Kingdom Come

6 min read

12 “Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side.”

— Joel 3:12

SPOILER ALERT FOR NYT WORDLE OR CROSSWORD PUZZLE PLAYERS: Finish your puzzle before reading any further.

Many, if not most, Israelites may think that this prophecy reveals that one final, literal war is coming between Israel and all of its enemies. Who knows if that will be the case.

But I wonder if the hawks in Israel use prophecies like this as justification for the wars they are always fighting. And then I wonder if their hawkishness plays into the hands of the military-industrial oligarchs who seem to control the world. What is the value of thousands or even millions of human lives stacked up against all the profit that can be made to line the purses of a few?

Forgive me for my conspiratorial ranting, but honestly, the way the world seems to be, it’s hard not to think along these conspiratorial lines these days.

And besides, it’s hard not to think along these lines based on Scripture, too. At least for me.

Now, I am fasting streaming media and social media for Lent, but I do allow my mind to take little breaks with puzzles. The wordle word for today is DEVIL. And then one of the answers to the NYT crossword is SATAN.

It was a bit shocking and ominous. I was really surprised that the NYT games editor would allow these words into the daily puzzles.

One good thing about that, though, is that it motivated me to pray a prayer of repentance and vigilance to start off the day.

Another good thing (if you could call it “good”) is that it was a good reminder that the world is in the hands of the devil. Therefore, it is no surprise that hawkish government leaders seem to be puppets of a military-industrial oligarchy.

And why would I call that good? Well, because it reminds me that I am a citizen of the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the devil. And one day, God will bring the kingdom of the devil to an end.

Judgment is coming on this world, and all the enemies of God and His people will come to an inglorious end. There will not be much of a war to speak of at all. The beast and the false prophet will be captured, and their armies will be destroyed by the “sword coming out of the mouth” of Christ (Revelation 19:11-21). GG.

And then after it’s release, the devil (not the beast or the false prophet) will gather all the nations for war against God’s people—the church. But then fire will come down from heaven and end that war in an instant (Revelation 20:7-10). GG.

One more good thing about these puzzles today: I am reminded that the devil has no hold on me and no place in my life, because Christ is in me and I am in Christ. GG. Good God.

Father, You have saved me. Use me to save others. And prepare my heart for Your coming, even if it is today. But also, help me to stay faithful to the calling and purpose You have established by Your sovereign hand for my life. Finally, protect me and my family and protect all my Canvas family from the evil one. In Jesus’s name. Amen.