Our Changing World​—What Does the Future Really Hold?

IF OUR world is to change for the better, what options do we have? One choice is to believe that the world’s rulers and leaders will eventually become altruistic and start leading mankind into the ways of mutual tolerance, understanding, and peace.

That means believing that tribalism and nationalism will be eradicated and replaced by a supranational attitude that can bring harmony to the world.

It also involves believing that leaders of capitalist economies will recognize that profit motive alone is an inadequate ethic in a world of massive unemployment, homelessness, and huge medical bills.

In addition it means believing that all the arms manufacturers of the world will start yearning for world peace and will beat their swords into plowshares.

Further, it means that the criminal elements of the world, including the capos of the Mafia, the bosses of Oriental crime gangs, and the drug lords of South America, will repent and turn over a new leaf!

In other words, it means believing in a man-made Utopia​—an impossible dream. If God is taken out of the equation, then we are in a situation similar to that described by the historian Paul Johnson in his book A History of the Modern World. He wrote that one of the underlying evils contributing to the “catastrophic failures and tragedies” of our century is “the arrogant belief that men and women could solve all the mysteries of the universe by their own unaided intellects.”​—Compare Isaiah 2:2-4.

However, there is a valid choice for positive change. That is to believe that the earth’s Creator, our planet’s Landlord, the Great Architect of change, Jehovah God, will intervene in human affairs in order to save his handiwork. Bible history shows that God has taken action in the past to further his purposes, and Bible prophecy indicates that he will soon take action again in order to fulfill his original purpose for mankind and the earth.​—Isaiah 45:18.

A Unique Source of Reliable Information

The unique Source of real knowledge of what the future holds for mankind is described in the words of the Bible prophet Isaiah: “Remember the first things of a long time ago, that I am the Divine One and there is no other God, nor anyone like me; the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done.”​—Isaiah 46:9-11.

Why should Jehovah God have foreknowledge of the events that are due to affect mankind? Again Isaiah answers: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God’s thoughts for mankind’s future are expressed in the Bible.​—Isaiah 55:9.

“Critical Times Hard to Deal With”

What has God’s Word, the Bible, foretold for our generation? The Christian apostle Paul warned: “But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Ever since 1914 and World War I, we have been living in times that have become more and more critical. Man’s selfishness, greed, and lust for power have led him to commit worse and worse atrocities not only against his fellowman but also against nature itself. Man’s indifference to his environment is threatening the future existence of his children and grandchildren.

This critical danger was highlighted by former president of Czechoslovakia, Vaclav Havel, who wrote about conditions in that country. In effect, his words have worldwide application: “These are but the consequences of . . . man’s attitude toward the world, toward nature, toward other humans, toward being itself. These are the consequences . . . of the arrogance of modern man, who believes he understands everything and knows everything, who names himself master of nature and the world. . . . Such was the thinking of man who refused to recognize anything . . . higher than himself.”

The previously quoted Al Gore wrote: “I am convinced that many people have lost their faith in the future, because in virtually every facet of our civilization we are beginning to act as if our future is now so much in doubt that it makes more sense to focus exclusively on our current needs and short-term problems.” (Earth in the Balance) Certainly pessimism regarding the future seems to be a prevailing attitude.

This situation has come about partially because Paul’s further words have been fulfilled: “Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.”​—2 Timothy 3:2-5.

A Better Alternative

But God has purposed that things will change on this earth​—for the better. He has promised that he will bring about “new heavens and a new earth . . . , and in these righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) To restore this polluted earth to the condition of Paradise, Jehovah God must first “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) How is this going to take place?

Using symbolic language, the Bible indicates that God will soon put it into the hearts of the political elements, including the United Nations, to destroy the power and the prestige of perhaps the most negative force in mankind’s history​—the nationalistic and divisive influence of religion earth wide.a According to Martin van Creveld, in his book The Transformation of War, “there appears every prospect that religious attitudes, beliefs, and fanaticisms will play a larger role in the motivation of armed conflict than it has, in the West at any rate, for the last 300 years.” Possibly because of meddling in politics, religion is going to suffer at the hands of the political powers. Yet, those powers will unwittingly be fulfilling God’s will.​—Revelation 17:16, 17; 18:21, 24.

The Bible goes on to show that God will next turn his attention to the exploitive, beastlike political elements of Satan’s corrupt world system and engage them in his final war, or battle of Armageddon. After the removal of the ruthless political systems and their master manipulator, Satan, the way will be clear for the peaceful new world that God has promised.b​—Revelation 13:1, 2; 16:14-16.

Jehovah’s Witnesses have been preaching from house to house about these coming changes for nearly 80 years. During that time, they too have seen and experienced the many changes that mankind has wrought. They have been through Nazi prisons and concentration camps because of their Bible-based principles. They have experienced the agonies and suffering of life in many parts of Africa, including civil wars and tribal strife. They have endured persecution at the hands of most political and religious systems because of their neutrality and their zealous preaching activity. Yet, in spite of it all, they have seen God’s blessing on their worldwide educational work as they have grown from a few thousand in 1914 to about four and a half million in 1993.

Reasons for Optimism

Rather than being overcome by pessimism, the Witnesses have an optimistic outlook because they know that the best and greatest changes are soon to take place on this earth. Events since 1914 have fulfilled the prophecies that Jesus gave, marking the time of his invisible presence in Kingdom power and indicating that we are in the time of the end for any human-inspired “new world disorder,” as a French writer in Le Monde described the prospects of the immediate future. Jesus said: “When you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near.”​—Luke 21:7-32.

Man’s “new world order” is vulnerable to the flaws of human nature​—ambition, lust for power, greed, corruption, and injustice. God’s new world will guarantee justice. Of him it is written: “The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.”​—Deuteronomy 32:4.

Man’s “new world order” is open to what McGeorge Bundy, U.S. expert on foreign policy, called “narrow nationalistic feelings to which demagogues can appeal.” Continuing, he said: “We know from history how economic and social failure can give strength to such extremists. We also know that no matter where it happens, that kind of nationalism is dangerous.”

God’s new world guarantees harmony and peace between people of all tribes and nations because they will be educated in Jehovah’s ways of impartiality and love. Isaiah prophesied: “And all your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.” (Isaiah 54:13) And the Christian apostle Peter said: “For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”​—Acts 10:34, 35.

Without a doubt, there will be dramatic developments in the immediate future in the world as we know it. However, the greatest changes, the permanent and beneficial changes, are those that God has promised to bring about, and he “cannot lie.”​—Titus 1:2.

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