NO MORE WAR
"No more war." This is what we are being told concerning the reason we went into the four terrible years of war. Many from our families have gone to war and have died. They told us that all these things are for the purpose that the world would be safe for democracy. Eight years have passed, and where are we? Of course, we can spend a lot of time to reconsider the benefit of the war, and it is true that there has never been a time when there has been as much propaganda about peace.
"No more war." Does it seem likely? Consider the following numbers: Since the disarmament conference, England has planned, or begun building, or even completed, eighteen cruisers, ten submarines, and two minesweepers. Since 1923 the budget for the British navy has reached 174,300,000 pounds. The number of British "flying ships" has reached 1,053,650.
France has also made full preparations for future war. Experts in the French navy said that in 1930 the French navy will put together four light cruisers of 10,000 tons each, three destroyers of 2,700 tons each, six destroyers of 2,400 tons each, twenty-six torpedo boats, and thirty-nine submarines.
Russia is not behind. Russian naval experts have ordered an air armada that will equal that of the British. The result is that twelve effective schools have been started and twelve thousand students have registered.
After the Washington conference, Japan has spent 355,000,000 pounds to build up its navy. Another 320,000,000 pound inventory list has been drawn up.
The United States is also stirred up in this preparation. One nationwide security list, which places armies at permanent locations and which divides the army into seventeen new camps, is ready. The leading regular army has a budget of seven million pounds. Italy, Spain, and other countries are making room for these terrible orders of destruction.
The Bible clearly says that wars will continue until they culminate in the great War. At that time the King will lead His army to fight against all the sinners and the armies of the devil. That battle will be the decisive one, and after that one the world will not know war anymore. Then swords will be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruninghooks. What a happy and blessed day that will be! Humanly speaking, we can only have faint hope that we can be delivered from the devastation of war. Our hope is in the soon coming King.
THE DAY OF THE COMING OF THE LORD
To calculate the date of the Lord’s coming through the so-called prompting of the Spirit is foolish unbelief as well as a proof that the act is of the devil. Mrs. White, the "prophetess" of the Seventh-day Adventists, received "revelation" before she died to appoint a certain Mrs. ______ as her heir-apparent. But the denomination has never recognized that fact. Two years ago this Mrs. ______ conveyed a "message from God." She said, "God’s Son will come again on February 6, 1925. Go proclaim this quickly, and declare this news in the high places!" But the Lord did not come, and the 144,000 Adventist members who waited for the Lord were not raptured miraculously from San Diego, as she had predicted. An unannounced coming of the Lord is the secret to constant vigilance.
THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW GOD
I have often heard of incidents of opposition to God in Russia. It is reported that one teacher once asked the students, "Who believes that there is God?" Five or six hands were raised. Among them, two hands immediately drew back. "Who opposes God?" Many hands were raised, and the cry was heard: "God has been defeated by us!" How horrible it is that these elementary school students are indoctrinated with atheistic education before they can differentiate between good and evil!
What will be the result of this? Doubtless, many of the Russian children today will participate in the battle of Armageddon. When the Lord appears from heaven in flaming fire to render vengeance to those who do not know Him (2 Thes. 1:7-8), five-sixths of the Russians will perish. Russia is teaching her children not to know God, and their end will be to be burned with fire.
THE IMPERISHABLE MUSSOLINI
Since the time the Italian ruler came to Rome, some have tried to assassinate him. He narrowly escaped death six times. Once a bullet went through his coat, and another time the tip of his nose was scratched. It is amazing that he has narrowly escaped death many times.
The Italians now believe that he cannot be killed. They believe that by some fortune his life is charmed and that no one will hurt him. This turns us more to his aim: he wants to revive the ancient Roman Empire in five years. The Bible tells us that in the future a very powerful man will rise up and be the ruler of the revived Roman Empire. This man will escape the sword in a miraculous way. He will be known as he "who had the stroke of the sword and revived" (Rev. 13:14). For this reason, the whole world will worship him. But the Italians are almost making Mussolini god already. The last time he escaped danger, the people cried, "Woe to whoever wants to harm the Savior of Italy!"
Just as men today consider that it is impossible for Mussolini to die, in the same way in the future there will be the cry: "Who can make war with him?" (Rev. 13:4). But Mussolini may not be the coming ruler. He may be only a shadow of the coming one.
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 07: The Christian (5), Chapter 9, by Watchman Nee)
