Jesus' New World Order - Part 1

6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
and a little child will lead them all.
7 The cow will graze near the bear.
The cub and the calf will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

Politicians in recent times have talked expectantly about a new world order that will bring harmony, stability, equity, and peace among the nations. But attempts to bring this into reality have failed miserably. (It seems as impossible as keeping a wolf and a lamb in the same pen!) The reason for these failures is simple: our human efforts for making this a new world don’t account for human brokenness. Sin has brought about separation not only between God and humanity but also between everyone in the human race.

Isaiah, however, speaks of the impact of the Redeemer in powerful poetic terms that explode our wildest dreams. Christ will create a community in which impossible enemies can come together in peace. Wolves and lambs, leopards and goats, young cattle and lions—all will live in a community of peace together. There is such innocence that an infant isn’t harmed by a cobra even though he puts his hand in its nest.

God’s grace works wonderfully to change sinners of every description and bring them into fellowship with one another. And God’s promises are beginning to be fulfilled as the Word of God spreads. The earth is filling with the knowledge of the Lord, and one day God’s kingdom will be complete. In this abiding new world order, peace will be the order of the day.

Gracious Father, thank you for reconciling people to one another through the gospel of Christ. May your gospel spread throughout the world today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.