The End of a Great War

tHe

END Of a

greAt WA R

tHe

END Of a

greAt WA R David Cook

A Meaningless War when world war i broke out in 1914,

some of the young men sent into battle thought it would be a short adventure, an experience of a lifetime that they could tell their children and grandchildren about.

The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria in June 1914 had sparked a war with Serbia, dividing Europe and dragging many other countries, including Australia and New Zealand, into what they called the “Great War”. But the young men soon found that it would be no adventure.

The war would last more than four years, killing 17 million people and wounding another 20 million. For many, it seemed to be a purposeless war that no one knew how to prevent, and, once started, no one seemed to know how to end.

It was only four years later, at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918, that the Armistice—a cease-fire—came into effect. In June 1919, the Great War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles between the victorious allied forces and Germany.

“The young men of the Commonwealth embarked on what they thought would be the adventure of a lifetime,” observed 2

Australian art critic Robert Hughes.

“A cross between a game of cricket and a game of polo. The mechanised murder which they found in the Somme valley would stretch languages’ ability to describe horror . . .”

The Great War saw millions of people fight with great world war i courage in battle for lasted more the sake of loyalty than four to king and country. years, killing Unfortunately, it wasn’t “the war to 17 million end all wars”, as people and some labelled it at wounding the time. In 1939, another 20 just 20 years later, million.

World War II broke out, and between 1939 and 1945, it killed more than 60 million people.

All warfare is tragic. But World War I was seen as especially purposeless and meaningless. French theologian Jean Calvin once said, “War ought to be nothing else than an attempt to obtain peace.” But there appeared to be no clear cause or reason for World War I. Many historians observe that it was hardly inevitable, and wonder if it was pointless. Such a lack of purpose 3

4

added to the weight of grief of the many millions who lost loved ones in battle. If you visit the battlefields of World War I today, you’ll be struck by this sense of meaninglessness, expressed in countless epitaphs, “Our hearts are broken, for what?”

A Historic Battle there is another war, however, that

also had worldwide implications, but this one was inevitable. Unlike World War I, it was fought by one man on one battlefield. This man was in fact born to fight this battle, a battle in which he represented the interests of all humanity. This battle had a purpose, and its roots lie in the very beginning of history itself.

According to the Bible, God created the world and the first humans, Adam and Eve, to have a perfect, everlasting relationship with Him in a garden paradise called Eden. But they did not trust God fully and disobeyed Him—they ate the fruit that He clearly told them not to eat. This sin—missing the holy God’s perfect standards—destroyed their perfect communion with God and separated them from Him, the source of eternal life. It was as if they had pulled 5

6

the plug of an electric device out of the power socket—without connection to the source of electricity, they lost power.

Their sin resulted in the penalty of death.

Since then, we, the offspring of Adam and Eve, have been talking to God in the same way. Just like they wanted Eden but didn’t want God, we too tell God, “We want all you can give us. But we don’t want you.” But we have found that life without God is This battle full of trouble and had a purpose, strife—as seen in and its roots our wars, violence, lie in the very breakdown of beginning of relationships, and history itself. constant struggle in life. Being separated from God, we have come under the control of sin, which destroys our relationship with God and with each other. As a result, we all deserve the punishment of death and separation from God. God, however, gave Adam and Eve— and all their offspring—hope. From the very beginning of time, God had a plan to reconcile humankind back to himself, and to offer the hope of another paradise. God said that a man would 7

come and crush the enemy, though he would be wounded in the process. “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring,” God said, addressing this man. “He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

This message was repeated throughout the Old Testament. The man is coming, God said, and the battle would be fought. This battle would involve two fronts. This man would not only contend with sin and its source, but also bear the punishment for all humankind’s sins, so that we can be forgiven of our sin and be reconciled to Him. Isaiah, a prophet, said of this man: “He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins . . . All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:5–6).

In the New Testament, we see the man arriving. The man, Jesus Christ, not only lived a perfect life on earth, but was also in perfect harmony with God, whom he called his Father. He said that he came to give his life so that we would be set free from the control of sin.

Jesus went to the battlefield in the 8

9

10

war against sin, where he was killed.

Ironically, however, his death won the battle on both fronts.

By dying on the cross for our sake, Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, so that if we believe in Him, we are no longer accountable for our sin before God. His death means we are His victory forgiven and spared over death the punishment showed that that we deserve— death and eternal he had won separation from God. the battle Paul, a follower of against sin and its power Jesus, said: “For God made Christ, who to kill. never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

At the same time, Jesus was resurrected three days after he died.

His victory over death showed that he had won the battle against sin and its power to kill. In raising him from the dead, God showed that He accepted Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death.

Paul wrote: “He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25).

11

God's Offer of Forgiveness and Reconciliation as we commemorate the end of WWI

and pay tribute to the brave men and women who died in battle, we can take comfort in the fact that while wars between men may never end, the ultimate battle has been won. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin and death itself.

You and I are the beneficiaries of this profound victory. We have the assurance that God has forgiven us and the penalty for our wrongdoing has been paid by Jesus. We are no longer under the control of sin and do not suffer its consequence of death. This assurance of forgiveness, reconciliation, and victory is ours when we confess our sin before God and believe that Jesus died and rose from death for our sake. We will then enjoy the fruits of Jesus’ victory over sin: while we will still have to navigate life with all its challenges, we will have the secure knowledge that Jesus is walking with us through our battle—a battle that he has already won.

12

Will you accept this offer? You can now pray and say to God: I’m sorry that I have ignored You and lived life my way, wanting what You could give but not wanting You. Thank You for sending Jesus to pay the penalty for my wrongdoing. Please forgive me and help me live a life that recognises You as my Maker and Owner. Amen.

If you have prayed this prayer, you can talk to the person who gave you this tract, or contact a local church where someone can help you.

We at Our Daily Bread Ministries would also like to help you. Simply use the attached form to request related biblical materials. You can also visit us online at ourdailybread.org/australia and browse our extensive selection of printed and digital resources.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright Š1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

13

Stay Connected.

Start every day inspired with the Our Daily Bread app.

ourdailybread.org/mobileresources

For information on our resources, please contact the office nearest to you from the list below, or go to ourdailybread.org/locations for the complete list of offices.

AUSTRALIA: Our Daily Bread Ministries PO Box 15, Kilsyth, VIC 3137, Australia Tel: (+61-3) 9761-7086, australia@odb.org NEW ZEALAND: Our Daily Bread Ministries PO Box 303095, North Harbour, Auckland 0751, New Zealand Tel: (+64-9) 444-4146, newzealand@odb.org

For information on our resources, please contact the office nearest to you from the list below, or go to ourdailybread.org/locations for the complete list of offices.

Australia: PO Box 15, Kilsyth, VIC 3137, Australia Tel (+61 3) 9761 7086 New Zealand: PO Box 313095, North Harbour, Auckland 0751, New Zealand Tel (+64 9) 444 4146

Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable Our Daily Bread Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination.

ourdailybread.org