IV
NEVER TO
RETURN?
The
lie: Jesus is gone forever.
For
almost two thousand years, Christians have had an eager anticipation of an
event known as “the second advent of Christ.”
This hope is based on the fact that after His resurrection and, just
before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He promised His followers that He would
someday return to establish His own Kingdom on earth in Jerusalem. Christians
have believed that Jesus would return to abolish evil and to establish justice;
that He would rule over a new world where the lion would “lay down with the
lamb” and where swords would be “beaten into plow shares;” a place where there
would be no more war because the entire earth would be “filled with the
knowledge of God as the waters cover the seas.” The promise of this glorious
kingdom had been previously made to the Jewish people by several of their
ancient prophets, some of whom predicted that this kingdom was to be
established by their long awaited Messiah, who would deliver Israel from her
enemies and fulfill the many wonderful promises made to their forefathers.
Christians have also believed
that the day would come when the earth itself would be totally renewed. In this new world there will be no more pain
or sorrow; death and evil will be forever annihilated; and those who trust in
Him will enter into an everlasting relationship with God that will bring forth
ever-increasing joy and fulfillment throughout all eternity.
It is no wonder that Christians
have looked forward to the coming of their Lord, especially since evil and
corruption is rampantly pervading this present world. Jesus instructed His followers to do whatever
is possible to alleviate the suffering and sorrows of this world; but, He made
it absolutely clear that the only permanent solution for the problems of
mankind would never be realized until He returned to establish His own
kingdom. In other words, the only true
and lasting world peace will be established by the Prince of Peace Himself,
Jesus of Nazareth.
In speaking of His return, Jesus
stated that no person would ever know the exact day or hour of its occurrence;
however, He did indicate that the general time of His second coming
could be known by those who remained attentive to certain prophetic signs. Jesus spoke of several of these signs as general
indications that would precede His second coming. However, He and the ancient
prophets also made numerous detailed predictions about specific events
that would occur before the Messiah would establish His kingdom.
History has been witnessing the
miraculous fulfillment of many of these specific predictions which were written
hundreds and even thousands of years before they actually came to pass. There has especially been a rapid
acceleration of these “end times” prophecies coming true in just this past
century.
Because of misguided zeal, many
sincere Christians have over-reacted to the fulfillment of prophecy concerning
the second coming of Christ. In the
past, certain groups of Christians have fled to the mountains because of their
certainty that Christ’s return was imminent.
Others have marched through the streets proclaiming that He would come
within a matter of days. However, such
reactions have usually stemmed from ignorance about prophecy and have served to
create greater doubts among skeptics about Christ’s return than they ever had
before.
The early church had an obvious
anticipation of Christ’s return which prompted them to zealously proclaim the
Gospel and to always maintain a state of readiness to meet Him. Such an attitude should be maintained by every
Christian because certain prophecies do seem to indicate that Jesus could call
His followers, as a group, out of this world at any time of His choosing - even
before every specific prophecy is fulfilled. This attitude of preparedness is especially
wise because life is fragile and the possibility of death is ever-present and
will eventually come upon most people at an hour that they do not expect.
The early Christians
expected Jesus to return very soon, but they never pinpointed or focused upon
an exact time of arrival. In fact, the
Apostle Peter wrote; “But do not let this one fact escape your notice beloved,
that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one
day. The Lord is not slow about His
promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any
to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:8, 9).
In the past, Many Christians
have made the mistake of assuming that the fulfillment of certain prophecies
meant that the end of the world was immediately at hand. They failed to see that the Bible contained
other specific predictions which also had to occur before Christ’s
return to this earth to set up His kingdom.
Jesus said that no one would
ever know the exact time of His return; however, He did indicate that there
would be a particular “generation” in history which would be able to
know the general time of His coming.
Jesus said that this particular generation would “not pass away” until
all things were fulfilled. This
prediction seems to indicate that there would be a certain generation in
history that would witness an accelerated fulfillment of Bible prophecy just
prior to Christ’s return to this earth.
First, there was one very
important prophetic event which had to occur before any generation would be
able to recognize this general time of Christ’s return. Many Christians in the past have ignored the
prophecies about this one event because it was inconceivable that such an event
could ever literally occur. They tried
to “spiritualize” or “symbolize” the prophecies about, or related to, this
event rather than accept their literal meanings.
During World War I, many
Christians proclaimed that the end of the world was at hand yet this key
prophecy had not been fulfilled. World
War II came and the alarm was once again sounded by certain Christians yet this
key prophecy had still not come true.
Christians are sounding the alarm once again; only this time, that
inconceivable prophecy has been fulfilled! It concerns the small nation of Israel and
its fulfillment is truly miraculous.
An
Indestructible Nation
Before
considering this remarkable prophecy, it is important to know certain details
of Jewish history. The Jews have been
the most persecuted race of people in all of history. It is true that other races have suffered
terrible and cruel treatment at different periods in time; but, no other race
has had to endure the long, relentless history of persecution that the Jews
have had to endure.
Almost four thousand years ago
the Jews were forced to become slaves in Egypt.
This period of painful bondage lasted for about four hundred years. The
famous story of their “Exodus” from Egypt has been passed down and celebrated
from one generation to the next throughout Jewish history. More than 2700 years
ago, the ten northern tribes of Israel were conquered by Assyria and many were
dragged off into exile. At two later periods in history, even Jerusalem was
violently taken away from them and their sacred temple was destroyed as well. The first destruction occurred around 600
B.C. when Israel was conquered by Babylon. At this time, the Israelites were
led away into captivity at Babylon in several phases between 600-580 B. C.
It is
interesting to note that this event was predicted to occur by several ancient
Hebrew prophets, long before it actually happened. Moses was one of those who foretold of this
event, as did Isaiah and Jeremiah. For example, the book of Isaiah states: “Behold, the days are coming when all that is
in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day
shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your sons who shall issue from
you, whom you shall beget, shall be taken away; and they shall become officials
in the palace of the king of Babylon.” (Isaiah 39:6, 7). This prophecy was made
about one hundred fifty years before the Babylonian conquest of Israel actually
occurred. Isaiah goes on in chapter
forty five to mention the exact name of the Persian king who would finally release
Israel from captivity.
Jeremiah
also foretold of the conquest of Israel by Babylon several years before it
happened and he even stated the exact number of years which they would remain
in servitude. (Jeremiah 25:11). Furthermore the prophecies of Moses even
antedate those of Isaiah and Jeremiah by many hundreds of years. God predicted
such events through His prophets, not because He was going to deliberately
cause them to happen, but because of His foreknowledge, He knew what actions
and events were going to take place in the future. Many predictions could have been annulled if
only the people would have heeded God’s prophetic warnings.
After
being allowed to return from Babylon to rebuild their temple, a few centuries
later, the Jewish people were once again subjugated and humiliated by a Greek
tyrant named Antiochus Epiphanes who ruled the
Seleucid Empire after the division of Alexander the Great’s kingdom. This mad
man outlawed every form and vestige of Judaism and he even defiled the Jewish
temple by slaughtering a pig on the altar. The eventual Jewish revolt and
restoration of the temple is still celebrated today by Jewish families in their
feast of “Chanukah.”
In 70
A.D., Titus of Rome conquered the Jews once more and they were again extracted
from their homeland. As a result of this
conquest, the Jews were scattered around the world for almost two thousand
years without a country of their own.
This conquest and dispersion was likewise predicted by several Hebrew
prophets long before it actually took place.
Moses
foretold of this Jewish dispersion more than fifteen hundred years before it
occurred. He said: “Moreover, the
Lord will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other
end of the earth;… And among those nations you shall find no rest
and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot… And the Lord
will bring you back to Egypt in ships by the way about which I spoke to you,
“You will never see it again!” And there you shall offer yourselves for sale to
your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”
(Deuteronomy 28:64-68).
Not only
were the Jews scattered around the world after the conquest in 70 A.D., they
were also sent to the slave markets in Egypt where their supply soon exceeded
the demand for them as slaves. This
prophecy represents an example of a conditional warning which didn’t have to
occur if the people of Israel had only remained true to the Lord.
The
prophet Ezekiel also wrote: “However, I
shall leave a remnant, for you will have those who escaped the sword among the
nations when you are scattered among the countries. Then those of you who escape will remember
among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt
by their adulterous hearts which turned away from me…” (Ezekiel 6:8-9).
Ezekiel’s
prophecy was made more than six hundred years before the dispersion of
Israel. Likewise the prophets Jeremiah,
Isaiah and Amos also foretold of this terrible outcome of Israel and even Jesus
Himself later said; “… for there will be a great distress upon the land and
wrath to this people, and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be
led captive into all the nations; And Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by
the Gentiles…” (Luke 21:23,24).
Not only
did Jesus foretell of Israel’s demise, He also stated in another passage that
the temple would be utterly destroyed to the extent that not one stone would
remain upon another. He even indicated
that this great judgment would occur before His own generation passed away.
According to the records of history, not only was Israel conquered within forty
years from Christ’s prediction, the Jewish temple was completely leveled to the
ground by the Romans. Therefore, the
longest period of suffering and persecution of the Jewish race began with the
generation that rejected their true Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
During
their worldwide dispersion, many nations accepted the Jews and then later
rejected and severely persecuted them. Hundreds of thousands were killed,
imprisoned or forced to renounce their faith from the time of Emperor
Constantine, through the Dark Ages and Spanish Inquisition. They were
eventually expelled from Spain in 1492 (unless of course they would “convert”
to “Christianity;” renounce everything that was considered “Jewish,” and agree
to become second class citizens). If not, they had to leave or be slaughtered.
The Jewish people have been blamed for every ill imaginable throughout history
– even the Bubonic Plague! One of the most heinous and well known crimes in
history involved the extermination of more than six million Jews by Adolf
Hitler. However, in spite of being
scattered, and in spite of enduring relentless persecution, the indestructible
Jew has somehow managed to remain a pure and distinct race against all
odds. This is because they are still a
very special and “chosen” people in God’s eyes. He calls them: “the apple
(pupil) of His eye.”
The Jews
have always been God’s special people throughout their history because God
chose to bless the world through the nation of Israel. However, in doing so, Israel was placed in a
position of great responsibility, a position that no other nation had been
given. So, as long as the Jews remained
faithful to God, He promised to bless them more abundantly than any other
nation on earth. And, indeed, the Jews
have enjoyed several great periods of prosperity, wealth, and happiness as a
nation because they maintained their fellowship with God. During these periods of prosperity, no enemy
could conquer them because the Lord was their protector. Their nation was often protected from
sickness, disease, famine and other plagues that were prevalent in neighboring
countries. Their herds of animals
increased and their crops never failed while the Jews were in harmony with God
and obedient to His laws.
However,
whenever the Israelites turned their hearts and minds away from God, they willingly
excluded themselves from his Divine protection.
God would patiently advise them of their dire situation by sending
instructive warnings and pleas through His prophets. If the people refused to listen to God’s many
prophetic warnings, then judgment would eventually fall upon Israel.
The Jewish
people often received a greater punishment for their wrongs than other nations
received for committing the same offenses because the Jews had been given a
greater revelation of God and therefore had known better than to forsake His
instructions. Because of their position
of responsibility, they were held more accountable for their actions than the
people of other nations.
Israel’s
position of responsibility can be a little better understood when compared to
modern situations involving child development.
For example: If a twelve year
old child deliberately spills ink on a new carpet, that child will usually be
held more accountable than a two year old child who does the same thing. This is because a twelve year old generally
has a greater awareness of wrong than a two year old possesses. Parents give their children certain rules and
instructions to follow because they love their children and know what is best
for them. As a child matures, they should begin to understand the reason for
the rules and the love that rests behind them. God gave Israel certain rules to
follow because He created people and knew what was best for them. His laws were based in love and were intended
to ultimately lead His people into the most abundant and rewarding life
possible.
Judgment
often came upon Israel because the Jews had to reach a state of despair before
they would repent and seek God’s help and fellowship once more. When the Jews were heading down a path which
led to spiritual destruction, it sometimes required physical destruction to
awaken them and cause them to seek the path of eternal spiritual life.
God always
had the future best interests of Israel in mind whenever He dealt with
them. Whether Israel was being punished
or whether Israel was being blessed, the Jews always remained God’s chosen
people because of His promises to their forefathers. No matter what Israel’s spiritual condition
happened to be, God promised to “bless” any nation who treated the Jews fairly
and to “curse” any nation who mistreated them.
The record of history proves the validity of this promise. The empires of Babylon, Egypt, Persia,
Assyria, Rome, Spain, Napoleon’s France, Hitler’s Germany, and Great Britain,
all began to decline shortly after they developed unfavorable attitudes toward
the Jews.
Home at
Last
The
prophets not only predicted the Babylonian conquest of Israel and the great
worldwide dispersion, they also predicted an event which would occur during the
general time of, but prior to, the coming of the Messiah to establish His
kingdom. This was a key prophecy which
had to be fulfilled before the Savior’s return to this earth. According to the
prophets, the Jews had to be restored to their ancient homeland and be established
once more as a nation before God would finally bring an end to human history as
we now know it.
For many
centuries, certain Christian scholars have realized that Israel would once more
have to become a nation in their original homeland before Jesus would come back
to this earth. However, this opinion was
not very popular in the past because most people considered such an event to be
impossible. Even though the prophets had accurately predicted the previous
conquests and worldwide dispersion of Israel, Christians attempted to
“spiritualize” the prophecies which placed the Jews back in their homeland
before Christ’s return, rather than believe in their literal fulfillment. They refused to listen to prophets like
Ezekiel who, twenty six hundred years ago, wrote: “For I will take you from the nations, gather
you from all the lands, and bring you into your own land.” (Ezekiel 36:24). This prediction was made right after the Jews
had been told they would be scattered around the world. (Ezekiel 36:19).
In chapter
thirty eight of the book of Ezekiel, God addresses an enemy to the north of
Israel and says: “After many days you
will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that
is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many
nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste: but its
people were brought out of the nations…”
(Ezekiel 38:8).
The Old
Testament prophets predicted the restoration of Israel and Jesus Himself
indicated that the Jews would be in their homeland before His return. That is why, for many centuries, dedicated
Bible scholars also predicted that this restoration would take place, even
though they were laughed at by their contemporaries. For example, in 1866 a
Bible scholar by the name of James Grant wrote:
“The personal coming of Christ, to establish His millennial reign on
earth, will not take place until the Jews are restored to their own land . . .
now the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the mustering and marshalling of these mighty armies, with a view to
capturing Jerusalem, must require a considerable time yet.”* Other scholars voiced this same
opinion even centuries earlier than James Grant did.
It once
seemed impossible that a tiny nation like Israel, after being persecuted and
scattered abroad for almost two thousand years, would ever be restored as a
nation in the exact geographical location that was inhabited by their
forefathers some four thousand years ago.
However, against all odds, in 1948, the impossible became a reality when
Israel was reborn as a nation in what was then called Palestine. This miraculous event marked the generation
which would witness the return of Jesus Christ to this earth!
The Truth Hurts
Before
considering some of the other significant prophecies which are being fulfilled
in this generation, it is important first to have a general understanding
of what the Bible says will occur on earth prior to Christ’s return. However, discussions about the “end of the
world” often frighten people and cause them to avoid any encounter at all with
the subject. Such an attitude is foolish
because if, after a careful study of the matter, the Christian view is
determined to be untenable, then all fear and apprehension about the topic can
be once and for all dispelled. However,
if the Christian concept seems valid, what possible harm could come from learning
the truth? Hiding from the truth will
not cause the truth to go away. It is
better to know the truth, even if it is sometimes painful, than to avoid it
until it is too late to profit from it.
Suppose
there was a man who had a house situated alongside a river in a deep
valley. Now, what if a concerned local
resident knocked on this man’s door to tell him that the dam upstream was
starting to crack and would probably collapse within hours? Would it be wise for the owner of this house
to cover his ears and ignore the information because he values his home so
much, or should he at least go look at the dam himself? Should he accuse this loving neighbor of
using “scare tactics’ just to get him to leave his happy home or should he
thank him for his concern?
The Bible
contains some frightening information about the “end times” but it also
contains an escape plan for anyone who is willing to listen. The escape plan is unbelievably simple and it
has been offered by God as a free gift.
It is impossible for human beings to earn this gift through their own
merits because it has already been paid for in full by Jesus Christ. More will be said about this free gift in the
following chapters. But, in the meantime, there is absolutely no reason why anyone
should have to fear the end of this world.
The Human Solution
According
to the Bible, before Jesus returns, world turmoil and chaos will increase to
such a degree that the very existence of mankind will become threatened. Because of this, people will desperately be
searching for some way to solve the world’s problems and to establish peace
between nations. Unfortunately, the
majority of the population will be seeking humanistic solutions for problems
which only God will be able to solve.
Because of
these threatening world conditions, most of mankind will enthusiastically
receive any man or system which is capable of bringing the world together in a
unified effort for peace and survival. This attitude will open the door for the
creation of a one-world government and an ecumenical pseudo religious system
that will ultimately be ruled by one man.
This great
world leader will be a charismatic individual who has a supernatural charm and
power which mesmerizes the populace. He
will appear to be the incarnation of peace, strength and wisdom but in reality
he will be a malignant deceiver. The
Bible refers to this man and this one-world system as “Antichrist.” And according to the Bible, the Antichrist
will be energized and indwelt by Satan himself and will be capable of
performing miracles.
Antichrist
will come into power at a time which will ultimately become the most horrible
period of suffering and tragedy in human history. This period is known to Christians as “the
great tribulation” and many believe that it will occur during a literal seven
year period immediately prior to the second coming of Christ (not all
Christians hold this belief). Many of
those who believe in a literal seven year period believe that, during the first
three and one-half years of this seven year tribulation, the Antichrist will
seem to be the answer to world peace. A
pseudo-peace will be established among nations but when the world finally cries
out “peace and safety” at last, then destruction will come upon them suddenly
like birth pangs upon a woman with child…”
(I Thessalonians 5:3).
During the
last three and one-half years of the tribulation, this charismatic world leader
will become the most malicious dictator that the world has ever seen. He will demand to be worshiped as god himself
and he will execute anybody who refuses to do so. People will be required to receive an
identifying mark in order to buy or sell anything. Those who receive such a mark will be eternally
rejecting the only true God by swearing their allegiance to “Antichrist”.
Throughout
this last half of the tribulation, destructive forces will be allowed to run
rampant. Billions of people will die
from war, famine, disease, execution and a host of other terrible plagues. The entire world will ultimately be at war
again until the last great battle on earth called “The Battle of Armageddon” is
halted by the personal return of Jesus Christ to this earth. Jesus will prevent the total annihilation of
mankind and He will reconstruct a devastated earth and establish His own
kingdom of peace.
Fear Not
In spite
of the horrors of the tribulation, Christians need not fear. There are some differences of opinion among
Bible students concerning the exact fate of Christians during this
terrible time but, in each case, there is absolutely no provision for Christian
fear. Some students believe that Christians will be mysteriously taken out of
this world (or “raptured”) before the seven year tribulation
begins. When this “rapture” occurs,
believers who are presently alive and those who have died, will be instantly
“caught up to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:17) and be changed
from mortal to immortal; possessing new imperishable bodies. (I Corinthians
15:51-53).
According
to this viewpoint, during the tribulation, multitudes of the people who were
not raptured will finally become Christians; but, these people will have to be
carried through the remainder of the tribulation by the supernatural
power of God. God will provide physical
sustenance for these believers and He will also give them an inner strength
which defies fear even if they eventually face execution.
Some
students believe that Christians will be raptured at the mid-point of the
tribulation while others maintain that all Christians will have to go through
the entire tribulation before they are raptured. In either case,
Christians will still be miraculously preserved and sustained by the power of
God just as the Israelites were preserved when the awful plagues fell upon
Egypt. Those who are ultimately required
to face execution will do so fearlessly by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The early
Christians were persecuted, tortured, and killed, yet they were so filled with
God’s Spirit that many remained totally unafraid. Christian death was often a spectacle (and
frustration) for non-believers who couldn’t understand such serenity in the
face of pain and death. Many of the
early martyrs sang hymns while they were being consumed by fire at the
stake. Others praised God as they were
being torn to pieces by lions. The
Christian triumph over death is a matter of many historical records.
It is
wonderful to know that God supernaturally strengthens those who are persecuted
because of their faith in Jesus. It is
also comforting to believe that Christians may not have to go through the
tribulation at all. However, the purpose
of this chapter will not be to expound upon which “tribulation-rapture” theory
is more preferable. There are certain aspects of Scripture which are not as
obvious as the basic essential doctrines of the Christian faith. Some of these less obvious facts of Scripture
are only revealed to an individual after intensive research and study. Christians may differ on some of the
peripheral details of Christianity because the Bible says that until Jesus
comes, we will see certain things as “in a mirror dimly” and will only know
things “in part” until that time (I Corinthians 13:12). It is possible for one
Christian to have a greater revelation in certain areas of Scripture than
another Christian. This does not mean
that one is spiritually superior to another nor does it mean that both do not
share the same basic fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith.
Students
of prophecy have some differing views about certain details of the “last days;”
however, most of these students are finally in agreement that Jesus is coming
very soon. The ancient prophecies about
the “last days” are rapidly falling into place.
It would require an entire book to effectively illustrate the many significant
prophecies which are being fulfilled in this generation; therefore, only a very
small portion of them will be briefly considered in the remainder of this
chapter.
Birth Pangs
Some of
the most important prophecies concerning the “end times” were revealed by Jesus
Himself. Jesus made many detailed and
explicit predictions, but, He also spoke of some general “signs” or,
better yet, “symptoms” which the world would experience before His return. These “symptoms” have been occurring to some
degree all through history and because of this, many skeptics of Christianity
have contended that Christ’s predictions are irrelevant. Jesus said that there would be “wars and
rumors of wars;” “nations would rise against other nations” and “kingdoms
against other kingdoms.” He also said
that famines and earthquakes would occur in various places.
Some
Christians have made the mistake of announcing the “end of the world” solely
because these general symptoms could be observed all around them. This problem has arisen only because people
have either misinterpreted or ignored what Jesus actually said. Consider His words in the Gospel of
Matthew: “And you will be hearing of
wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for these things must
take place, but that is not yet the end.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in
various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the
beginning of birth pangs.” (Matthew
24:6-8). Jesus didn’t say that wars and
rumors of wars would mark the end of history.
He said that wars, famines and earthquakes would be like “birth pangs.”
When a woman is in labor, her pains become more frequent and intense as child
birth draws near. What Jesus was saying,
in effect, was that wars, famines and earthquakes would likewise increase in frequency
and magnitude as we approach the time of His return.
Some
people have mistakenly assumed that Jesus promised to return within His own
generation because in the thirty fourth verse of Matthew, chapter 24, Jesus
said: “This generation will not pass away until all these things take
place.” However, in its correct context,
Jesus was referring to the generation which, not only witnessed the
intensification of the general signs, but also witnessed certain specific
events that would likewise occur during the same general time or season. Therefore, Jesus was speaking of a specific
generation but, not necessarily His own.
The
general signs or symptoms which Christ spoke of have become extremely
significant in our current generation.
For example, more human beings have lost their lives in wars during this
past century than in all the other centuries of recorded history combined! Unfortunately people in the twentieth century
have witnessed the entire world at war for the first time in history and
conflicts between nations continue to grow as never before; yet, modern
technology continues to produce weapons which are capable of yielding unlimited
destruction.
Not only
has war intensified, famines have also taken an unprecedented toll of human
life during this past century. We are
currently entering what scientists have predicted to be “an age of
famines.” Already, the annual death toll
from famine is starting to spiral and, unless the course is somehow changed,
much of the whole world will soon be threatened by starvation.
In
addition to wars and famines, Jesus also indicated that earthquakes would
increase in frequency and magnitude. It
is interesting that Jesus would include a physical “symptom” of the earth
itself, as one of the general signs that would precede His second coming
because major earthquakes have been occurring all through history; however,
there has been a scientifically measured increase in the frequency of these
seismic catastrophes during the past few decades.
Seismological
monitoring equipment has enabled scientists to accurately record seismic
disturbances throughout the world and, in each consecutive decade since 1950,
the frequency of earthquakes has approximately doubled.1 According
to statistics, the 1970’s had far more devastating earthquakes than any
previous decade in history. And if this
trend continues, earthquakes in the 1980’s will intensify even further, prior
to reaching its close.
Earthquakes
are now occurring in geographical locations which have never before experienced
such phenomenon. Even volcanic activity
has been increasing during the past decades.
If, indeed this is the general time of Christ’s return, the world can
expect to experience an even greater barrage of earthquakes in the years ahead.
At this
point, it is important to reiterate that an increase in the frequency and
magnitude of these, and a few other general signs which Christ spoke of,
does not necessarily mean that the end of the world is at hand. Jesus said
these things must take place, “but that is not yet the end.” (Matthew 24:6). As previously mentioned, it was also
necessary for certain specific events to also take place before Christ’s
return. Many of these events are rapidly
being fulfilled in “this generation” and some of them are directly related to
the restored nation of Israel.
Middle East Tension
According
to ancient prophets, not only would the Jews be re-established as a nation in
Israel, they would also have to regain possession and control of the ancient
city of Jerusalem. In the twelfth
chapter of the book of Zechariah, the Jews are portrayed as being in control of
Jerusalem when the Messiah returns to conquer the enemies of Israel. For example, verse six of this chapter says:
“In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot among pieces of wood
and a flaming torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and
on the left all the surrounding peoples, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in
Jerusalem.”
Up until
1967, very few people thought it possible for the Jews to ever regain
possession of their ancient city. When
Israel was conquered by Babylon in about 600 B.C., the Jewish sovereign control
of Jerusalem was lost and never totally regained before their worldwide dispersion. Even during the time of Christ, it was the
Romans who controlled Jerusalem and not the Jews. However, in June of 1967, the Jews finally
recaptured the ancient city of Jerusalem in just six days! Now, for the first time in twenty six hundred
years, the Jewish people once again have sovereign control over their holy
city.
Because of
recent developments in the Middle East, we are now witnessing the fulfillment
of several other remarkable prophecies that were once considered to be
ridiculous by many skeptics. According
to Scripture, a conflict between the Arabs and the Jews will cause a “spark”
which ignites the fuse of the final world war.
The Jewish possession of Jerusalem will be a major factor behind this
conflict that eventually brings all nations into the Middle East for the last
great battle on earth called “Armageddon.”
The book of Zechariah says; “Behold I am going to make Jerusalem a cup
that causes reeling to all the peoples around… And it will come about in that
day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all peoples . . .”
(Zechariah 12:2,3).
Not too
many years ago, the idea of world war being triggered by a conflict between the
Arabs and the Jews seemed almost laughable.
That’s because, until recently, the nations of the Middle East were
existing in a rather archaic cultural and technological environment. The western nations were far more
technologically advanced and they had a seemingly infinite military superiority
over the Arab world. Therefore, any
skirmish which might have developed within the backward countries of the Middle
East certainly wouldn’t have threatened world security.
However,
in recent years the picture has drastically changed. The world has now become economically
dependent upon the precious natural resource of oil. The Arab nations have become major world
suppliers of this precious commodity and have therefore entered into a position
of world power. Furthermore, all the
nations of the world would like to have access to Arab oil but there is now a
problem with which all interested nations must contend. That problem is the nation of Israel!
It is no
secret that the Arab countries are incensed by Israel’s national restoration in
Palestine. They are especially
infuriated by Israel’s occupation and control of Old Jerusalem. The ancient city had been a sacred possession
of the Muslim world for many years because located within the city is the
second holiest shrine of all of Islam (Muslim religion). This sacred shrine is called the “Dome of the
Rock” and it is located upon Mount Moriah which is
where the ancient Jewish temple once stood.
Certain
Jewish leaders have expressed a desire to rebuild the ancient temple of Solomon
but this poses an additional threat to the Arab world. Because, according to Jewish law and
tradition, the only place the temple can be located is upon Mount Moriah! All through history, the Arab nations have been
fighting against each other. However,
for the first time, they are starting to unite with one common cause. This common cause is to destroy the nation of
Israel and reclaim Jerusalem. Because of this fact, it is evident that
Jerusalem has now become “a cup that causes reeling to all the peoples” and a
“heavy stone” which is burdening the whole world.
The Arab
nations are continuously placing economic pressures upon major world powers in
order to turn them against Israel. The
great Arab oil weapon has already caused many would be allies of Israel to
shift their support away from the Jews.
Even the United States has been experiencing an anti-Israeli movement
that has gained considerable political strength. However, if the United States ever makes the
immoral decision to desert Israel in the face of danger, America will
undoubtedly suffer a similar, and probably a more severe fate, than those other
great powers in history that did likewise.
Even if
her allies desert her, the tiny nation of Israel is willing to take on the
entire world before the Jews will ever give up their homeland again. When Titus of Rome conquered the Jews in 70
A.D., almost one thousand Jewish patriots defended the last Jewish stronghold
which was known as “Masada.” When defeat
appeared to be imminent, these Jewish patriots chose to commit suicide rather
than surrender. Many world spectators have looked upon Israel as having “the spirit
of Masada” in their current situation because many Israeli’s would rather die
than surrender their country. Jewish
military authorities agree that this spirit of “death before surrender” exists,
but, they have publicly claimed it would be more appropriate to say that Israel
has the spirit of “Samson” rather than “Masada.” (In the Old Testament, when Samson died, he
took his enemies down with him).
If the
destruction of Israel becomes imminent, the Jews will undoubtedly destroy as
many of their enemies as possible. The
Israeli’s have nuclear weapons and they are prepared to use them against any
nation of the world if it becomes necessary.
This sobering fact serves to create an even greater tension in the
Middle East.
Russia
The Bible
contains many detailed prophecies about other individual nations and their
roles in the great climax of history.
The great alliances of power that are currently developing among the
nations of the world were predicted to emerge in the “last days” by the
prophets of Israel. In the Old
Testament, these nations were often identified by their ancient tribal names
and historians have been able to trace the individual histories of these tribes
and determine which modern countries are represented be their descendents.
For
example, the prophets Ezekiel, Daniel and Joel predicted the emergence of a
great northern military power which would attack the restored nation of
Israel. The book of Ezekiel contains a
great amount of information about this battle and the exact identity of this
great army in the second and third verses of Ezekiel, chapter thirty
eight. These verses say; “Son of man,
set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog
the prince of Rosh, Meshach and Tubal and prophesy
against him, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, Behold I am against you, O Gog,
prince of Rosh, Meshach, and Tubal.’” In these verses, it is learned that the
northern army would be descendants of the ancient tribes of Magog,
Rosh, Meshach and Tubal.
For many
centuries, scholars have been able to trace the migrations of these tribes and
have identified them as the people who principally inhabit modern Russia. Ancient historians such as Herodotus,
Josephus, Pliny, and others have provided valuable information about the
histories of these people and, in his book, “The Late Great Planet Earth,” Hal
Lindsey conclusively demonstrates the relationship between these ancient tribes
and modern Russia by providing documentation from both ancient and modern
historians.
Long ago
the prophets predicted the rise of this great military power. Daniel called this power “the kings of the
north,” Joel called it a “northern army” and Ezekiel said that this great army
would come from “the uttermost” or “extreme” north of Israel. Any world map will show that the nation which
lies to the extreme north of Israel is the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, in past
centuries, certain Bible scholars were ridiculed for saying that the Russians
would someday become a great military force that would attack the restored
nation of Israel. They were ridiculed
because the Jews at that time were scattered throughout the world without a
country of their own, while Russia was still an underdeveloped nation of
peasants. The situation has obviously changed from what it was a couple of centuries ago. The Russians are now the most powerful
military force in all of recorded history, plus there is also a great animosity
that now exists between the Soviet Union and the nation of Israel.
(UPDATE: Remember, this was written before the
break-up of the Soviet Union. The dangers are still present and relevant. The
Nation which lies directly north of Israel is Turkey and as alliances continue
to change, Turkey will become a major factor as well as Iran. Both of these
nations are specified in prophecy as well.)
The
Russians would like to gain control of the Middle East because, in doing so,
they would also gain economic control over the United States and Western Europe
who are vitally dependent upon mid-east oil.
However, in order to gain control in the Middle East, the Russians will
somehow have to gain control over Israel too, not only to appease the other
Arab countries, but also because the nation of Israel is located in a
centralized strategic area of the middle east.
Another enticing factor for the Soviets is that there are vast
quantities of untapped mineral resources in the Dead Sea area.
Israeli
military experts agree that their ultimate enemy is going to be the Soviet
Union. This fact was borne out in the
1973 conflict which broke out between Israel and the Arabs. At one point during
this war, Russia had military troops airborne and en route to the Sinai
Peninsula until President Nixon called an alert which turned them back
around. Would Russia now have such respect
for a warning from the United States?
Possibly not, this has been made evident by the recent Russian invasion
and occupation of Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, as conflicts continue to grow in the Middle East, it is
certain that Russia will continue to play an aggressive role wherever possible.
The Bible
tells of other nations that would join Soviet forces in a joint attack against
Israel. And, as with Russia, these
nations have also been traced through history and identified in our modern
world. Some of these nations are now
Iron Curtain countries and others are African and Arab countries. According to
the thirty eighth and thirty ninth chapters of Ezekiel, Russia and these allies
will launch an invasion against Israel that will result in the destruction of
this Northern alliance by God Himself.
This battle will be distinctively separate from the final battle on
earth called Armageddon.
Kings of the East
Another
great military power was also predicted to emerge and become involved in the
final conflict of human history. The
Apostle John referred to this great army as “the kings of the east.” (Revelation 16:12). The Greek words which have been translated to
read “kings of the east” have more appropriately been translated by some
scholars to read “the kings of the rising sun.”* These ancient words were once used to
identify oriental nations and people.
According
to the book of Revelation, this enormous army will come from out of the east
and march across the Euphrates River and into the middle-east. In the ninth chapter of the Book of Revelation,
the Apostle John reveals some terrifying information about this army. For example, in verses fifteen through
eighteen of this chapter, it is revealed that one-third of mankind will be
destroyed by this ferocious army which consists of two hundred million
soldiers!**
These
verses in the book of Revelation may at first be difficult to understand until
the reader becomes familiar with some of the symbolism that is used throughout
the book. It is also important to realize that the Apostle John may have
witnessed visions of the future and quite possibly tried to describe twentieth
century phenomenon in first century terminology. If, in chapter nine, John was witnessing the
mechanisms of modern warfare, how would he relate what he saw to people of his
own day? The terrible judgments in the
book of Revelation do not necessarily have to be correlated with any type of
natural or technological phenomenon; but, it is quite possible that the “fire’
and the “smoke” and the “brimstone” of chapter nine, which is responsible for
killing one-third of the population, will stem from thermonuclear warfare. If, indeed, the Apostle John was given a
futuristic glimpse of thermonuclear warfare, what better way would a man, who had
no knowledge of atomic weaponry, describe the results which are produced by
such terrible devices?
The
prophet Zechariah spoke of a terrible “plague” that would afflict the people
who made war against Jerusalem in the “last days.” Some twenty five hundred years ago, this
prophet said that men’s eyes would rot out of their sockets, their tongues
would deteriorate in their mouths, and their flesh would likewise be consumed
(Zechariah 14:12). What is really
extraordinary about this awful plague described by Zechariah is that all of the
above symptoms would occur while people were still standing on their feet.
Up until
modern times, such a “plague” would definitely have had to been inflicted by
some supernatural force and, indeed, it still may occur supernaturally but not
out of necessity. Many unfortunate
atomic bomb victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were exposed to a thermonuclear
heat that burnt their eyes out of their sockets, their tongues out of their
mouths, and the flesh off of their bodies before they even fell to the
ground.
This revelation
about the destructive power of a ferocious oriental (and demonic) army becomes
remarkably significant in light of the fact that Red China is now producing
thermonuclear weapons. It becomes even
more significant when we consider that Red China has, on several occasions,
publicly boasted of its ability to launch an army of exactly two hundred
million soldiers! John predicted the
size of this oriental army when there weren’t even two hundred million people
on earth!
Antichrist
According
to prophecy, the Western European nations will also unite to form a great
sphere of economic and military power.
This great power will be the main instrument through which the
“Antichrist” will be able to gain world economic control and create a false
peace through a one-world system of religion and government. He (and a man who the Bible refers to as “the
false prophet,”) will institute a treaty with Israel that will appear to
provide “peace and safety” for the tiny nation. However, when Israel makes a
pact with “Antichrist” it will be the gravest error that they have ever
committed in history because this charismatic world leader will ultimately
become the cruelest and most inhumane dictator that Israel and the rest of the
world have ever known.
In the
thirteenth chapter of the book of Revelation, it is learned that the
“Antichrist” or “Beast” as he is sometimes called, will prohibit anyone from
being able to buy or sell anything unless they receive a certain identifying
mark or number upon their right hand or forehead. (Revelation 13:17, 18). In order for this to be accomplished, the
“Antichrist” will have to obtain total economic control and have the ability to
“number” and keep statistical records of every single person on earth. At no other time except the present, would
any individual have had the ability to accomplish this task. However, the advent of computerization has
made this prophecy humanly possible for the first time in history. Right now there are giant computers which are
capable of storing information about every single person on our planet. In fact, in Brussels Belgium, at the
headquarters of the European Common Market, there is a giant computer (Which
ironically is called “the beast”) that is alone capable of performing this function.
Update: The quantum leap in computer technology
since the writing of this book is almost incredible. Please consider that the
following paragraphs were written more than 30 years ago and what seemed
amazing and “far-fetched” back then is now ancient history. We are now living
in an age that the following information predicted.
One-World
For many
years, certain financial powers of the world have been trying to create a
one-world economic system that will effectively stabilize and control faltering
national economies. One of the goals of
this economic system is to eliminate all currency by replacing it with a
“cashless” exchange system. In this
plan, rather than exchanging money for goods and services, all commerce will be
conducted by using a credit type system.
A person’s “paycheck” will automatically be deposited into a computer
and the monetary value will be recorded and placed into a central computerized
account. In this system, a type of
credit card will be used to make purchases of goods and services which will
then be charged against one individual’s account and automatically transferred
to another’s.
There are
many top level sources which confirm that this computerized plan is being
faithfully and methodically instituted.
“Cashless” banking has been anticipated for more than a decade. Consider the following excerpt of an article
which appeared in the June 1, 1975 issue of the Houston Chronicle: “World of Electronic Banking Is Not Very Far
Off . . . (Chicago)… The day is coming when you won’t have to go to your bank
on payday to cash your paycheck. You
won’t get a check. Instead, your
employer will have the funds automatically deposited in your bank account. Want some cash? Then go down to the
employee’s cafeteria and put your plastic card into the machine, punch up your
account and presto—you have cash. But,
why bother with cash? When you go
shopping for groceries, just present your card for payment. The store will automatically transfer funds
from your checking account to pay the bill.
And while you’re at it, you can also transfer funds from your checking
to savings account or from your bank account to your savings and loan account.”*
A
one-world computerized system is becoming more of a reality every day. Little by little, society is being programmed
to receive such a system with open arms.
Many employees are already enjoying the convenience of having their
paychecks automatically deposited in their banks and the use of twenty four
hour computerized “tellers” is also becoming increasingly popular. Local grocery stores are installing rapid
computerized checkout lanes and the worldwide use and acceptance of standard
charge cards is also helping to pave the way for this economic nightmare.
Throughout
the world, people are becoming used to the idea of receiving “numbers” that are
used to facilitate the gathering and storing of information by computers. In the United States, for example, some
school children are even being required to receive social security numbers
which will remain with them for life.
And, unfortunately the preceding examples represent only a few of the
many conditioning processes which are now taking place.
A
computerized standard currency is already being used in the world market. It is
based upon the value of leading world currencies, but it involves no transfer
of paper. This electronic currency is
known as “SDR” which means “Special Drawing Right” and represents only a
foretaste of things to come.
Certain
problems have been anticipated by organizers of this future economic system.
One of them involves the effective use of a “Credit Card.” If a person must have a Credit Card to buy or
sell, serious problems could arise due to theft or loss of the card. To alleviate this anticipated problem, suggestions
have actually been made to implement a system at some point in time which will
require an individual to receive a type of permanent “tattoo” on his or her
body to replace the need for a card and eliminate the problem of theft or
loss. This tattoo would probably be
cosmetically invisab1e unless subjected to infrared light or some other form of
detection.
People who
have no idea of what the Bible says have actually suggested that this
identification mark be placed on the hand or forehead. The hand would be preferable but it could not
be used for amputees or small children.
A child’s forehead would be marked once for life because it is the one
area of the body which experiences the least proportional growth. A child’s hand would have to be re-marked within
years because of excessive distortion of the number due to the development of
the hand.
All of
this may sound like a fictional yarn from the “Twilight Zone” but, nevertheless
such thoughts have been pondered by international organizers of a one-world
economic structure. In 1975, “Southwest
Radio Church” published an article (which is still available) entitled
“Cashless Society A World Without Money.”
In this article, the author quotes statements from many excellent
sources which serve to verify the existence of an international movement toward
a “Cashless Society.” Of particular
interest in this article is a paragraph which contains a quotation from Senior
Scholastic magazine. The paragraph reads
as follows: “The technology for such a
system is already available. The
September 20, 1973, issue of “Senior Scholastics” magazine, a secular news
magazine for high school and college students, carried on the front cover a
full color artist’s rendering of young people representing various races and
ethnic groups with their computer numbers tattooed on their foreheads. The accompanying article was entitled: “Public
Needs and Private Rights Who is Watching You?”
The article reads in part: ‘All
buying and selling in the program will be done by computer. No currency, no change, no checks. In the
program, people would receive a number that had been assigned them tattooed in
their wrist or forehead. The number is
put on by laser beam and cannot be felt.
The number in the body is not seen with the naked eye and is as
permanent as your fingerprints. All
items of consumer goods will be marked with a computer mark. The computer outlet in the store which picks
up the number on the items at the check stand will also pick up the number in
the person’s body and automatically total the price and deduct the amount from
the person’s Special Drawing Rights account…”*
The world
is being conditioned to accept a system that will provide some sound solutions
to worldwide economic problems. The
system itself may be practical and basically harmless at its inception but, at
some point in time, this cashless system may quite possibly become the very
instrument through which the Antichrist is able to gain worldwide economic
control. Once such a system is
established, a world dictator could step in and require people to swear their
allegiance to him by receiving a special mark.
He could make it impossible for anyone to “buy or sell” who did not
possess this symbol of allegiance. A
person who had access to this kind of power could eventually demand to be
worshiped as God Himself.
Knowledge without Wisdom
There are
literally scores of detailed Biblical prophecies about the “end times” which
are rapidly being fulfilled in this generation.
They are falling into place at a time when science and technology have
skyrocketed into a realm of knowledge that would have been unimaginable one
hundred years ago. The words of the
Lord’s messenger as recorded in the book of Daniel become extremely significant
in our advanced technological society because the fourth verse of Daniel,
chapter twelve says: “But as for you Daniel, conceal these words and seal up
the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth (possibly
speaking of travel) and knowledge will increase.” (The “sealing” of the book is later explained
to mean that people would not be able to understand what Daniel was
writing until the end of time).
This
generation has experienced a greater increase in “knowledge” than all the other
generations of history combined. People
who lived one hundred years ago were not too much more technologically advanced
than people who lived two thousand years ago.
And, what is really ironic is that this sudden burst of scientific
knowledge in the twentieth century may quite possibly contribute to the very
destruction of the human race.
Because of
the spectacular scientific achievements which have been made during this
present generation, many people have developed a false confidence about the
ability of scientists to cope with the many perilous problems that the world is
currently facing. This false confidence
exists because most people have willfully ignored the magnitude of the dilemmas
which threaten mankind’s very existence.
The “civilized” world is full of “ostriches” who think that sticking
their heads in the sand will make the problems disappear and such people have
made the mistake of assuming that; since science and technology have overcome
major problems in the past, the obstacles of the present and future will
likewise be conquered. However, in spite
of the extremely rapid progress that is continuously being achieved in all
fields of science and technology, many of the world’s top scientific
authorities have recently had to abandon their hopes of averting a future
worldwide holocaust.
Without
having any knowledge of Bible prophecy whatsoever, a person who honestly evaluates
the problems which threaten the human race will realize that history is racing
toward an abrupt ending. This generation
is threatened by three major problems which modern science and international
governments have yet been unable to solve.
In spite of countless efforts to solve them, these three perils continue
to escalate as never before. No other
generation in history has ever been universally endangered by (1) the
population explosion, (2) the contamination of our earth and atmosphere,
(3) the threat of nuclear war.
Population
The first
of these problems, the population explosion, is out of control. It took thousands of years for the human race
to reach a population of one billion by the year 1850. It then only took eighty years for the
population to double and reach its second billion by 1930. In less than fifty years, the population
doubled once more and reached four billion by 1976. Now the population is approaching five
billion and it will theoretically double within thirty five years (according to
present growth rates). This of course
will be impossible because there is not enough available food on earth to feed
that many people.
UPDATE: Many changes have taken place in
population control and growth rates since the writing of this book. The overall
rate has slowed down and at current projections; the world population will be
at about 9.3 billion in the year 2050. However, there are still certain regions
of the world that are experiencing population explosions that threaten food
supplies. The vast resources that God has made available on our planet are more
than enough to support huge increases in population if there weren’t other
factors involved. Population growth has become one of the political factors
that have been used to create a sense of urgency to establish a one-world
government.
The
population explosion is being accompanied by many terrible side effects and the
greatest of these is hunger. The great
famines are already plaguing the third world countries and it won’t be long
before the rest of the world begins to suffer.
As resources become scarcer due to a rapidly increasing demand, the
death rate will continue to spiral upward.
Many
dedicated scientists have become frustrated in their attempts to solve the deadly
hunger problem. Dr. Norman Borlaug, the
man who helped launch “the green revolution” (a worldwide program to increase
food supplies) was finally forced to admit that “the green revolution is dead.”*
According to Dr. Borlaug, the possibility for the success of the “green
revolution” was destroyed when the Arabs began raising the price of crude
oil. Inexpensive crude oil was necessary
to operate the farm machinery and to produce the essential fertilizers that were
required to make the “green revolution” effective. However; even if the economic barriers were
suddenly eliminated, the problem of famine has now grown too large to be solved
in the immediate future. Consider these
words of Dr Borlaug:
“I think it’s folly to expect science to pull a rabbit out of a hat in
the eleventh hour to solve the food production problem.”* Please
remember that these words were spoken by a scientist who has been referred to
as “the greatest living expert in the field of food production.”**
Those who
are involved in food distribution programs are also confronted with numerous
obstacles. Dr. W. Stanley Mooneyham is a dedicated Christian who heads one of the
most efficient and effective hunger relief organizations in the world. This organization is known as “World Vision”
and it has been able to overcome many of the obstacles which have prevented
other food distribution programs from being so effective. In his book entitled “What do You Say to a
Hungry World?” Dr. Mooneyham
offers some insight into the enormity of the hunger problem when he says: “. . . the food crisis does not stand in
isolation from the rest of the world’s problems. If we were dealing with just an agricultural
shortfall, the solution would be relatively simple. But add changing climatic conditions and you
complicate the problem. Link it with
uncontrolled world population. . . and you further intensify the dilemma. Now compound it by introducing ecological
factors plus deficiency of medical services, inadequate educational programs,
discriminatory distribution systems, global economic inequity and repressive
political regimes-add these and you’ve got an apocalyptic situation.”***
Millions
of people are dying each year from starvation. And, as the population continues
to skyrocket, world food supplies will diminish and the entire world will hang
upon a delicate thread of survival. One major crop failure or one season of
adverse weather could conceivable break that delicate thread in the near
future.
Pollution
The
pollution of our earth and atmosphere presents the second unique problem that
threatens human survival. Modern science
and technology have produced many innovations that have served to provide
greater “creature comforts,” increased productivities, advanced communication,
rapid transportation, and a host of other beneficial (and often necessary)
improvements. As a result of this
technological evolution, the world has become physically dependent upon many
modern inventions; economically dependent upon others; and psychologically
dependent upon almost all of them.
The
achievements of modern science and technology are now essential to most human
beings in some way or another; however, some terrible side effects of
technology have appeared in the form of pollution. Unfortunately, science has “created a
monster” which now threatens human survival.
Factories, automobiles, supersonic jets, and hundreds of other modern
devices, are polluting our earth and atmosphere with poisonous gases and deadly
chemical wastes that are slowly destroying our world.
The most
obvious form of pollution is seen in the atmosphere, hovering above every major
city of the world. Each year, several
hundred million tons of pollution is spewed into the air by factories
automobiles etc. . . . Our polluted
atmosphere is full of many dangerous compounds that are continuously being
absorbed by human beings. And, these
pollutants are directly linked to the rapid increase in fatal heart and lung
diseases. The problem with many of these
pollutants is that they are not easily expelled from the human body and small
doses continue to accumulate within the body - steadily increasing toward
higher levels of concentration. These
higher levels can eventually reach a lethal dosage in many if the atmosphere is
not purified.
One
harmful product of automobile pollution has been tetra ethyl lead. It has been estimated that Americans of this
current generation have more than one hundred times the amount of lead in their
bodies than those of previous generations.2 The concentration of
lead is reaching maximum tolerance levels in Americans; therefore, much is
being done to diminish its presence in the atmosphere. However, lead is only one of the many harmful
substances that continue to increase in our atmosphere and our bodies. The entire world is exposed in some degree to
the many pollutants emitted from major cities because the air circulates the
earth about forty times a year. Urban pollution has even contaminated the
glaciers of the Arctic regions.3
Air
pollution is creating a problem which is far more dangerous than its obvious
direct threat of biological poisoning because certain pollutants have been
causing the ozone layer in the stratosphere to slowly deteriorate. Ozone filters out approximately 99% of the
lethal radiation from the sun; yet, if that band of ozone which surrounds the
earth was tightly compressed together, it would form a layer that would only be
about an eighth of an inch thick! A 10%
reduction in ozone could cause an increase in skin cancer of 25% to 60%,4
and a 30% depletion of ozone could cause the annihilation of mankind.5 If drastic preventative measures are not
instituted on a worldwide basis, there is a possibility that the ozone layer
will be depleted by thirty percent before the year 2000.6
UPDATE: Many regulations have been put into
place since the writing of this book. The pollution over many major cities has
drastically decreased. Automobile emissions are much cleaner. Rivers and lakes
that used to catch fire because of their pollutant content are now clean and
many harmful chemicals are no longer produced. Good things have come from
environmental “scares” but it is now obvious that many “scares” have been, and
still are, more politically driven than scientifically driven. Each of the
remaining problems in this section, whether remedied or not, represents a type
of vehicle that can be used to create fear, panic and the ultimate embrace of a
world system of control. There will be links at the end of this book to websites
that provide more insight and current data into the problems that are now
trumpeted as dire emergencies by the scientific / political community.
The
fluorocarbons in aerosol spray cans are known to reduce ozone so therefore a
ban on fluorocarbon production in the United States has been implemented. However, a ban on fluorocarbon production
will have to be established on a worldwide basis in order to be effective. However, even if a universal ban on
fluorocarbons was imposed and totally enforced throughout the world this very
day, the ozone layer could still suffer a 10% depletion, just from the
fluorocarbons which have been produced in the past. This would occur because fluorocarbons will
continue to rise and infiltrate the stratosphere for ten years after
production. Once they are in the
atmosphere it takes forty to one hundred fifty years before they break down.7
Supersonic
jets and nitrogen based fertilizers produce nitrous oxides which also cause
ozone depletion. Obviously, supersonic
jets are still being manufactured and modern agriculture has become dependent
upon nitrogen based fertilizers.
Furthermore, there is a possibility that many other man-made products
could likewise be destroying our ozone supply. If the ozone layer continues to
deteriorate, the chances for human survival will become increasingly less. Not only will ozone depletion present a
direct biological threat, it will also cause major changes in the world’s
weather patterns. Such changes would
have a devastating effect upon world food production, just at a time when food
is most desperately needed.
Probably
the most dangerous of all forms of environmental pollution has been caused by
the millions of man-made chemical mixtures that are used for a variety of
purposes throughout the world. Only in
recent years have scientists realized the extreme danger in many of these
modern chemical substances. However,
chemical production has been so rapid, that only a very small percentage of the
vast quantity has ever been thoroughly tested to see what effect they will have
upon the environment. Of those that have
been thoroughly tested, considerably large percentages have been found to be
hazardous in some way or another to human health.
The
problem with many new chemicals is that they do not break down in the
environment. They remain chemically
stable so therefore their quantities continue to increase within the
environment. Eventually these chemicals
are absorbed by plants and animals and are ultimately assimilated by human
beings. And, because of their virtual
indestructibility, the human dosages of these toxic products continue to rise
toward lethal levels. What is even worse
is that some of these chemicals can mix together in the body to form extremely
poisonous compounds.
In their
well-documented book entitled, “1980’s Decade of Shock”, Dr. Clifford Wilson
and John Weldon made the. following relevant statement: “Our generation is the first in history
having DDT, PCB’s and other organochlorine compounds
in our tissues, fat, and livers, lead in our blood, mercury in our brains,
potentially dangerous amounts of radioactive elements in our bones, asbestos
particles in our lungs, and numerous other dangerous materials distributed
throughout our bodies.”*
Many of
these dangerous chemicals have become so concentrated in human beings; some of
them are being transferred from mothers, into the tissues of their newborn
babies. In human beings, these various
pollutants can cause many problems such as fatigue, nervous disorders, liver
damage, kidney failure, brain damage, heart disease, cancer, birth defects,
reproductive failure and eventually death.
Unfortunately, most people are not too concerned at this time because
they have not noticeably experienced any adverse effects from chemical
pollution. However, this attitude does
not nullify the fact that their bodies are indeed continuing to absorb
chemicals that are steadily increasing in their proportions. It is a solemn fact that once these chemical
proportions reach certain levels in the near future, the physical adversities
will be inevitable.
Even if
all hazardous chemical and pesticide production was discontinued immediately
throughout the world, there would still be a “delayed effect” that would
continue for decades. Human beings would
continue to absorb and accumulate these lethal products because they would
remain in the ecosystems for many years to come. They would continue to be absorbed by plants,
animals, and ultimately be absorbed by humans for decades after production
ceases. For example, even though the
pesticide, DDT, was banned in the United States in 1972, the chemical is still
being absorbed, and is accumulating, within the bodies of practically all
Americans. This effect will continue for
many years into the future and it will never cease unless other countries of
the world also stop DDT production.
A
synthetic compound called polychlorinated biphenyl PCB is even far more
dangerous than DDT. PCB’s have been used
extensively in the electrical equipment industry but they have also been used
in certain paints and lubricants. Like
so many other chemicals, PCB’s are also being absorbed into the bodies of most
Americans.
Measures
have been taken to ban production of these chemicals in the United States; but,
unfortunately, PCB’s will continue to present a growing health hazard for many
decades, even if a worldwide ban is suddenly imposed. This problem exists because, since the
beginning of their production, more than 1.4 billion pounds of PCBs have been
manufactured.8 However, only about 30% of these have been discarded
into the free environment and only one half of the discarded PCB’s have
presented health problems. In other
words, only l5% of the total manufactured quantity of PCB’s have thus far
reached a danger point in the ecosystems.
Remember there are still more than 65% of the total quantity which have
not yet been discarded. Therefore, many
of these will ultimately work their way into the environment and be absorbed by
humans for many years into the future.9
There are
of course thousands of other hazardous chemicals which are polluting our
environment. Some of these are far more
toxic than DDT and PCB; yet, they are still being manufactured and distributed
throughout the world. Unfortunately, when certain chemicals are finally
determined to be dangerous, the legal processes to ban their production often
require a considerable amount of time.
What is even more unfortunate is that the prohibited chemicals are sometimes
replaced by others which are later determined to be even more hazardous than
the first.
The world
is becoming increasingly dependent upon all types of chemicals. For example, farmers are now using one
hundred times the amount of pesticides that were used forty years ago.10
In spite of this increased usage, crop yield percentages have not improved
because the delicate balance of nature has been upset by these man-made
chemicals.”11 And, as this balance of nature changes, commercial
farmers become more and more dependent upon other chemicals to correct problems
that would have previously been corrected by nature.
Chemical
addiction is not limited to just agriculture.
All kinds of businesses and industries are likewise dependent upon
man-made chemicals for survival and the world is reaching a state of not being
able to live with dangerous chemicals, and yet not being able to live without
them. Most chemicals, whether they are household products, pesticides, or
industrial wastes; will ultimately be deposited into the ocean. Many of these products are directly expelled
into our river systems and others are washed into the rivers by rainfall and
groundwater. The river systems ultimately
carry these pollutants into the oceans where they continue to accumulate and
contaminate ocean life. Therefore, the
oceans are slowly dying because of the increasing amounts of poisons which are
infecting them.
Captain
Jacques Cousteau is an internationally recognized and highly respected
oceanographer who has dedicated his life to the intensive study and research of
ocean life. For several years, Cousteau
has been issuing some solemn warnings against the continued pollution of our
oceans. For example, in 1974, Cousteau
made the following statement during an interview: “During the past thirty years, my team and I
have spent thousands of hours diving in aqua lungs and other underwater
devices. With my own eyes I have seen
the ocean sicken. Each month we pour so
many millions of tons of poisonous wastes into the sea that in perhaps twenty
years, perhaps sooner, the oceans will have received their mortal wound and
will start to die.”* In this interview he also stated that the
death of the oceans would result in the death of mankind. In another interview
in 1975, Cousteau indicated that he expected a worldwide ecological catastrophe
to occur before the year 2000, such a catastrophe, he said, will be “l00%
certain” and he predicted that “maybe nine out of ten will die.”**
UPDATE: Fortunately, Cousteau’s prediction did
not come to pass and we are all still here. As mentioned in the previous
update, many wonderful steps have been taken over the past decades to decrease
the pollution of our rivers and oceans. However, the eco balance of the oceans
is still faced with serious problems and challenges that can’t be ignored.
Nuclear Weapons
A final major problem which may pose a
greater threat than the population explosion or the pollution of our
environment is the danger of nuclear war.
The proliferation of nuclear weapons has reached unbelievable
proportions. Each year more than two
thousand five hundred new hydrogen bombs are added to the world’s arsenal. And
how large is that arsenal? Well, more
than a decade ago the destructive power of the world’s nuclear stockpile was
equal to approximately ten tons of TNT for every single person on earth;12
since then, the atomic arsenal has increased by many thousands of hydrogen
bombs.
Not only has the quantity of hydrogen
bombs steadily increased, the size of these weapons has likewise
increased. The Russians are now capable
of intercontinental delivery of 100 megaton warheads. And a single 100 megaton warhead has more
destructive force than the combined power of every single bomb and weapon that
was used during World War II.
Of course, nuclear weaponry is not
limited to just the United States and the Soviet Union. Some of the less technologically advanced
nations are now joining the world’s nuclear club (including Israel) and, as
more of these nations develop nuclear weapons, the threat of war continues to
increase. In an arms control seminar in
1975, five experts from M.I.T. and Harvard University came to the conclusion
that some type of nuclear war would be likely before the year 2000,13
while many other military experts have arrived at even more pessimistic
conclusions.
UPDATE: The unforeseen collapse of the Soviet
Union provided some temporary relief from such dire predictions. However, the
fragmentation of the Soviet Union presents some serious nuclear weapon
accounting and control challenges.
This
projected inevitability of nuclear war is based upon current world conditions
and some frightening historical facts.
For example, it is an historical fact that there has never been a
strategic weapon invented that wasn’t eventually used. It is also true that out of 1656 arms races
since the year 3600 B.C., all but 16 of them ended in war. The 16 which did not end in war, ended in
economic collapse. Plus, another fact to
consider is that there has been an average of only 5.6 years of world peace per
century since 3600 B.C.14
As nuclear weaponry spreads throughout
the world, it is only a matter of time before some insane dictator satisfies
his urge to destroy his enemies.
Undoubtedly, the instability of the human psyche presents one of the
most unpredictable factors of the whole nuclear problem. However, even rational leaders may be forced
into a position to use nuclear weapons as a ploy for survival. Imagine what the consequences could be when
nuclear armed countries face starvation from lack of food. People in this situation would have nothing
to lose by using their weapons as a means for international blackmail.
Unfortunately, any limited nuclear
attack can only be countered by larger scale nuclear retaliation and eventually
a limited nuclear war would escalate into an all out
nuclear holocaust. Former secretary of
defense Robert McNamara stated, “Once you use them (small nuclear weapons) you
use everything else; you can’t keep them limited, you’ll destroy everything.”*
The Trilema
Each one of the three’ major perils -
population, pollution, and nuclear war, would in itself be capable of
destroying mankind. What really makes
the whole situation desperate is that they are all three interlaced and
interrelated. As the population
increases, the demand for more food increases.
And, in order to meet the demand for more food and the other necessities
of a growing population, industries will have to be geared up and
expanded. However, as industry
increases, so does the pollution problem; but, if industrial manufacturing is
cut back, economies collapse and the threat of nuclear war becomes inevitable
as entire nations begin to suffer from hunger and a lack of “creature
comforts.” Finally, if nuclear weapons
are voluntarily banned or reduced by any one major power, history demonstrates
that a tyrannical power will undoubtedly take advantage of the position of
weakness.
George Wald, the Nobel Prize winning
scientist from Harvard University summed it all up by making the following grim
statement: “I think human life is threatened
as never before in the history of this planet.
Not just by one peril, but by many perils that are all working together
and coming to a head at about the same time.
And that time lies very close to the year 2000. I am one of those scientists who finds it
hard to see how the human race is to bring itself much past the year 2000.”*
NOTE: We have obviously gone into “over time”
The Escape
As world
survival becomes severely threatened, people of all nations will desperately
look for a leader who is capable of establishing a peaceful unity between
governments because temporary solutions to the problems which threaten mankind
can only be attained through a worldwide cooperative effort. The Antichrist will deceive the masses by his
supernatural ability and will appear to provide an atmosphere of “peace and
safety” throughout the world.
Unfortunately, those who willfully subject themselves to his reign and
control by receiving his “mark” will be eternally rejecting the one and
only person who is capable of saving mankind.
Remember, as the humanistic outlook upon world situations becomes ever
so gloomy, the Christian hope shines brighter and brighter. Those who believe and trust in Jesus by
accepting His free gift of salvation have absolutely nothing to fear because
Jesus promised to never leave nor forsake His followers. His personal spirit is ever present within
the lives of His people, and He is always ready and willing to meet whatever
needs they may have.
In the
third chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus made a special promise; He said,
“Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from
the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world,
to test those who dwell upon the earth.”
(Revelation 3:10). The world has
had many “hours of testing” or “times of trial” in various geographical
locations throughout history. However,
since the Noahic flood, there has never been an “hour
of testing” or period of tribulation which has come upon “the whole world” at
one particular point in time. The seven
year tribulation will be a terrible time of trial which indeed comes upon the
entire world; but, Jesus has promised to keep His people “from” (or more
literally “out of”) this dark hour of history.
God’s
supernatural protection of His people from his own judgments is nothing new to
God’s character. Before judgment fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah, God led His
people to safety; when the terrible plagues fell upon Egypt, the children of
Israel were not touched by them; even when the entire world was destroyed by a
flood, God’s people found refuge in the Ark and when the great tribulation
judgment falls upon mankind, refuge and safety will only be found in Jesus
Christ, the eternal Lord and Savior.
The
prophets of God don’t lie! They were
always required to be l00% accurate. If
a Hebrew prophet made inaccurate predictions, he was put to death! (Deuteronomy 18: 20-22). This is one reason why the prophecies of the
Bible are so astounding. There are many
soothsayers and fortune tellers in our modern age, who make remarkable predictions;
but, their inaccuracies would have cost them their lives in the ancient Hebrew
culture and their writings would have been trashed if that which they said was
false or lead people away from God.
Those who are not 100% accurate in their predictions are not true
prophets of God. Their information may
stem from a supernatural source but it does not come from the Omniscient God of
all creation.
Remember,
most of the prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled. Those which have not been fulfilled pertain
to the second coming of Christ and the events which occur prior to His
return. More than three hundred Old
Testament prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus when He first came to this earth
in human flesh and there are almost twice as many which relate to His second
coming. Therefore, as surely as Jesus
Christ walked upon this earth almost 2000 years ago, we can be twice as certain
that He will again return.
The Truth:
"For just as the lightning
comes from the east and flashes even to the west,
so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:27)
“….This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven,
will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
(Acts 1:11)
"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God,
believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it
were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to
Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
(John 14:1-3)
* Grant, James; As quoted by Hal Lindsey. The Late Great Planet Earth (Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich. 64th printing 1978) P. 39
* Some Bibles footnote this translation
** There are some differing opinions among Bible scholars about who, or what, is actually being referred to as the two hundred million horsemen
* The Houston Chronicle, June 1, 1975 as quoted by Wally Wood Jr. “Cashless Society—A World Without Money” (An article published by Southwest Radio Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1975
* Wood, Wally Jr. “Cashless Society—World Without Money” (Southwest Radio Church, Box 1144 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73101, copyright 1975 reprints can be obtained
*
Borl.aug, Norman, as quoted by Hal Lindsey, Countdown
to If f Armaedon (Westgate Press
Inc.,
* IBID
** Dr. W.
Stanley Mooneyham as quoted by Hal Lindsey. The World’s
Final Hour: Evacuation or Extinction (Zondervan pub. House,
***
Dr. W. Stanley Mooneyham
as quoted by Hal Lindsey. The World’s Final Hour: Evacuation or Extinction (Zondervan
pub. House,
* Wilson, Clifford. Ph.D., & John Weldon, 1980’s Decade of Shock (Master Books, San Diego, CA., 1978) P. 95
* Jaques Cousteau, from an interview which appeared in the national inquirer, Oct. 12, 1974; As quoted by Hal Lindsey, “The Late Great Planet Earth—5 Years Later” (A taped lecture from “one Way Library” 1974
** Jaques Cousteau, interview, People, Sept. 15, 1975; cited by Clifford Wilson and John Weldon, 1980’s Decade of Schock, (Master Books San Diego, CA. 1978) P. 106
* McNamara, Robert, as quoted by Clifford Wilson & John Weldon 1980’s Decade of Shock, (Master Books, San Diego, CA., 1978) P. 7
* George Wald, as quoted by Hal Lindsey, The 1980’s countdown to Armageadon (Westgate Press Inc., King of Prussia, Pa., C 1980; by Acrist Corp.) P. 17