Through

his Word, the Bible, God gives us hope and an eternal perspective,

and its images of salvation stir the heart. If we didn’t know its

promises, the hatred between nations would seem unsolvable, and any

efforts at peace would seem futile.

But

God promises that he will “settle disputes for many peoples. They

will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning

hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they

train for war anymore.” For “in the last days” all nations will

stream in to recognize and honor the Lord.

There

was actually a foretaste of this in Old Testament times, when the

Queen of Sheba came to visit Israel’s King Solomon in Jerusalem (2

Chronicles 9:1-9). Her realm was in southwestern Arabia about 900

years before Jesus came. Historians say that before the time of

Christ, Judaism had spread south to Arabia and over to Ethiopia in

Africa.

Since

the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the nations have begun

streaming into God’s kingdom. Jesus’ followers have gone out to

spread the good news “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). And

when the Lord comes again to live with us in his Holy City, “the

nations will walk by its light, and the kings of earth will bring

their splendor into it” (Revelation 21:24). There will be peace in

God’s eternal kingdom.