A glance at the news shows that peace cannot be taken for granted.

A war here, a conflict there. In 2021 alone, experts classified 20 conflicts as wars. We're used to dealing with numbers, and the number 20 might not particularly worry us. But it should! When we associate this number with human lives and realise that some 100 to 200 million people have died in wars in the 21st century, it makes us feel quite different.

The Bible also tells of a war that began a long time ago and has lost none of its intensity to this day: "Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back." (Revelation 12:7).

This battle was caused by a rebellion. Satan fights against Christ. In this rebellion against God, Satan has been able to win many angels and men to his side. Humanity is deeply involved in this conflict; there is a battle for every individual. All the wars around us are effects of this conflict. The spirit of rebellion is everywhere: self-exaltation and selfishness!

The culprit is Satan. But it seems easy to blame someone else for suffering. In reality, we are all partly to blame. After all, humans voluntarily sided with Satan. When Adam and Eve listened to him and ate the forbidden fruit, they mistrusted God and broke His law. The consequences were disastrous for their first descendants: murder, envy, jealousy, hypocrisy, immorality, and infidelity, these are all things that still cause conflict within families or globally.

The Bible says, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Romans 8:22). Our world is in great distress. Even nature has become a battlefield. Why all this? Why does God allow Satan to come to earth, evil people to fight innocent people, and death to exist?

God is a God of love. He wants a genuine relationship with His creatures. However, this is only possible if everyone is free to decide whether they want to belong to Him or not. If God had put the rebel, Satan, out of action right at the beginning, then all other creatures would only have served God out of fear, not out of love.

As it is now, however, the contrast between God's and Satan's government becomes clear – it couldn't be clearer! What is happening here on earth is like a great spectacle for the entire universe. God's reign is being vindicated. God Himself wants this transparency because He desires a genuine relationship with His creatures. Everyone can see where turning away from God leads.

God is not the one who, as is often said, finances war and suffering. He has no interest in pain and suffering. He Himself has made the greatest sacrifice to end this war.

"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Romans 8:33-34). This text dispels two prejudices:

1. God wants to punish us. On the contrary, He wants to absolve us.
2. God wants to leave us alone with our suffering. No, he wants to save us. God gave his son Jesus to give us a way out.

Because God has given us free will, I can choose to be either a winner or a loser in this gigantic war, because God has already won through the death of Jesus.

The last book of the Bible tells us the outcome of this battle. It is not just any end, but God will bring everything to a good end. He will make all things new and put an end to suffering. God has made the greatest sacrifice in the history of the world; my part is simply to accept this sacrifice for myself.

In the words of the prophet Elijah, who faced his contemporaries with a choice, "'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.' But the people said nothing" (1 Kings 18:21).

We should have an answer ready! Choose God's side today and don't be a casualty of war, but an eternal victor!

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Bible texts for in-depth study:
Genesis 3; Job 1:6-12; Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18; Luke 4:5-6; Romans 8:31-39; 1 Corinthians 4:9; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4; Ephesians 3:8-10; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:4-12