 100 years? Have there been any WORLD WARS?
What kinds of weapons did men use in Bible times?__________________________ _______________________________________________What kinds of weapons do we have today?____________________________________________________ ___When David fought Goliath, did he have nuclear weapons?_________In the days of Christ, did the Roman soldiers have Jet bombers? ____________________ Are the weapons we have today more deadly and more destructive and more harmful than the weapons that were used years ago?______
Looking At The People In The World
Do you know anyone who is a soldier? Do you know anyone who has fought in a war? Has your father ever been in a war?
Many lives are lost in a war. When there is war there is fighting. When there is fighting there is killing. When there is killing there is death. Have you ever been to a cemetery and seen a tombstone of a soldier who died on the battlefield? In our country there is a special holiday in which Americans remember those people who have died on the fields of battle. What is the name of this holiday?________________________________
These men gave their lives so that we could live in peace and be free. This reminds us of what Jesus did for us. He died so that we might be "FREE FROM_________ " (Romans 6:18). "If the ______ therefore shall make you _______________, ye shall be free indeed" (John’ 8:36).
Why are there wars? Why is there such killing and bloodshed? Why are people not loving and peaceful? Why don’t countries destroy all of their weapons and decide never to fight each other again? Why don’t we have "PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TOWARD MEN"?
Where do wars and fight ings come from? The answer is found in James 4:1-2. Wars and tightings come from man’s own LUST: "Ye ___________ and have not: ye_____ and desire to have" (James What is LUST? Lust is that strong, sinful desire to have what is not yours! The person who is full of lust says: "I MUST HAVE IT AND I MUST HAVE IT NOW! I MUST HAVE IT EVEN IF IT DOES NOT REALLY BELONG TO ME!" What is war? War is TRYING TO KEEP WHAT YOU HAVE or TRYING TO GET WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE! What are some of the things that men and countries "DESIRE TO HAVE" which may result in a fight or in a war?
1. _______land__________ 3. _________________________
2. _______gold___________ 4. __________________________
Suppose that there were only 3 people on a. small, tropical island and only one banana tree. These people have a choice. They can lovingly share with each other or they can fight with each other and have a war over the banana tree. If just one of the people selfishly says, "I WANT ALL OF THE BANANAS FOR MYSELF!", then there will probably be a war on the island?
Man’s sin and man’s lust and man’s selfishness is the reason for war. In a sinless world there would be no wars. But sinful men do not know the "way of P______________ " (Romans 3:17). The real problem is the SINFUL HEART OF MAN.
In a sinful world, wars and killing is sometimes necessary. One of the 10 Commandments says, "THOU SHALT NOT ________ " (Exodus 20:13). This word "KILL" should be translated as "MURDER". See Matthew 19:18’ "THOU SHALT DO NO ________________________ "
There is a difference between MURDER and KILLING. Murder is the wicked killing of another person and this killing was not done accidentally but was carefully planned. Killing is a more general word which simply means "to put to death." All murder is killing but not all killing is murder.
Suppose a man were to come into your house and try to murder your Mother. Your Father would have to try to stop him and sometimes the only way to stop a murderer is to kill him. If your Father were to do this it would not be murder. He would be killing a man in order to protect the life of his family.
Do policemen wear guns? Why? Suppose a madman were at the top of a building shooting people in the streets below. What should the policeman do? How should the policeman stop him? If the policeman should shoot and kill this man, would this be murder?
Just as a father needs to protect his family and just as a policeman needs to protect the people on the streets, so also soldiers protect those who live in a country. What if our country had no soldiers and no weapons? What if our country had no Army or Navy or Air Force? What would happen then if another country were to invade our country? Would we be able to stop them? Would we be able to protect ourselves? Would we be able to defend ourselves? Would we have to surrender? Would we lose our freedom? Suppose that this invading country were to take over our government and then set forth some new laws such as these: "ALL CHURCHES MUST BE CLOSED DOWN." "ALL BIBLES MUST BE BURNED!" "PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR THE LEADERS THAT THEY WANT." "YOU CANNOT OWN ANY PROPERTY AND MANY WILL BE KILLED AND MANY WILL BE PUT IN PRISONS AND IN MENTAL HOSPITALS." Would we be sorry that we did not stop the enemy from taking over our country?
War (fighting and killing) is never pleasant or enjoyable, but In a sinful world it is sometimes necessary. The life of a policeman or the life of a soldier is sometimes very difficult. Such a man may even have to lay down his life in the line of duty. Many men have died so that we might live in freedom and in peace. Many have been wounded and injured and crippled and disabled and hospitalized. Have you thanked God for these men?
Looking At Myself
As we think about WAR we often think about ourselves. Will I ever have to fight in a war? This is a question that young men often think about. Some countries even have women soldiers.
Will my country ever be invaded? Will enemy soldiers ever step foot in our country? Will enemy bombers ever fly overhead? Will I ever have to flee for shelter underground because of a bomb attack? Thousands of people have died or have been injured because of war. Will I be one of’ them? What is ahead for me? WAR or PEACE?
Looking At The Future
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 THE FUTURE |
Did Jesus tell us that there would be wars and that nation would rise up against nation (Matthew 24:6-7)?______ Should we be troubled and worried about these things (Matthew 24:6)? _____ Jesus told us just what to expect! The Lord knows all about these things. If the weatherman calls for a sunny day and it rains, then we get all upset because we were not expecting rain. If the weatherman calls for a rainy day and it rains then we do not get so upset because we were expecting it to rain. Jesus told us to expect WARS and He has told us that WARS...(see Matthew 24:6 and circle the correct answer)
But as we look farther into the future we learn that there will be a time of peace on planet earth. But before peace can come to this earth the "P_______________ of P___________________ " (Isaiah 9:6) must come to this earth. Who is the PRINCE OF PEACE? ________________
Who is the only One who can make wars to cease and stop (Psalm 46:8-9)? ________ Micah 4:2-3 talks about this time of peace when Christ will rule the earth; "He (the Lord) will teach us of ________ ways (verse 2)...neither shall they learn _______ any more" (verse 3). When Christ is King on this earth there will be no need for an Army or Navy or Air Force or soldiers or weapons! War shall be no more! How long will this peace last (Isaiah 9:7)?_________________________________
Today even the animals fight and kill each other and eat each other. Will this be true during the kingdom (Isaiah 11:6-9)? Even the animals will be at peace with each other!
Yes, the Bible clearly teaches that there will be PEACE ON EARTH, but not yet!
| TODAY’S WORLD |  |
TOMORROW’S WORLD |
| Nations fighting each other (Matthew
24:7)Weapons are needed (Joel 3:10) WE SHOULD EXPECT WAR |
CHRIST COMES TO EARTH |
Nations at peace with each other (Micah
4:3) Weapons are not needed (Micah 4:3) WE SHOULD EXPECT PEACE |
There is much talk today about "NUCLEAR WAR." Do countries have nuclear weapons today? _____ Are these weapons very powerful and very deadly? ______ Could a nuclear bomb destroy a whole city? ______ Could nuclear weapons destroy a whole country? _____
There are enough nuclear weapons and other weapons in the world today to destroy much of planet earth and to kill very many persons. Many people are afraid that this will someday happen. They are afraid that a nuclear war may begin and that there would be no survivors. Is this possible?
MANKIND WILL NOT BE DESTROYED BY NUCLEAR WAR. The world that God made is not going to be destroyed by nuclear weapons. How do we know this?
Suppose everyone were to die in a nuclear war. If this were to happen, then would there be anyone left on earth when Christ returns? _____ But this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that when Christ returns there are many people still alive on the earth (Psalm 2:2; Rev. 19:11-19). Man will not be totally destroyed by war. The Bible clearly teaches that there will be people on earth.
This does not mean that nuclear weapons will never be used. Such weapons have already been used! The United States used nuclear weapons to bring World War 2 to an end. Many people died but many more people were saved because this terrible war came to an end because of these bombings. These bombs were dropped on Japan. Whether more atomic or nuclear bombs will be dropped in the future, God only knows.
The Bible teaches that before Christ comes to the earth there will be a false "PEACE MOVEMENT." There will be people saying "PEACE and SAFETY" (1 Thess.5:3) when there really is no real peace and no real safety at all! Don’t be fooled by this false peace movement. Many people want peace on earth, but remember this: ONLY GOD CAN BRING REAL PEACE TO PLANET EARTH! Many people reject Christ and say "NO" to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore they remain at war with God and this makes for wars on earth (see Ephesians 2:13-19).
Looking To God.
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GOD |
| Am I at WAR WITH GOD or Am I at PEACE WITH GOD? |
The real war is not between men. The real war is between men and God. Sinful man is at war with God! The last great battle will not be between the Americans and the Russians. The last great battle will be between sinful men and God (see Psalm 2:2 and Revelation 19:19)!
What a youbout? Are you at war with God? Are you fighting God? The Bible says that at one time we were all God’s ENEMIES (Rom.5:10). We were all like Saul (Paul) who was kicking against God (see Acts 9:5). Are you fighting against God? Do you want nothing to do with God’s ways and God’s Word and God’s will?
God did something to bring this war to an end! God attacked the real problem which is SIN. God sent His Son to the cross to die for our sins! God made it possible for man to have "P___________ with God" (Romans 5:1).
Have you surrendered to the living God? Have you ever said this: "Lord, I lose and You win! Thank you for dying for me so that I could be free from sin and have peace with God!"
The person who is on God’s side can never lose! "If God be _______ us, who can be ________________________ us" (Romans 8:31). But if God be against us, we are in trouble! Be on the winning side! Be a Christian soldier! God has never lost a battle and He will take care of all those who belong to Him! There may not be peace in the world, but there can be peace in your heart RIGHT NOW!
Remember the God of Peace is always able to keep you in the middle of the Peace of God (Philipplans 4:6,7,9).
"Peace I leave with you, my _________________ I give unto you: ...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be ______________ (John 14:27).
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