Like most Americans, I live a very busy life and have enough on my mind any given day to keep me from thinking very much about what is going on outside the walls of my own home.

Even the world news, which is piped into my home through television and internet, I rarely watch anymore… because its sad or scary or negative. Not to mention that the media doesnt always tell the whole story and so we cant take everything that they say to heart.

But lately the world news and current events have been on my mind quite a bit. During my bible studies I began to realize more about the things going on around me, and how they ultimately have an affect on us all.

I think the thing that concerns me the most is the complacency about war and the events going on in our world - and even in our own country. People seem (for the most part) disinterested in the (real) reasons we are at war, or even that we are at war at all. Unless it affects them personally - like at the gas pump.

Even friends of mine who have served in the Army, Guard, Navy etc… have been to the middle east and back and still have NO clue why they went or what they were “fighting for”. It’s sad to me that an individual would go into something like that blindly. But they just arent given much information.

I would urge everyone to pull out their Bibles when watching the world news and search for TRUTH and pray for knowledge and understanding. If we know more about what is going on around us, we know better what to pray for and what types of choices to make (who to vote for, etc). God expects us to watch and be diligent.

So much of this I am just learning myself, but I am studying and soaking up as much as I can. Here are just a few things I’ve learned recently that may be of interest to you as well:

Modern day Iraq… is ancient Babylon. Check your maps, research it online. And go back and read Revelations 17 & 18 again. (By the way, Revelations is the only book in the bible that promises a blessing to those that read it)

Read back on the history of Babylon - Isaiah is a good place to do that as it is full of prophecies (Isaiah is known as one of the greatest prophets). I found it interesting that God would use Babylon to punish Israel, even though Babylon was a sinful nation itself. After he was done with them for that purpose, he would then punish/destroy them.

Did you know that Orthodox Jews dont believe in Jesus Christ? The Jews are the ‘chosen people’, yes. But they crucified Jesus because they didnt believe he was the Messiah - and they still dont believe that he is. The more I study, the more I learn that they were disobedient to God much of the time - but prophecy tells us that God will bring his people back to him.

Al-Qaeda. What is it? Their purpose is to launch a holy war - against Christians and Jews. Osama Bin Laden described the United States as the “alliance of Jews, Christians, and their agents”.

Could God use a sinful or unbelieving nation to ‘punish’ his chosen people (Israel)? YES - he used Babylon in the past.

The media doesnt address this aspect of the current events. You rarely hear the words “Jews” or “Christians” or “Holy War” or “religious war” in the national media. You hear “terrorist” and “terrorism” and “extremist” and a lot of people are fooled into believing it is ultimately about ‘economy’ and ‘oil’. They dont want to encourage hysteria…

Another interesting fact: over half of the worlds population of Jews live in the United States. Now some people teach that “Israel” (the line of David) is a general word to describe both ‘Jews’ and ‘Gentiles’ - basically all believers. And some people teach that Babylon is used generally in the bible to mean ’sinful nations’.

But personally I think that the bible can be taken literally, and that the prophecies are specific. And if you take a second look at it from that point of view… it starts to make a lot of sense.

Churches are empty. Half full at best. The majority of “Christians” are not fully committed to the will of God. And America is alarmingly complacent about “the war”.

We should pray. Commit. Fill up the seats in our churches with anyone who will go with us. Find friends to study the Word with together. We have to take action on our beliefs and convictions, and stay diligent.

It’s a time to be alert, and to be committed to serving God.

This isnt meant to ’scare’ anyone - not at all! As the bible says that we should not be alarmed and these things must happen (Mark 13:7). Instead it is intended to educate and enlighten. My hope is that it helps you to realize the truth in the bible’s prophecies and to seek God for solutions and for inner peace at a time in our world when so many are turning to other sources for those things. 

I am reminded of some of the things that Jesus said. Remember when he was betrayed and arrested? He was overwhelmed with grief and in prayer with God. Yet he still prayed that God’s will be done - knowing that it was for the greater good.

And when they seized Jesus, his companions stood up to fight for him. But he told them “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (NIV).

We shouldnt ‘pray away’ war and terrorism, but pray instead that God’s will be done. We shouldnt be alarmed or afraid, but we should seek knowledge and understanding of these things. We shouldnt sit by passively, but always ‘Watch’ (Matthew 24:42) and always be ready (Luke 12:35).

 

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