Smoodock's Blog

Where is the peace that has been promised? If Jesus is the Messiah, where is the world peace that should have come? The obvious answer to this question for a Christian is that Jesus certainly made peace between God and mankind, and the matter of world peace between nations will occur when Jesus returns. But, this is a copout to the Jew and to most, if not all, Gentile unbelievers. It seems like we are making excuses for Jesus’ failure to fulfill the office of Messiah when he was here. Why was he here, if not to bring peace between the nations and make Jerusalem the first city of the world? The Jews were supposed to be the conquerors of all their enemies and then peace would envelope the earth. If Jesus is Messiah, what happened?

The most succinct answer is: Jesus was rejected. He came into the world as one of his own people and his people, the Jews, as a whole did not believe him. For a moment let’s set aside the issue of Jesus. What if the people rejected the LORD (YHWH)? What would have happened then?

Numbers 13 records that Moses sent 12 men, the leaders of each tribe, into the Promised Land to scout it out and bring back a report to all the people. They spent 40 days in the land and returned with samples of the fruits of the land to show what a bountiful country the Lord had given them. However, though all agreed that it was indeed a wonderful place, ten of the spies brought back an evil report, saying that there were giants in the land. It was, therefore, impossible to conquer. Only two, Caleb and Joshua, believed God had already given them the land and tried to convince the people to believe God. Nevertheless, the people believed the evil report of the greater part of their leaders. They wanted to kill Moses and stone Joshua and Caleb and return to Egypt.

How did God meet this response? God was furious and would have killed the whole nation and made another nation from the descendents of Moses, but Moses intervened. He told God, if he went through with this plan, the gentiles would think he, God Almighty, could free his people but could not keep them. It was for his own honor’s sake that he should forgive them, just as he had done continually since leading his people out of the land of Egypt. The Lord agreed and forgave all the people, but there were consequences for their lack of trust. They, i.e. that evil generation, would not see the land he had given them. Their children, whom they believed would be a prey to the inhabitants of the land, would inherit the promises.

Now, let’s consider Jesus in the light of this occurrence under the Old Testament. This event in Israel’s history is the succinct answer as to why Jesus did not bring world peace when he came in the 1^st century CE. There are consequences to pay when one does not believe God. Although God’s word is sure, God never fulfills his promises immediately when faced with unbelief. He does not reward unbelief with gifts of honor and satisfaction. The people did not believe Jesus. Rather, they believed their leaders who brought an evil report about him.

During the 1^st century, when the Jewish leaders saw the people were beginning to believe Jesus, they accused Jesus of using Satan’s tactics to subvert the nation (Matthew 12:23-24). Jesus reminded them that by the words of their mouth they would be justified or judged and punished (Matthew 12:37). In other words, there are consequences to pay for rejecting him. The sin of unbelief would not be forgiven either in the age that was then ending – the age of the Law – or the age that was beginning – the age of grace – (Matthew 12:32). He tried to tell them, but he would not force them to do otherwise. The only sign he would give would be given too late for repentance. It was the sign of his death and the time he would spend in the tomb before his resurrection (Matthew 12:38-42).

If the people under Moses died without receiving the promises, because they didn’t believe God, how would it be different for the people, if the Messiah came and the people rejected and killed him?

Unbelief has consequences. One cannot accuse Jesus of being a false Messiah, simply because he did not bring in world peace. If the people rejected him, as the New Testament records, why would God reward the people for their unfaithfulness to the One whom he sent? The example in Scripture shows that the promises would not be given at the time expected, but would be delayed until such a time the Lord says, and late repentance will not change his mind (Numbers 14:39-45). Jesus lived among the people for 3 ½ years, healing the people, raising the dead and performing many wonderful works, proving God had sent him and showing he was who he claimed to be. Yet, the leaders of the nation rejected him, and the people endorsed the position of their leaders. He was turned over to the Romans for execution, and neither Jesus nor the Father kept the natural course of events from taking place. The crucifixion stands as a monument of man’s rebellion against and the faithfulness of God. Why would God reward such behavior with gifts of honor and world peace?

One might ask: “Do the Scriptures predict such unbelief?” The answer is that they do. Notice:

Hosea 3:4-5 JPS  For the children of Israel shall sit solitary many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim;  (5)  afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the LORD and to His goodness in the end of days.

The Scriptures reveal an undetermined block of time wherein Israel will dwell in apparent judgment apart from God, that is, in the sense of the Jew having a direct part in what the Messiah is doing. I does not mean the Jews dwell apart from his love, or that they don’t worship him, or that they don’t have their prayers answered. God is not anti-Semetic, which he would have to be, if we are to believe the doctrines of many Christian churches as those doctrines pertain to the Jews and their relationship with God. Nevertheless, notice that the Scripture quoted above describes a time when the Jews will have no government of their own, for they have no home rule. Neither is there religious freedom, for they have no Temple in which to sacrifice. They have neither a memorial (pillar) of the Lord’s work among them nor a High Priest to judge them (ephod). It is a pitiful state whereby the Gentiles might use images (teraphim) to divine guidance from God, the Jews have nothing whereby they might know the Lord’s will in the way they have chosen.

Yet, Hosea also gives hope. He speaks of a time, in the end of days, when Israel will repent and return to God AND David, their King. That is, the Davidic King who is the Messiah. They could not return to him, if they had not at first rejected him!

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