Turning Plowshares into Swords

By Todd Strandberg
 

Last week, top Pentagon commanders told the Bush administration that bombing Iran's nuclear facilities would likely fail to destroy that country's nuclear program. They also said any that any attack would have "serious economic, political, and military consequences for the United States."

A crucial reason for the military's dissent is the inability of American and European intelligence agencies to locate Iran nuclear sites. The Iranians have hidden them so well, war planners are not sure what to target.

The article, by Seymour Hersh, points to Iran’s using civilians as a means of protecting some of the nuclear sites. "Intelligence has also shown that for the past two years, the Iranians have been shifting their most sensitive nuclear-related materials and production facilities, moving some into urban areas, in anticipation of a bombing raid."

The U.S. military's experience in Iraq is another factor. No weapons of mass destruction were found and we are now involved with an ongoing conflict. As one unidentified general was quoted as saying, "We built this big monster with Iraq, and there was nothing there. This is the son of Iraq."

There are two main economic and political consequences. Iran is a major oil producer, and has the capability of disrupting the flow of oil from other Arab nations. Any strike against Iran would trigger a backlash in the broader Muslim world and in Europe.

America's so-called allies, Russia and China, are not helping with the conflict. Russia is actively involved in building Iran’s nuclear plants, and China refuses to consider allowing UN sanctions to go forward.

The domino effect is the greatest danger posed by nations that develop nuclear capability. Once North Korea is able to deploy missiles that can threaten its neighbors, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan will likely feel compelled to go nuclear to gain a deterrence against attack. Another factor that sets the dominos tumbling is the special status that nations get once they join the nuclear club.

Another sign of the lack of nuclear vigilance has been a shift in the potential use of such weapons. What was once considered a device only to be used on doomsday is now being seen as a weapon of practical use. In January of this year, Jacques Chirac of France indicated that an incident of state-sponsored terrorism on France could trigger a small-scale nuclear retaliation aimed at destroying the "rogue state's" power centers. There have been several reports that Israeli leaders are considering a nuclear strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. Some U.S. officials have also pondered the possibility of American atomic bombs being used against Iran.

At United Nations headquarters in New York City there is a sculpture called "Let Us Beat Swords Into Plowshares." Ironically, it was donated by the Soviet Union in 1959. It must have been an April Fool's Day gift. At the time, the USSR I remember from history was busy creating thousands of nuclear bombs.

The Bible passage that inspired the sculpture was intended to symbolizes man’s desire to put an end to war. It reads: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

During the millennial rule of Christ, mankind will turn all weapons of warfare to peaceful uses. Before that day comes, another prophetic verse will need to be fulfilled. It is very similar, but has a few key differences: "Proclaim this among the nations: 'Prepare for war!" Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong'" (Joel 3:9-10).

Prophecy does paint a rather gloomy future for planet Earth. However, we are not without options. People who place their trust in this current world system will share its fate. The people who place their trust in God will likely escape the coming calamity, but more importantly they will have a stake in the world that rises from the ashes of the tribulation.

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man" (Luk 21:36).
--- Todd

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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.