AP

Numbers 34:16-18    The LORD said to Moses,  “These are the names of the men who are to assign the land for you as an inheritance: Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun.  And appoint one leader from each tribe to help assign the land.

What a timely reminder this instruction is, to people of every nation on earth, in every age!  King David reminds us:  “The EARTH is the LORD’s, and EVERYTHING in it, the world, and all who live in it; for HE founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.” (Psalm 24:1-2).  We were only ever designed to be STEWARDS, NOT OWNERS, of what GOD created!

Sadly, human history has provided us with a stark narrative of the disastrous effects of the Fall when, in Adam, we decided we weren’t satisfied with just being stewards under God – we wanted to be the owners/controllers/proprietors of everything.  Most major wars we have fought have their origin in land/resources OWNERship.  The Apostle Paul, in his sermon at the Areopagus, picked up on David’s declaration: “From one man [God] made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and HE determined the times set for them and the EXACT PLACES where they should live.” (Acts 17:26).

It is good for us to ‘listen’ to a bit more of Paul’s sermon: “In the past God overlooked [our ignorance of the reality of God as Creator and Sustainer of Universe], but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For HE has set a day when HE will judge the world with justice by the MAN HE HAS APPOINTED.  He has given PROOF of this to ALL MEN by RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD.”

So it seems that we will only solve our world tensions by accepting that this is NOT OUR world but HIS, and by submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ as God’s rightful ruler/owner.  It is not surprising that one of the titles given to the Lord Jesus Christ in Scripture is ‘Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6, cf Acts 10:36).  Are we actively involved in making Jesus known to others?  In our prayer life, are we joining with the Apostle John in responding to the Risen Christ’s revelation to him: “Yes, I am coming soon” with a hearty “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)?