Questions I received:
Hi Pearl, I have read most of your articles and I am trying to study the material...
I am an exJW so alot of "physical" understanding to overcome.
I view all things spiritually and appreciate your help in posting on your site.
I am curious as to how Jehovah will subdue the nations at this current time, they are at the edge of war.
Will Christ and his mighty angels conquer them and destroy their weapons? How will this come about?
I know satan counterfeits events and satan is the destroyer, will satan be allowed to destroy those who are at war?
What I mean is the world, the literal nations, America, Russia, China etc
The wars that are occurring now, will Christ and his angels destroy those at war or what will occur to stop them from war?
How will peace come about in the literal world?
I would appreciate any help from you, thanks!
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My reply:
Please take the time to read the scriptures as you come to them, as I have taken time, to provide them for you.
There are essentially four truths concerning the prospects of peace for Satan's world, which is totally under the control of that wicked one
There are essentially four truths concerning the prospects of peace for Satan's world, which is totally under the control of that wicked one
(1John 5:19). Those truths, are found within scripture.
First,
true and lasting peace, are for those who are wise enough to realize, that peace is a consequence of doing what is right... not for doing wrong. Those who allow God's love, justice, and wisdom to guide them, do what is right, and gain the eventual consequence, of peace.
Isa.48:18:
"Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;"
A "river", is unstoppable. The waves of the sea, repeat forever. For those who are guided by and obedient to God...
have unstoppable peace,
and the consistency of their righteous responses, is perpetual... also resulting in peace.
In contrast, the "sea" in tumult, tosses to and fro, churning up unrest, confusion, and a total lack of clarity regarding consequences and outcome. Under the dominion and influence of the Destroyer, they are in darkness...
Isa.57:20-21 reads;
"But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:9a)
First,
true and lasting peace, are for those who are wise enough to realize, that peace is a consequence of doing what is right... not for doing wrong. Those who allow God's love, justice, and wisdom to guide them, do what is right, and gain the eventual consequence, of peace.
Isa.48:18:
"Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;"
A "river", is unstoppable. The waves of the sea, repeat forever. For those who are guided by and obedient to God...
have unstoppable peace,
and the consistency of their righteous responses, is perpetual... also resulting in peace.
In contrast, the "sea" in tumult, tosses to and fro, churning up unrest, confusion, and a total lack of clarity regarding consequences and outcome. Under the dominion and influence of the Destroyer, they are in darkness...
Isa.57:20-21 reads;
"But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
“There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Heb.3:10-12;
"Therefore I was angry with that generation, and I said, ‘Their hearts always go astray, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God."
Do you see that the "wicked" are not accepted by God, to "enter" His "rest"?
Why should God grant peace, to the rebellious? It is not possible, due to their own behaviour.
They rule themselves under the influence of the wicked one, unruly, being directed by their own appetites.
The result?
"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have been fools regarding this, and so, from now on you will be at war.” (2Chron.16:9).
If that previous scripture were true for God's own people who left God, would it not also be for those who never turned to Him?
Reflect on the origin of the world around us.
It began in rebellion (sin), and a transfer of dominion over to Satan, according to the choice of the parents of humanity.
God has offered an option... to be transferred back to His dominion of love, light, life, and peace, for those who become qualified...
"and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col.1:12-14)
As a result of God's favor, such ones are given God's blessing, through an outpouring of His spirit...
peace, being one of it's effects...
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" (Gal.5:22)
The world does not have, nor is it in harmony with, God's spirit.
It is motivated and dominated by the spirit of the Destroyer.
"What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us." (1Cor.2:12).
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath." (Eph.2:1-3)
The Destroyer (Rev.9:11; Isa.33:1)... destroys.
The Creator, offers life and peace to all...
"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. " (1Tim.2:3-4)
Jesus said;
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)
So from the Bible, these things are clear:
- The whole world is under the dominion of Satan. As a result, there is no lasting peace, but, war... a natural symptom of their spiritual corruption and spirit of rebellion. The outcome, is destruction and death... just as God stated at the beginning.
- The only hope for peace, is rescue from the dominion of darkness, by God.
- Rescue (and peace) come through subjection and obedience to God, and the blessing of His spirit.
- The destiny of the world has been known from the start. If we are to live and have peace as individuals, our focus must not be on the futility of the world, which results in unproductive anxiety. Our focus must be on our only hope as individuals, and the only way out of the general destiny of the world, which is destruction. Jesus is the door, through which, we escape...
"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved." (John 10:9a)
To also give a direct reply to your specific questions...
"The wars that are occurring now, will Christ and his angels destroy those at war or what will occur to stop them from war?"
Christ is not the Destroyer. Christ conducts spiritual warfare, with the "sword of his mouth" (Rev.19:15; 1:16; Heb.4:12; Eph.6:17). He is King of Truth, and the Battle is with the deceptions of death... the mouth of Satan (John 8:44; 2Cor.4:4; Rev.12:15; 16:13,14; 20:7-8).
Those on the side of truth. listen to Christ, and carry forward to completion, Christ's war against the darkness, along with their Lord (Rev.17:14; 19:11,12,13,14,8; 6:9,10,11)
(Luke 22:69; Matt.28:18; John 18:37; Ps.110:1,2; 1Cor.15:25).
Satan's messengers resist, and work to subjugate Truth, and the work of Christ's Ambassadors (Rev.12:7; Eph.6:12; 5:11; 2Cor.10:3,4,5). God's interest regarding war, is limited to spiritual warfare (Gen.3:15; Rev.12:17,10,11). The obscene and futile warfare of Satan's world, has no place in the purposes of God. That world was abandoned at the beginning, by it's own will. That will, and the abandonment which results, will remain undeterred. For good reason, the name of it's god, is Destroyer (Rev.9:11; Isa.33:1)
"How will peace come about in the literal world?"
Why do you expect this? (1John 2:16,17; 1Cor.7:31; 2Pet.3:18)
Perhaps it is because, when you read the Bible, you assume that the peace which is prophesied to come, is in regard to Satan's world?
This would indicate that you have assumed that the identities being referred to in prophecies of peace, are that same world?
If this is so,
then, before you can interpret those prophecies with accuracy,
you must first identify those whom God is referring to within prophecy, with accuracy.
Unfortunately, we rely on translators, to provide us with the word of God.
Translators have generally contributed their own assumptions to their translation.
This has a direct bearing on the interpretation of verses, which contain the word, "world".
When we read that word "world", we understandably assume it means the present existence of all that is on the surface of the globe of the planet.
That is NOT what was recorded, in the original word of God.
The original words
(there are various words, which have various meanings)
(which were all translated as the single word, "world")
mean
--the system which is built up (by men), surrounding the basic covenants made with God.
(This can be compared to the adornment a woman may don, in addition to her basic body.)
--the land over which God resides as owner (often translated, "earth", which literally means, "homeland")
Yes... quite different than what we think of, as the "world", or, "inhabited earth".
The same applies to "the nations" that God will subdue.
They are the "nations/Gentiles", that are trampling the "holy ones"
They are the "nations/Gentiles", that are trampling the "holy ones"
(Luke 21:20-22,24; Rev.11:2)...
not the world at large.
(http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2013/09/trample-how-does-it-happen.html)
not the world at large.
(http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2013/09/trample-how-does-it-happen.html)
There are articles written about these subjects, which really help to turn on the light regarding the accurate interpretation of scripture and prophecy. If interested, you can start here:
This is why I hope you continue reading. There is much being made available now, with the "opening of the scrolls"
(Rev.20:12; Dan.12:4,10,3; 7:13; Rev.5:2,3,4,5,6,7; Dan.7:13; Rev.22:6-7,10).
The knowledge is free for the taking (Rev.22:17; Matt.22:8,9,10). Gaining it is very consequential. .
..And that refers us back to the subject and all the scriptures at the start of this letter. Those who gain the spirit and knowledge of God, gain life and peace.
Please let me know if I now understood and addressed your questions, to satisfy your need.
Love in Christ,
Pearl