A New World At Hand!

PROPOSALS abound for curing the world’s ills. In general, they call for concern and cooperation, as well as for a monumental coordinated effort by all nations worldwide. There is a feeling that as situations worsen, the need for mutual preservation will force the nations to reevaluate their priorities and work together to form a new and sustainable world. It is envisioned that military budgets will be cut heavily in favor of using resources to address environmental threats and that, as noted in State of the World 1990, “rather than maintaining their own large defense establishments, governments may come to rely on a greatly expanded and strengthened U.N. peacekeeping force, one that would have the power and authority to defend any member country against an aggressor.”

But such plans fall far short of bringing about the conditions yearned for that were listed in our opening pages. Mere human strategies can in no way cure human sinfulness and greed; they do not eliminate prejudice and ethnic strife; they do not engender unselfish love among all mankind; neither can they guarantee an end to disease and death. Crime is not effectively addressed, nor is there any mention of overcoming religious differences and hatreds. And eliminating natural disasters cannot even be considered. Nationalism, with its potential for causing problems, is allowed to remain. Unhappily, then, we must conclude that humans have failed to come up with a workable solution.

Yet, there is a solution! Indeed, all these things yearned for by mankind have been promised, and the promise comes from the God “who cannot lie.” (Titus 1:2) He knows exactly what must be done, and he has the wisdom, the power, and the ability to accomplish what he has purposed.​—Revelation 7:12; 19:1.

God promises: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”​—Psalm 37:10, 11.

How will this be accomplished? Isaiah 11:9 answers: “They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” Yes, all mankind will be instructed in “the knowledge of Jehovah,” and any individuals refusing to comply therewith will not be allowed to remain and disrupt the peace of others. No longer will our beautiful earth be ruined.

“Behold the activities of Jehovah . . . He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth,” promises Psalm 46:8, 9. (See also Micah 4:3, 4.) An important factor in making global peace is ending nationalistic differences. Cooperation is guaranteed, for only one government will exist worldwide​—that of God. And his government is a Kingdom “that will never be brought to ruin.” (Daniel 2:44) Moreover, its King is the resurrected, immortal Jesus Christ, whose rule will be by means of justice and righteousness.​—Isaiah 9:6, 7; 32:1.

But would this be spoiled by man’s inherent imperfection and be marred by continued pain, sickness, sorrow, and death? No, for these too will be things of the past. Revelation 21:4 assures us: “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.” Inherited sin will be forgiven on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, and mankind will be brought back to a perfect state. (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 1:7) And who can better control natural forces and keep them from harming mankind than their Creator?​—Psalm 148:5-8; Isaiah 30:30.

Things man can only hope for and dream of, God will deliver. But when? Bible prophecy indicates that the changes will come at a time when nations would be “wrathful” and man would be “ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) The last days of the old world would be marked by “critical times hard to deal with”​—resulting in the worsening conditions that we see around us right now. (2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13) And Jesus foretold that the generation seeing such things would be the generation to see the fulfillment of God’s promises.​—Matthew 24:3-14, 32-34.

Take time to check into those promises recorded in the Bible. For on this point, both knowledgeable men and God agree: Now is the time for a new world!