When the Lord comes back, the first thing He will settle is injustice. Today the biggest problem in the world is injustice. Isaiah 11:4 says that the Lord will “judge the poor in righteousness, / And decide with equity for the afflicted of the land.” To judge with justice is something more than what the world can do today. It is not a Christian’s job. When the Lord comes again, He will execute justice.
When the Lord comes again, He will settle all wars. Today man cannot deal with the problem of wars. World War II has just finished, but many places in the world are still at war. Everyone agrees that there should be peace, but there is no real peace. Man cannot achieve peace through war. Yet Isaiah 2:4 says that when the millennium comes, men will “beat their swords into plowshares, / And their spears into pruning hooks, / Nation will not lift the sword against nation, / Nor will they learn war anymore.” We should realize that we are not the ones to disarm others of swords and spears. We do not wage wars, and we do not stop wars in the hope of achieving peace. These are things beyond us. When Christ comes, He will annul all wars and bring in peace.
When Christ comes He will settle all sicknesses. Today many people pay attention to public health, hygiene, and medical aid. But sickness will never be thoroughly eradicated today. In the Bible the two books that speak of plagues the most are Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Both books show us that plagues are in the Lord’s hand; the Lord is in control of these things. In the prophecies in Revelation and Matthew, we are told that plagues will increase in the end times. A Christian should not be given merely to the work of hygiene and medical aid. We must realize that sicknesses in this world will increase. Isaiah 33:24 says that when Christ comes, no one will say, “I am sick.” Ezekiel 47:12 says that in the new heaven and new earth, the tree of the new city will be for the healing of the nations. Hence, when the Lord comes again, the problem of sickness will be solved.
When the Lord comes again, the problem of famine will also be solved. In China many people have recently turned their attention to the problem of famine. Some have done very commendable works. One interesting thing that our eyes have observed is that the harvest of man’s labor always requires much plowing and tilling, whereas thorns, thistles, and weeds grow well without man’s tending. The tares do not need sowing, yet they make their way through the wheat. No matter how hard scientists and horticulturists try, they cannot stop weeds from growing. In Genesis God cursed the land, and it no longer yielded its strength to man. This is a fact. Today the earth no longer yields its strength to man. We have never heard of a thorn that requires man’s tilling. It is true that we have made achievements in irrigation and machineries, and improvements in seed and fertilizers, but we still cannot eliminate weeds. Neither have we been able to take care of all of man’s other needs.
Man has to fight against nature and wrestle with it in order to survive. If he allows nature to take its own course, he will not have a harvest. We are not depreciating the efforts of the scientists. We are merely saying that such problems cannot be solved by man. God also has no intention for the church to solve these problems. We are here only for the Lord’s return. The Bible says that when Christ comes back, the earth will once more yield its strength to man. Isaiah 43:19-20 and 35:1 speak of God making “rivers in the desert” and of the desert blossoming “like the rose.” Isaiah 51:3 says that God will make the “wilderness like Eden.” When Christ comes again, there will be no more desert, and the thorns and thistles will all pass away.
Educators and philosophers teach men about good and evil and to turn away from evil and to choose good. But no one can solve the problem of sin in man’s heart. No educator can give a man the knowledge of God. Hebrews 8:10-11 says that when Christ comes back again, we will have the knowledge of God that comes from our intuition, and all will know God, from the least to the greatest.
There are many establishments of vice in this world. Many places are hotbeds of sin. The church and the Christians are saving men out of these sinful places. Yet these establishments remain unchanged. Matthew 13:41-42 says that when the Lord comes again, the angels will cast out all the stumbling blocks and those who practice lawlessness, that is, those who corrupt others. In an instant the Lord will cleanse the earth.
What we have spoken of can be considered as the social philosophy of a Christian. In other chapters we have seen various aspects of the Christian faith and walk. While we remain on earth, we should do what we need to do, but our hearts should always be set on the Lord’s return. Our attention should be on the heavenly calling. We have no permanent plans for things of this world. Even the most spiritual things cannot bind us or imprison us in the earthly realm. Christians should not take root on this earth. The earth is not a place for Christians to plant their roots. God’s Word is being fulfilled bit by bit, and the Lord is at the door. Today our eyes are not set on the problems of the church; we are waiting instead for the Lord’s coming. This is our heavenly calling. May the Lord be gracious to us and may our eyes be set solely upon His return.
(Messages for Building Up New Believers, Vol. 3, Chapter 18)
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