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Reading Isaiah 2

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From ancient times man has strived

to meet with others to bring about

collective world peace.

Emeric Cruce wrote a document in

1623 about his desire to use free

trade to bring about world peace, he

got his idea from a man called

Cyneas which dates back to 300BC

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There were 7 peace

congresses in the 19th

century with the ideal &

intention of bringing

about world peace.

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The Nobel Peace PrizeAwarded to 126 Nobel Laureates since 1901

Did You Know?94 - Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded 1901-2013.2 - Peace Prizes have been divided between three persons.15 - women have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize so far.62 - is the average age of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates the year they were awarded the prize.1 - Peace Prize Laureate, Le Duc Tho, has declined the Nobel Peace Prize.3 - Peace Prize Laureates have been under arrest at the time of the award: German pacifist and journalist Carl von Ossietzky, Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi and Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo.

THIS YEARS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNERS ARE

MALALA YOUSAFZAI & KAILASH SATYARTHI

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Map of Europe

before WW1

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Lord Kitchener - Your

Country Needs You -

First World War Poster

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Map of

Europe

after WW1

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United Nations

Organization

building in

New York City

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In 1938 Neville Chamberlain

returned from Berlin with a

piece of paper signed by Adolf

Hitler claiming that he had

reached a peace agreement

with the German leader and

declaring

“Peace in our time.”

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UN Peacekeeping

missions across the

world

July 2010

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Plaque outside the UN building in New York quoting Isaiah 2:4

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ARE WE ANY NEARER TO ACHIEVING WORLD PEACE?

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There were 31 conflicts and

wars in the 20th century

causing the deaths of

millions of people.

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Data on fatalities is

often unreliable, but

at the last count

there has been over

744,000 deaths

across the world

caused by on-going

conflicts since the

year 2000

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Why does the world have to be like this?

Why do the innocent suffer?

If there is a God, and if He is a God of love, why does He allow it?

If God is our Creator, surely He could have made man more peace-loving?

Why does religion so often seem to be at the root of wars?

And how can churches proclaim a Gospel of peace and at the same time bless those who go to war?

SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WAR & PEACE

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Hard questions but!

The Bible teaches that God created men & women, not as robots,

but as creatures with the freedom of choice to make the right

decisions.

e.g. As parents we try to teach our children to learn between right

& wrong, rather than dictate what they should do & when they

should do it. God as Father, wants us to respond in the same way.

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The Bible teaches that in the eyes of God, fighting & taking the life

of other humans is wrong – in the 10 commandments of Exodus

20, the 7th commandment given to man reads:

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Earlier in the Bible in Genesis 4, the first murder is recorded when

Cain kills his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy, which was strongly

condemned by God & Cain was punished as a consequence.

“Now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her

mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; when thou

tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her

strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.”

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These are God’s standards. He wants man to live in

peace, so why do we have wars such as the Crusades

in the name of religion?

This is a misguided principle & is introduced by man,

not by God – consider the following verses:

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“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”

(Matthew 5:9)

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”

(Romans 12:18)

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”

(Galatians 5:22,23)

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord”

(Hebrews 12:14)

“Be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you”

(2 Corinthians 13:11)

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The Bible explains in the Old Testament how God supported his

people Israel & at times actively supported the wars & conflicts

they became involved in, but since the days of the Lord Jesus, he

has to a certain extent, left mankind to it’s own devices.

Luke 2:10-14 - “the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I

bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which

is Christ the Lord …….. And suddenly there was with the angel a

multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, glory to

God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

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That time of peace has not happened yet, so is the Bible wrong?

Consider the following facts!

•The people of Israel return to their land in 1948

1.Jerusalem populated by Jews once more - 1967

2.The famines, wars & diseases across the world

3.The great earthquakes across the world

4.Fearful sights & signs in the heavens

5.Distress of nations with no way out

6.Man’s hearts failing them for fear

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Israel return to their land – by the determination & power of God –

“The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the

land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven

them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto

their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD,

and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters,

and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every

hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For mine eyes are upon all

their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity

hid from mine eyes.”

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Ezekiel 37:21-22

“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel

from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather

them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will

make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel;

and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more

two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any

more at all.”

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One king over one united nation of Israel?? How can this be?

Luke 1:30

“The angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found

favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,

and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be

great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God

shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall

reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there

shall be no end.”

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This is yet to happen then, when Jesus returns?

Acts 1:11

“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this

same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come

in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

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This return will not be welcomed by all!

2 Thess. 1:7-9

“To you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall

be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire

taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not

the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with

everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from

the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his

saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day.”

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Others will welcome him and change their approach!

Zech. 8:23

“In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold

out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt

of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard

that God is with you.”

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The day of world peace is rapidly approaching.

Psalm 122:6-7

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.”

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The question is – “are you ready for a Time of Peace?”

Hymn 405

“We know the end, we know the way,

and some with life he will endow.

Shall we be with him in that day?

We make the answer now.”