The Nuclear Threat—Removed for Good!
LIVING in morbid fear is not what God wants for mankind. As “the happy God,” he wants them to enjoy peace and live in security—in short, be happy. (1 Timothy 1:11) In a world full of nuclear threats, this is clearly impossible.
“Peace and Security”—A Counterfeit
It should be obvious that the nuclear threat is far from gone. Still, despite political, economic, and social unrest, the nations seem in the main to be optimistic. A steady endeavor to defuse the danger has been apparent since the UN International Year of Peace in 1986.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has in the last decade turned its doomsday clock—its method of indicating the probability of nuclear war—from 3 minutes before midnight back to 17 minutes before midnight. In 1989 the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted that “hope for peaceful conflict resolution is better founded than in any other year since the end of World War II.”
In recent years the United Nations has been strengthened to deal with international trouble spots. Its success, while not total, has been sufficient to contribute to a general spirit of optimism. The future will likely bring additional breakthroughs. Cries of “peace and security” will probably become louder and more intense. They may even gain in credibility.
But beware! “Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security,’” warns the Bible, “then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” Thus, cries of “peace and security” will signal God’s time “to bring to ruin those [who through pollution, nuclear and otherwise, are] ruining the earth.”—1 Thessalonians 5:3, 4; Revelation 11:18.
Note that the Bible does not say that the nations will achieve “peace and security.” They will apparently be talking about it in a unique way, expressing an optimism and a conviction not hitherto felt. The chances of achieving peace and security will appear to be closer than ever before. Despite a continuing nuclear threat, the nations will be lulled into a false sense of security.
True Christians, however, will not be deceived. With keen interest they will look beyond human peace and security to something better!
Peace and Security—The Real Thing
According to Psalm 4:8, true peace and security is to be found only within Jehovah God’s arrangement: “In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you yourself alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.” Any cry of “peace and security” expressed outside the context of Jehovah’s Kingdom arrangement can only be counterfeit. It cannot achieve anything of lasting value.
Halfway measures are not good enough for God’s Kingdom under Christ. Divine government will do more than reduce the number of nuclear weapons; it will totally eliminate them and all other weapons of war. Psalm 46:9 promises: “He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”
Likewise, nuclear threats posed by malfunctioning nuclear reactors or by radioactive waste will be things of the past. Otherwise the words would be untrue: “They will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble; for the very mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken it.” God cannot lie. We have no reason to doubt his words.—Micah 4:4; Titus 1:2.
Would you enjoy having the prospect of living in a world in which the nuclear threat has been removed for good? You can, for God’s Word clearly sets down the requirements. By learning about them and by living accordingly, you may one day have the joy of saying with a sigh of relief: “The nuclear threat—over at last!”
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Peace will reign in God’s new world without any nuclear threats
[Credit Line]
M. Thonig/H. Armstrong Roberts
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U.S. National Archives photo