Read
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Reflect
There are some things you should never touch — the so-called third-rail topics that will only anger some people. Well, I’m about to break that rule.
Today is the 50th anniversary of one of the most beloved songs of all time — John Lennon’s “Imagine.” The song is sung at school chorale concerts, played in piano recitals and serves as the theme songs of homecomings and proms. It was prominently used in this year’s Olympic Games in Japan — and why not? It’s seen as an anthem of love and peace, and in some ways it is.
Some of the themes are things that reflect the ultimate world that the Lord will bring about when He returns:
- “Imagine there’s no countries”
- “Nothing to kill or die for”
- “Imagine all the people livin’ life in peace”
- “No need for greed or hunger”
The Bible does talk about the peace the Lord will ultimately accomplish when He brings all of His followers together. Yes, the wolf will dwell with the lamb and men will beat their swords into ploughshares. But the other theme of “Imagine” is the problem — the part that is an anthem of human self-reliance and of a day when the people of the world no longer need God.
- “Imagine there’s no heaven … no hell below us, above us only sky.”
- “Imagine all the people livin’ for today.”
- “And no religion, too.”
- “A brotherhood of man.”
It all seems noble, but the vision of peace in Isaiah 11 is wrapped in the knowledge of God. This is one of the scriptures that predicts the coming of Jesus as the Lord’s chosen one.
- “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse…” (v. 1)
- “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him…” (v. 2)
- And when the wolf is living with the lamb and the lion and the fatted calf are frolicking together in that day of peace, “a little child shall lead them.” (v. 6)
“Imagine” hopes for things that we all want. We want peace, and we should want peace. But ultimate peace will only come about when we all live in the knowledge and love of God — not in the absence of Him. Jesus even acknowledges that wars are like the earth’s labor pains and will be with us until He returns. “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6) Ultimately, He said, that peace can only come from a relationship with the Lord. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
If “Imagine” is one of your favorite songs, I’m sorry for raining on your parade. But imagining a world without heaven and with a belief in yourself instead of God is not comforting to me — it’s actually terrifying. The world is living for today, and you can see the results in school and workplace shootings, riots, looting, identity theft, substance abuse, etc. People are forgetting about God and living for themselves, and the world is not getting better. The best step to achieve world peace is to pursue peace within ourselves by establishing peace with God. Only when the world has acknowledged the One who created everything and achieved peace with Him will is be possible to have peace with each other.
Reflection copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
