The Road to Armageddon
(Military War)
For a week now I have been having sleepless nights. The thought that the human family is being forced further down the road of destruction is deeply disturbing. Ever since Russia increased its
bombardment of Ukrainian cities, attacks on Moscow, the capital of Russia, done by Ukranian or
internal insurgents; and talk of nuclear weapons, employment, charges and countercharges in an
attempt to blow up a nuclear plant; then the tension between China and America has intensified.
Chinese drones have entered the U.S.A., America accused China of spying. There have been close encounters with ships and planes in the sea and in the air. China has been furious ever since American delegations visited Taiwan which China considers a part of the mainland. America has asked for a meeting which China has rejected and finally China is accused of supporting Russia. So militarily as
the war continues and intensifies, it seems that we are further down the road of Armageddon...
The Road to Annihilation
(The Weather War)
Recently we have witnessed terrible catastrophic destruction by the weather. The more recent, in
fact at this writing we’re still feeling the effects of wildfires in Canada. Really, there have been wildfires in the USA and other countries that all contribute to the change in the climate. In the USA it has been called the worst weather conditions or atmosphere in centuries or ever. We’ve had to go back and dig up the masks we used to wear when Covid was rampaging through the world. The smog, smoke from the fires have been particularly devastating for people who are already physically challenged, especially with breathing/lung conditions.
But it is not only the climate change brought on by the fires, but also the military war. I say the military war because what we call military war, is only one kind of violence. There are other manifestations of war on an individual manner ie. vehicular violence, people are using their cars to hurt people, violent attacks by individuals on the subway and streets of course there is mass violence, etc. But military violence, what we call war also contributes to suffusing the atmosphere with toxic fumes.
The war of the weather takes on similar military war and takes different expressions. We are now
witnessing wildfires and toxic air that we breathe. But at the same time volcanoes in Hawaii are erupting, spewing hot lava down the mountainside. In addition, the floods have made cities and countries, particularly island countries almost unlivable.
I was informed that the city of Jakarta, capital of Indonesia which is an archipelago, is being
buried beneath the sea. The President has indicated that the population of Jakarta would be forced to seek other islands. It has been said that Florida in the years to come will be beneath the water. Even New York will also experience a similar fate. As I drive down the FDR drive and the West Side Highway and witness these gigantic structures, kissing the sky and also from my home in Brooklyn, I looked out of the window and see these high rises and I marvel at the genius that God has given to the human family. If only we could use this genius for the betterment of all of the members of the human race and to create a better planet. We could make a heaven on earth.
One day as I was lost in observing these towering structures and what it must have required to
build them, I remembered the Scripture. When the disciples stood outside of Jerusalem and
marveled at the Temple and the surrounding structures of that time, and Jesus said to them, “Do
not become engrossed in what you see, for there will not be left one building upon another.” The
disciples, stunned by Jesus’ statement, asked the question, “When will these things be and what
will be the end?” and Jesus proceeded to lay out a description of the end time. (This can be found
in Matthew 24) I wondered how close we are to the end and the war of the weather is sending us
a signal that we’re nearer than we think. I’ve been told that Manhattan is sinking, this too is
another example of the war of the weather.
Regarding Jakarta, Indonesia, I had a personal experience being in Jakarta years ago. The World
Council of Churches 1974, asked me to participate in a 3-year study of Salvation Today. They indicated that they had convened the renowned scholars, revolutionaries, artists, statesmen across
the world to address the question, what is Salvation Today? Well after I had recuperated from
my being startled by the subject matter, Salvation Today, because after all I could tell the world
what salvation is for us in 3 seconds. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”I
replied to the question, “do I want to participate in this study affirmatively?”
Moreover, I was excited and glad and couldn’t wait to get started traveling the world talking to leaders in every field of endeavor learning from their thinking.
On one of these trips abroad, I had breakfast in Saigon, Vietnam as the war was winding down. I
had lunch in Singapore with business leaders, diplomats, etc. And in the evening, I landed in
Jakarta. Their hospitality that greeted us was most satisfying, the food including beverages was
prepared on colorful platters. I became so impressed with the beauty and hospitality that we were
not supposed to drink any liquids and to be careful of any food. As I began to swallow the liquid,
I began to feel my stomach getting upset. I knew I had violated the rules of travel at that time. I
became very very ill. I went out to speak later that evening and could barely get back to the
hotel. Somehow, I made it home after I had fulfilled obligations in India, Calcutta and Bombay
and remained ill for months. I would always believe that I was reliving the Malcolm X experience. You remember the attempts were made on his life as he was traveling abroad. Well, I had been meeting with the insurgents in Jakarta, those who were attempting to overthrow the government. We had had a number of very secretive meetings. I believe members of that government and other countries that supported them, made an attempt to put an end to my life, thinking that somehow, I was a part of the insurgents. After I returned home, I was back on the
road again, visiting Bangalore, India. We concluded our conference in Bangkok, Thailand.
One of the most exciting parts of the trips were
1. A couple of weeks at the Theological Institute
in Bossey, Switzerland where theologians, philosophers, academicians, scientists of every description met for two weeks in intense study, research, conversations – it was a once in a
lifetime kind of experience.
Strangely, it seems to me that the military war and the weather war are in competition. They are trying to see who can destroy the human family first and the fastest. But whether it is the road to Armageddon by military violence or the road to Annihilation by the weather violence, it all comes to mean the same thing. An end of it all on this side of human history. But thank God, for those of us who believe. For those of us who are believers, the end will only be the beginning. For Jesus told us what to expect at the close of the day, eternal life in the presence of God the Father, the Son, and all the Heavenly Hosts and in that number will be our loved ones who’ve gone on before. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 16:17, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
So began eternal bliss. Our forebears used to sing:
“In that great a-gettin' up morning,
Fair thee well, fair thee well.
In that great a-gettin' up morning,
Fair thee well, fair thee well.”
Comments