Apocalyptic Events

The instant that the first plane hit the World Trade Center, our lives were changed forever. This event compares, in its enormity, with the bombing of Hiroshima as it impacts the future of our civilization. These are times that test our will to go on. It would be very easy at this point to give up and quit. However, that would serve no purpose. Our work on this planet is not finished. We cannot let terrorists deter us from our path towards a good life for all peoples on this fragile planet. We must continue the task ahead. It would be even easier simply to strike out in a fit of anger as does a child. That would only exacerbate the situation.

Much is being written these days. I feel very inadequate in trying to add my little bit of wisdom to the collective writings about this major event in our lives. However, some great words have come to my mind from the book that we use as our source of wisdom. Let me quote a few of these words as I see them applying to our situation at the beginning of this new millennium

  • Speaking of our lamentations, the Dean of the Washington Cathedral quoted these words from Jeremiah 31:15-17 in his prayer on Friday, September 14, 2001:
    Thus says the LORD: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. Thus says the LORD: Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for there is a reward for your work, says the LORD: they shall come back from the land of the enemy; there is hope for your future, says the LORD: your children shall come back to their own country.

  • Already, the people of the United States are being readied for retaliation to be visited on our supposed enemies. We must be very cautious about striking out indiscriminately against peoples who we look upon as our enemies. The Deuteronomist put it this way in 32:35-36:
    Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; because the day of their calamity is at hand, their doom comes swiftly. Indeed the LORD will vindicate his people, have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone, neither bond nor free remaining.

  • The prophet Isaiah in 25:6-11 speaks of what God will do for his people, if we but put our trust in him. Note that it includes all the people on this earth:
    On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

  • We claim to be a Christian nation. If indeed that is the case, then is it not incumbent on us to follow the admonition that Jesus gave to Peter when Jesus was being arrested:
    We find the following in Matthew 26:50-52. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."

  • What should our response be if we are not to take up the sword? In the 4th gospel 15:13-14, Jesus says: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." Jesus also said in his Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:44,45, "I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous."

  • Finally, what is the hope for us as we look to the future? John, the Revelator, put it this way in Rev 21:11-26:
    And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of th Israelites; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

    The angel who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using. The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass.

    I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day--and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

    Copyright © Jay D Weaver - October 1, 2001

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