a long time, but only what’s needed

For nearly 6,000 years, humans have tried to live apart from God. The result has been increasingly widespread pain through war, hunger, crime, and injustice.

This long period serves a purpose. Rebellion by Satan challenged the rightness of Jehovah God’s rule, so time had to show, beyond doubt, whether humans could succeed without God or whether self-rule would end in failure. That record now stands open for all to see.

Meanwhile, the delay has also allowed loyal people to prove that love for God can hold under pressure. Job is a clear example. God said Job was “blameless and upright”, yet Satan claimed Job served God only for gain (Job 1:7-12). In the same way, hardship can produce endurance and hope (Romans 5:3-5). God doesn’t accept a partial answer. He allows the issue to reach a full settlement, so it never needs repeating.

Human independence has delivered achievements, but not lasting safety or fairness. People have reached the moon, built vast networks, and created powerful machines. Still, millions lack food, decent housing, and peace of mind. In 1974, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warned the world food situation was “more difficult and uncertain” than at any time since the years after the Second World War. Reports in the United States also said the fight against hunger had moved backwards (New York Times, 20 Jun 1974).

Environmental destruction tells the same story. Scientist Georg Borgström noted that humans have created more deserts than new irrigated land, cut down over half the world’s forest cover, and damaged topsoil through overuse. At the same time, pollution and misuse of energy raise fears of harmful weather shifts. People can build skyscrapers fast, yet slums keep growing, and insecurity remains high. As U.N. Secretary-General K. Waldheim said,

“Despite material progress, human life has never had a greater sense of insecurity than it is experiencing today.”

Religion also shares blame. Too often, religious organisations have aligned with political power, excused corruption, and blessed wars. A New York Times Magazine piece on Ethiopia reported that the church, owning one-third of the land, still demanded rent from poor peasants, who paid about 90% of their crops in rent and taxes. At the same time, many churches have failed to build strong habits of honesty, decency, and neighbour love. Commentators have pointed to a clear moral decline (Saturday Review/World, 18 May 1974)

Humans can’t undo the damage of thousands of years, but Jehovah God can, and He promises that He will—

“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever.” —Daniel 2:44