The most basic causes for reoccurring of war and rumors of war are man’s willing denials and disdain for God’s law. The last of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shall not covet,’’ is the basis for the violation of any other of God’s laws. So also covetous­ness is the basis for the preliminary causes of war and for war itself. Almost inevitably in every war, at least four other com­mandments are violated, especially the fifth, “Honor thy Father and thy Mother,” the sixth, “Thou shalt not kill,” the eighth, “Thou shalt not steal,” and the ninth, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” All the causes for continuous waging of war as listed by Will and Ariel Durant in the Lessons of History, i.e., acquisitiveness, pugnacity, pride, and desire, serve as proof that the causes for war in any form is sin —sin against the law of God.

But why is there war? Obviously there is war because God willed that there would be war. But why does God “Make peace and create evil”? The answer to this ques­tion can only lie “God does it for the good of His people.” We know that all things, war and all other manifestations of sin in­cluded, work for the gathering of God’s People into His Eternal Kingdom. As long as the kingdoms of this world war with one another, they are thus prevented from con­centrating upon the Church. In this way God builds His Church without worldly “interruption” as He had planned. We must notice that God does not just simply let war happen. His hand is in the midst of warring nations, controlling the ultimate victory to satisfy His plan. We know this because God has revealed unto us this truth in many places of Scripture. John 16:33 is an especially comforting passage regarding the why of war. We read, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

It would be foolish for men of any belief to think that there could ever be a true and lasting peace upon earth. If men can­ not tell by now that the friction between themselves is increasing and has ever been increasing, their powers of logic must be severely lacking. The truth is they are not ignorant, but stubborn. They refuse to recognize their totally depraved nature as such, and they stubbornly turn their faces from a God whose Words they despise. There can be no peace where there is not peace with God.

But yet, a world without hope still hangs on to their faith in mankind. Some men speak of peace accomplished by the realiza­tion of a “brotherhood” of man. Some speak of peace as a worldwide turn to faith in God’s existence. Some speak of peace on earth only when interplanetary warfare necessitates a limiting of earthly forces of power. And still more speak of peace ac­complished through war itself. In the Les­sons of History, Will and Ariel Durant say, “A world order will not come by a gentle­men’s agreement, but through so decisive a victory by one of the great powers that it will be able to dictate and enforce inter­national law, as Borne did from Augustus to Aurelius.”

For the Christian, the above statement may not seem so far-fetched. We know from the book of Revelation that the Kingdom of the Antichrist will indeed control the entire world. The Beast, to whom John refers in Revelation will have so much power over men, that in order to carry out their various daily tasks, they will be required to bear his mark. For the world, this will mean peace — peace, for their warfare among themselves will be at an end. But for the elect child of Cod, it will be a time of war and greatest tribula­tion as the world of reprobate men turn their faces to the Church and lash out in wild fury against it. This tribulation and persecution will be so intense that were not the days shortened by God, the elect themselves would be completely destroyed from off the face of the earth.

Thus, when the Child of God prays for peace on earth, he prays for wicked men and not for the Church and himself. Praying for the peace of worldly men is against God and against His Word. Instead of praying that the wars God has sent as signs of His Coming to judge all nations, the Christian should pray that God will build and strengthen His Church that they may withstand the persecution worldly peace implies and hold fast the Word of Truth. A prayer for peace within the Church is much more important, for only if the Church holds fast to her foundation, Christ, will she gain her crown of righteousness and have eternal peace, peace with God.