Taking The Knee

I want President Trump to succeed in negotiations with North Korea. I want North Korea to de-nuke. I want peace with North Korea. I want there to be world peace. What I want is insignificant and of no import to anyone; I just stated things that way to qualify my visceral reaction to this past week’s news about the summit in Singapore, a reaction that grew more strongly after President Trump’s tweet that “everybody can now feel much safe... . There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea.” My reaction came in the recall of a scripture: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.” (I Thes 5:3). Unlike most of the media, I am not rooting for Trump’s efforts at peace with North Korea to fail. I genuinely desire for them to succeed. It’s just that considering this verse and North Korea’s historic deceptive machinations, peace seems a really farfetched possibility. For two days I could not think of the summit without thinking of Paul’s end of time admonition about not being misled by great, swelling promises and predictions of peace. When prospects for peace seem most promising, unprecedented destruction will crash down upon planet earth. This morning (Thursday) it suddenly hit me: What if I were wrong? What if North Korea did de-nuke? What if the U.S. and that country did sign a peace treaty? If so, it would be great to be wrong! However, as I thought again of the verse, I find it still applicable even if apparent peace comes to the peninsula and the world. Paul said that the destruction at the promise of peace would come as “travail upon a woman with child.” This is reminiscent of Jesus’ listing end time events and then labeling those things as the “beginning of sorrows.” Jesus’ word translated “sorrows” and Paul’s word translated “travail” are the same word—birth pangs, labor. The analogy is of an expectant mother going into labor. Jesus (Matthew 24) highlights the reality that the arrival of birth pangs does not mean the child will immediately be birthed (“… the end is not yet come.”). It could be, but usually not. But, although the arrival of birth pangs does not indicate immediate birth, it does indicate inevitable and imminent birth. The first birth pangs, labor pains, signal that the child is on its way. The labor may be too early. It may be Braxton Hicks. That does not change the reality that those pains inform that birth is inevitable. So, to my point: There are times after labor begins that for the development or health of child and/or mother, it is not advisable to allow labor to continue. To stop or slow the labor, the expectant woman is often put on bed rest. Bed rest may temporarily slow or stop the labor, delaying the birth, but that child is still coming. Peace may be apparently achieved with North Korea. I hope so. But, if so, considering the scripture, the world has only been put on bed rest. The “beginning of sorrows” has already commenced. This or that particular effort, break through, or negotiation may bring temporary respite, a bed rest, that slows or temporarily stops the rush towards the destruction, but that destruction is still coming. Just because the labor pains temporarily subside dos not mean that full-scale labor will not soon return. Ultimately, there will never be true peace until Jesus comes. I doubt He will tweet after He has brought peace, but that is one tweet on peace you will be able to believe. It will not be premature.

Taking The Knee

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