Along with many others, my heart broke when I learned about the recent attack in Nice, France, when a man in a truck drove into crowds of people during Bastille Day celebrations, resulting in the death of 84 people. The incident, labeled a terror attack by president Francois Hollande, was perpetrated by a Nice local of Tunisian descent who was known to the police – but not to intelligence services – for common law crimes.
Many of the victims were children and many more children are undergoing serious operations, a worker at the nearby Lenval Pediatric Hospital said.
“Investigations are ongoing as to if the attacker had any accomplices or not… and results are to be shared by the public prosecutor,” said interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve. Cazeneuve also mentioned that authorities had been extremely vigilant about the possibility of a terrorist attack following the Euro 2016 tournament.
“It was hardly over,” he said, “that I recall myself… telling my staff at Place Beauvau (Interior Ministry) that the vigilance level had to remain absolute, because we are at war with terrorists who want to hurt us at any costs, and as brutally as they can.” (Read more here.)
These events took me back to a passage that I once read in the book of Isaiah in the Bible:
“God shall decide what’s fair amongst the nations and settle disputes among all sorts of people. Meanwhile, they will hammer their swords into their sickles, reshape their spears into pruning hooks. One nation will not attack another. They will not practice war anymore.” – Isaiah 2:4
Here, Israel was given a beautiful picture of their future, one that only God can create! In this vision, Jerusalem and the temple of God will sit at the centre of the world. “In that day,” says a footnote in the Voice translation, “all nations of the world will stream to the Holy City and seek God’s guidance and instruction. God will sit as King and Judge, dispensing real justice – not some man-made counterfeit – not only in international, but also in local matters.”
The footnote also says the following in closing: “Perhaps, most amazingly for a world weary of war, this will be a time when war is the thing of the past and its lethal instruments are turned into tools for life and peace!” Yes, that’s what it means when the Bible says that swords are turned into sickles!
Not too many days ago, there was great rejoicing in Zimbabwe as a pastor was set free after being unfairly imprisoned for speaking out against the country’s rulership. It was amazing to see that every one of the country’s human rights lawyers (more than 100) stood for him in court! What an amazing story of potential swords that were turned into sickles.
Our world desperately needs “the house of the Lord” to rise up; to be at the centre again! The Bible says that from there, God’s justice will be given out – real justice that sets people free.
“He strikes down people as if they were wicked – front and centre – a display for all to see. Simply because they turned from following Him, because they no longer considered His ways. As a result of their injustice, the poor cried out to Him, and as you ought to know well, He always hears the cries of the needy, of the oppressed peoples. – Job 34:28-29
If anything, the events that are now taking place in the world are calling people to turn their faces to Jesus once again… Do you want to know more about this Jesus? Why don’t you click on the banner below!