Ascending Out Of The Abyss

The scarlet-colored wild beast did indeed climb out of the abyss. On June 26, 1945, with noisy fanfare in San Francisco, U.S.A., 50 nations voted to accept the Charter of the United Nations organization. This body was "to maintain international peace and securiy." There were many similarities between the League and the UN. The World Book Encyclopedia notes: "In some ways, the UN resembles the League of Nations, which was organized after World War I. . . Many of the nations that founded the UN had also founded the League. Like the League, the UN was established to help keep peace between nations. The main organs of the UN are much like those of the League. The UN, then, is actually a revival of the scarlet-colored wild beast. Its membership of over 150 nations far exceeds that of the League's 63; it has also taken on broader responsibilities than its predecessor.

At first, great hopes were expressed for the UN. This was in fulfillment of the angel's words: " And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the founding of the world." (Revelation 17:8b) Earth's dwellers have admired this new colossus, operating from its imposing headquarters on New York's East River. But true peace and security have eluded the UN. In this diabolical nuclear age, world peace has been maintained only by the threat of "mutual assured destruction" -MAD, as it is abbreviated-and the arms race has continued to escalate astronomically. After almost 40 years of effort by the United Nations, its secretary-general, Javier Pe'rez de Cue'llar, Lamented in 1985: "We are living in another age of fanatics and we don't know what to do about it."

The UN does not have the answers. And why? Because the Giver of Life to all mankind is not the UN"S life-giver. Its life span will be short, for according to God's decree, "It is to go off into destruction." The UN"s founders and admirers do not have their names recorded in God's scroll of life. How could sinful, mortal men, many of whom mock God's name, achieve through the UN what Jehovah God has declared he is about to accomplish, not by human means, but through the Kingdom of Christ? - Daniel 7:27; Revelation 11:15.

The UN is actually a blasphemous counterfeit of God's Messianic Kingdom by his Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ-to whose princely rule there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6, 7) Even if the UN were to patch up some temporary peace, wars would soon erupt again. this is in the nature of sinful men. "Their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the founding of the world." Jehovah's Kingdom by Christ will not only establish eternal peace on earth but, on the basis of Jesus' ransom sacrifice, raise the dead, the righteous and the unrighteous who are in God's memory. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) This included everyone who has remained steadfast despite the attacks of Satan and his seed, and others who have yet to show themselves obedient. Obviously, God's scroll of life will never contain the names of die-hard adherents of Babylon the Great or of any who continued to worship the wild beast. -Exodus 32:33; Psalm 86:8-10; John 17:3; Revelation 16:2, 17:5.

Next time: Peace And Security-A Vain Hope.