A Bright Future for Children
AT THE World Summit for Children, many world leaders spoke confidently about the future. They predicted “a new era” for children, “a new dedication to the needs of the child.” They spoke of “‘a new solidarity’ giving ‘life to a united and determined world coalition’” to help the children.
Those are noble words. But just how far the nations will go toward achieving their goals remains to be seen. It is worth noting that within five months of the summit, the nations fought in the Persian Gulf a war that proved to be one of the most expensive—$61 billion—and environmentally destructive ever. In its aftermath hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq and Kuwait were displaced. Thousands perished—at one stage hundreds of people every day—from starvation, exposure, malnutrition, and disease. About 8 in 10 were women and children.
Woes Foretold
Students of God’s Word are aware that the problems afflicting the world’s children were foretold nearly two thousand years ago. The Bible prophesied of these “last days”:
◻ “There will be . . . pestilences.” —Luke 21:11.
◻ “There will be food shortages.” —Matthew 24:7.
◻ “[Men will be] ruining the earth.”—Revelation 11:18.
◻ “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.”—Mark 13:8.
◻ “Critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, . . . having no natural affection.”—2 Timothy 3:1-3.
The Bible also foretold that the time is soon coming when the nations will think they are making enough headway in patching up mankind’s problems that they will proclaim: “Peace and security!”—1 Thessalonians 5:3.
A Bright Future
That proclamation, however, will actually signal the time for God’s intervention in the affairs of mankind. By means of his heavenly Kingdom, God will remove this present system of things and usher in a new world of true peace and lasting security, for children as well as for adults.—Proverbs 2:21, 22; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:10.
Under God’s magnificent Kingdom arrangement, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24) Malnutrition will be a thing of the past: “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.” (Psalm 72:16) Even war will be no more, for the Bible promises: “[Jehovah] is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth.”—Psalm 46:9.
But what of all the children—and others—who have already died from malnutrition, disease, or other causes? God’s inspired Word declares: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.
When he was on earth, Jesus Christ demonstrated that the resurrection to life on earth in God’s new world would include young ones. For example, when a girl about 12 years old died, “people were all weeping and beating themselves in grief for her.” But then, taking the hand of the youngster, Jesus said to her: “Girl, get up!” The historical account relates: “She rose instantly, and he ordered something to be given her to eat.” What was the reaction of her parents? The Bible reports: “They were beside themselves with great ecstasy.”—Luke 8:40-42, 49-56; Mark 5:42.
On another occasion, Jesus met a funeral procession involving a widow whose only-begotten son had died. Jesus “approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still, and he said: ‘Young man, I say to you, Get up!’ And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he [Jesus] gave him to his mother.” Those who were nearby “began to glorify God.”—Luke 7:11-16.
Thus, under the righteous rulership of God’s Kingdom government, children, including those resurrected, will have the brightest future possible. They will be able to grow up in a world of righteousness and peace so beautiful, so secure, so prosperous, that Jesus quite aptly calls it “Paradise.”—Luke 23:43.
[Picture on page 9]
In God’s new world, children will grow up secure, healthy, and happy