The Nobel Peace prize for 2025 has just been awarded to Maria Corina Machado from Venezuela. Maybe not many people knew of her or her work. There was some speculation about whether the US president Donald Trump (much more well-known) would get the prize for negotiating a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. And this has been far more prominent in the news, especially as the live hostages have been returned to Israel. But the short-list for the prize had been drawn up a while ago.
This Middle East deal, facilitated by Donald Trump, is seen by many as a major breakthrough. Donald Trump himself hailed it as such, saying that there had not been peace in the Middle East for 3,000 years, and that ‘maybe’ the peace would be ‘everlasting’.
It is certainly true that for thousands of years there has been conflict in the Middle East. Of course, it remains to be seen how long this peace deal will actually last, but we can be certain that peace in the Middle East will not be ‘everlasting’. Why? Because the Bible says so.
The Bible most definitely predicts everlasting peace; and not just in the Middle East – in the whole world. Here is one such prophecy:
‘He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore’
Isaiah 2:4
The underlined words are inscribed on a wall near the United Nations buildings in New York. But, despite their efforts, the United Nations have failed to achieve peace.
The ‘he’ referred to in the prophecy is Jesus Christ. And other, similar, passages in the Bible make it clear that this prophecy is describing the kingdom of God on earth, ruled over by Jesus after his return.
But the Bible is also clear that before this reign of peace there will be a time of great trouble. The prophet Zechariah predicted an awesome battle against Jerusalem, where Jesus comes back to rescue the Jews who have survived (Zechariah 14:1-4). He also prophesied that the Jews, who have mostly rejected Jesus, will finally believe in him.
‘And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn’
Zechariah 12:10
That chapter also predicts the fearsome battle with Jerusalem. Quite clearly, these events are still in the future.
Another prophet, Ezekiel, described a future battle in Israel (Ezekiel 38:10-23). Verses 11-12 described an invader of Israel:
‘…I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will fall upon the quiet people who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having no bars or gates, to seize spoil and carry off plunder…’
This invader is destroyed by God.
Consequently, despite their best efforts (however genuine), no human beings can bring about lasting peace in the Middle East, let alone the world.
Bible students watch world events in the light of Bible prophecies such as these. The news heralds the return of Jesus.
But there are also warnings for us. The apostle Paul wrote to believers in Thessalonica:
‘While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape’
1 Thessalonians 5:3
He was warning about ‘the day of the Lord’ and judgment by Jesus.
We need to heed these warnings. We need to be preparing for the return of Jesus, because it could happen sooner than we imagine. He will only accept us if we have tried to follow him. To some professing believers he will say chilling words:
‘On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”’
Matthew 7:22-23
We may not know much about Maria Corina Machado; we are unlikely to know Donald Trump personally, but we have Bibles and we should make every effort to know and follow Jesus Christ. For it is certain that one day he will identify his true followers and establish everlasting peace.