The outstanding characteristic of the times in which we live is marked by two conferences at the end of 1953 and the one fixed for this January. Called in order that the British Prime Minister, the President of the United States and Premier of France might review the world problems that face their countries, circumstances made their prior concern at Bermuda the sudden notification that Russia was prepared to attend a Four-Power Conference. The Atlantic Council in its twelfth session, held in Paris, also considered Russia. And now (at the time of writing) eyes and minds have been concentrated on the Russian attitude to Berlin. Associated with these grave consultations is the speech President Eisenhower delivered to the General Assembly of the United Nations at New York putting forward the idea of an international atomic energy agency under the aegis of the United Nations.
Sir Winston Churchill in the House of Commons on December 17th last described this speech as one of the most important events in history since the end of the war. The President’s aim is obvious: to prevent atomic energy being used in war and to divert it to the paths of peace. As such an aim cannot be achieved without the frank and sincere co-operation of Russia, we come to the conclusion that the great question-mark of Russia is the dominating feature of life on this world as 1953 gives place to 1954.
The common man’s hope is that all these deliberations will result in such a lessening of world tension that he may look forward to an era of peace; the greater optimists hope for some practical outcome of President Eisenhower’s idea for the control of atomic energy for progressive purposes. Two frank comments are called for. The first is that the Atlantic Council does not share these hopes.
” The Ministers,” said the official report of the proceedings, ” in their examination of the international situation, concluded that there had been no evidence of any change in Soviet ultimate objectives and that it remains a principal Soviet aim to bring about the disintegration of the Atlantic Alliance The threat to the Western world remains, and member nations must be ready to face a continuance of this threat over a long period.” The West, it is urged, must be prepared to keep in being over a period of years their forces and weapons as a major factor in deterring aggression: That is the grim side of the picture, and one wonders if the statesmen of the Western nations regard it as the more realistic one.
The second comment is that the success of merely human endeavours to secure world peace is plainly against Bible teaching. The second chapter of Isaiah’s prophecies shows that the time when ” nation shall not lift up sword against nation and men shall not learn war any more ” is when God’s law shall go forth from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. This will be under the rule of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah and Prince of Peace. It is of great importance to understand this. Immediately consequent upon this declaration of the prophet comes the solemn exhortation :
“Let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
This means that we have to align our attitude to world affairs to the will and purpose of God, which here is that world peace will come not from men, however sincere, but from God. It is of singular significance that the chapter repeats the warning against putting trust in man’s effort.
“The lofty looks of man shall be humbled.”
The Borders of the Land of Israel