World Government in the Hands of the “Prince of Peace”
WHY should you be interested in a world government? Persons in increasing numbers are today. For what reason?
Fear is the main factor with many. True, logic alone tells us that having scores of divided, and often uncooperative, political systems brings inefficiency, waste, disagreeable hindrances. So, some men “began dreaming of a world government as early as the 1300’s,” according to The World Book Encyclopedia (1970 edition, Vol. 20, page 363). But it was the shock of World War I that made men think seriously of world government. The League of Nations formed at the war’s end was a step in that direction. But the League collapsed in World War II. The horrors of that war, and the prospect of an all-out modernized war, moved governments to form the United Nations in 1945.
Since then men have been faced with new dangers. National boundaries and frontiers provide no protection against growing pollution of air, water and land. An economic crisis in one part of the world can now disrupt the interwoven fabric of many national economies, bringing poverty and hunger.
Would you welcome a world government that could solve these problems, bring lasting peace and genuine security? Is there any reason to hope for such a government?
WHY MEN HAVE NOT PRODUCED A WORLD GOVERNMENT
Neither the League of Nations nor the United Nations have been world governments. Why not? Because even as fear edged men toward world government, fear makes them back off from giving up the power that would make such a government possible. Each nation distrusts the others. Men fear that, no matter who forms the world government, sooner or later those ruling will let selfish interests control them.
As the Encyclopedia article on “World Government,” quoted earlier, says: “Some of the questions that must be solved include the problem of finding leaders for a world government, the problem of keeping it from becoming tyrannical, and the problem of avoiding civil wars, often bloodier than international ones.”
Who, for example, would you trust to head a world government? What national leaders are doing such a superb job today in their own lands—proving themselves free from favoritism and selfishness, devoted to justice and righteousness, and possessed of wisdom and ability to solve problems—that they would qualify for such a responsibility?
THE SOURCE OF WORLD GOVERNMENT
World government is a certainty—but not by men or political governments. The Bible contains the promise of Jehovah God that it will come. He foresaw the need for world government long before men began to ‘dream’ about it. Now, thousands of years later, men are finally face to face with undeniable evidence that planet Earth and the human family on it desperately need some kind of effective, unified control and guidance. With world conditions what they are, is it reasonable to refuse to consider the Bible’s promise?
Over 2,700 years ago the prophecy of Isaiah foretold the coming of the one who would head that world government. “For there has been a child born to us, . . . a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom in order to establish it firmly and to sustain it by means of justice and by means of righteousness, from now on and to time indefinite. The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.” (Isa. 9:6, 7) That promised one is Christ Jesus, God’s own Son. His power to rule comes, not from any grant by national, political governments, but from the Sovereign God himself.
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE “PRINCE OF PEACE”
Can you confidently put trust in a world government headed by Christ Jesus, even to the point of making that, and not any political government by men, your real and only hope for life in peace and security? You certainly cannot unless you learn about him, read the record of his life, his words and deeds, the effect his teachings had on others, the kind of persons it produced among those becoming his disciples. Have you ever done this?
Would not honesty rate high on the list of principal qualities that you would look for in one heading a world government, for that matter, any government? Jesus’ record for speaking the unvarnished truth caused hypocritical religious leaders of his day to seek his death and political rulers to carry out their wish. But it caused those who loved truth to love him and become his disciples.—John 8:40, 44-47; 18:37.
Justice, impartiality and wisdom—how desirable in a ruler! Christ Jesus associated with both the rich and the poor and refused to show favoritism to any. His message was the same to all.—Luke 5:29-32; 7:36; 14:1; 19:1-6.
Read what the Bible says about him and you will see that, while courageous, he was also compassionate, tender and considerate. (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Mark 6:31-34; Luke 7:11-15; 9:10, 11) He was never overbearing nor arrogant.—Matt. 11:28-30.
Shortly now the rule of the promised world government in the hands of this Prince of Peace will be manifest in all the earth. As human anxiety now shows, it will be none too soon! Already ‘all authority in heaven and earth’ has been given to the resurrected and glorified Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:18) His rule will be firmly established and sustained ‘by means of justice and righteousness,’ not for a few years but “to time indefinite,” even forever! The question is, Will we be the subjects, yes, ‘children’ of that “Eternal Father”?
Though a “Mighty God,” Christ Jesus will force no one to live under his world government. But neither will he allow persons to live on earth who do not really love righteousness, truth and justice, in brief, who do not love his Father, Jehovah God, nor love their fellowman. What is your choice? What are you willing to do to prove your desire to be his subject?
Today more than one and a half million of Jehovah’s witnesses publicly advocate world government in the hands of the Prince of Peace. Associate with them in their Kingdom Halls and learn how you, too, can have the hope of life under his world government.