Once again the nation has been shocked, stunned and saddened by a senseless act of mass murder of innocent victims—20 of them young children, leaving parents and loved ones devastated and grief-stricken. Their lives are forever shattered as they face life without their beloved babies with whom they will never have a chance to share the joys of childhood. They won't get to see them develop into happy, successful adults with families of their own.

No ball games, no report cards, no parent-teacher conferences (unless they have sessions to deal with their grief), no friends over, no graduations, marriages or grandchildren. Only pictures and memories from the few fleeting years of their young lives cut short by the violent crime that may never be sorted out (in this life).

What can human beings do to solve the problem of violence and murder?

After virtually every tragic massacre, officials speak out for measures to assure that "this will never happen again." So once again the cries for stricter gun control laws arise. The debate rages as others point out that, “Guns don’t kill people; People kill people.” Good point!

Theologically speaking, the problems of murder, manslaughter and homicide are deeply rooted in the nature of man. No human being can solve that problem, because no human being has the power to change human nature. In fact we have problems even changing our own nature and the problems that it causes us. Stricter gun control laws will not prevent future acts of violence; and sad to say, shooting rampages will happen again.

But the good news from the pages of your Bible is that God has a plan that will eliminate war and crime and bring about a world of universal peace and safety. At the United Nations building stands a statue depicting one of the most famous Bible prophecies of that time of coming world peace—Isaiah 2:4: “He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; 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.”

The same prophet Isaiah wrote, “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore….  No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life.... For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the LORD, and their children, too, will be blessed…. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the LORD, have spoken!" (Isaiah 65:17-25 New Living Translation).

The New Heavens and New Earth are described in more detail in the final two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21-22).

My favorite scripture is a most touching promise recorded in Revelation 21:4: "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'

Then and only then can it be said—regarding not only shooting sprees, but all forms of violence, and the pain and suffering (physical and emotional) and death itself—“This will never happen again!” God Himself has promised!