A New World Order

… for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Matthew 26:52 New Testament, The Bible

On the last day of February, President Trump unceremoniously demonstrated the existence of a new world order. The previous rules-based order of international law which he had been progressively undermining was comprehensively shredded by his unannounced war on Iran. The frequently noted vagueness and shifting explanations given by Trump and senior members of his administration give the lie away that  there is any ethical or legal justification for the attacks on Iran. There is none. The only thing that mattered was that he could do it and what others may have thought or what some abstract notion of law might declare were of no consequence. Trump has driven the world into a place where the only thing that matters is, do I have the power to do it? If I do, then why not? The only thing that matters now is might.  

It is not only in the sphere of international politics that he has radically undermined law and rule, he has demonstrated the same attitude domestically. The operation of ICE and the ethos underpinning it shows the same willingness to ignore the law and tear-up the rule book. Court rulings are treated with disdain and Congress is simply ignored. Lip-service is paid to the carefully constructed checks and balances of the American constitution.

The rewriting of world order in this way opens up the way for other powerful actors to act as they wish with little or no restraint. The present government of Israel clearly feels it is now free to exercise its own military strength to achieve long held objectives of the Zionist far right. It seems almost certain that Israel will annexe the West Bank, and greatly expand its borders both to the north and to the west. Taiwan must be regarding the new order with nervousness as it wonders if China will similarly decide to “re-unite” China.  We should not be surprised if, in the next few years, we see radically redrawn borders across the world.

Jesus famously rebuked the disciples when one used his sword to cut-off the High Priest’s servant’s ear during Jesus’ arrest that fateful night before Good Friday. He warned them that to choose to live by the sword is to choose to die by it. The world has been thrust into a new order where the only rule is might. Rather than greater security there will be less. Israel has become adept at assassination with little regard for the cost in innocent human lives. The US has given its imprimatur to Putin’s strong-man world view and nations are racing to arm themselves with independent nuclear weapons. Nation will eye nation with armed suspicion. The poor and weak will suffer and orphans of war will multiply across the nations and the number of displaced persons will continue to escalate.

Is there any hope for future generations? Holy Week reassures us that this state of affairs will not last forever, that it is temporary, and that God will bring about a new order where might is not right but justice will flow like rolling waters. Every knee will bow before Christ and every tear will be wiped away (1). The times of disorder will not be allowed to continue and rulers will be brought to account. Meanwhile, the ambassadors of Christ must continue to work to protect the weak and the poor.

1. Philippians 2:10,11, Revelation 21:4, New Testament, The Bible.