It recently occurred to me that the Bible could be viewed as one part conviction and correction, and one part inspiration and glorification.
1 Peter 5
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect,
stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Sums it up nicely, thank you Lord. May it be so for me.
As for the first sentence of the external in the op, that needs some qualification. Because it is not true. There have been significant periods of
peace, some of them recorded in the Bible, throughout human history. The Bible teaches
All throughout history, mankind has had nothing but conflict
when he has turned away from God and the truth of His teachings.
The OT is full of examples of this happening to the Israelites. You don't have to look hard to see it happening around us today. Government is by and
large corrupt, selfserving, and warmongering. When rulers fail to care for the poor, minister to the widowed, and be fair to the fatherless, it
generally isn't long before the judgment of God descends. Government has always exacted its price on the people (see 1 Samuel 8:11-17), and when it
fails to deliver, at first
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.
But eventually He does hear, after He lets you learn a lesson or two. He is faithful to deliver His chosen. Many are called...
[end bold]
[edit on 16-5-2008 by Icarus Rising]