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Atomic Terrorism

"Surely in that day there shall be a greata shaking in the land of Israel...." Ezekiel 38:19

Current news reports are often filled with the concern of leaders of the United States and Europe over the efforts of several nations to develop nuclear capabilities, especially among those referred to as "rogue states." In addition to Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, more recently Israel, India and Pakistan have been added to the list of countries definitely possessing the ability to deliver nuclear weapons in warfare. Moreover, some former Soviet satellite nations are known to still maintain nuclear stockpiles. Of course, we all know that the concern over Iraq gaining such capability was declared one of the main reasons for initiating the present military action. Now we face even more serious reports regarding Iran and North Korea. And I heard a report just a week ago that analysts suspect that Brazil is earnestly pursuing such a program. We can but only speculate as to how many more nations are engaged in such research and/or have obtained such technology through the so-called "nuclear black market."

A very serious question then comes to the minds of multitudes: will nuclear bombs be used in a much-dreaded World War III? People become distraught, wondering if the United States and its cities are to be laid waste by a nuclear attack or acts of terrorism involving nuclear devices. Many, therefore, turn in hope looking for an authoritative voice pertaining to atomic terror!

A Lingering Threat....

We are all aware that such war- clouds are lowering -- this cannot be denied. However, some of the sensational type have provoked unjustified and premature fears. Others, with vague understanding of the rudiments of prophecy, have made bold and inaccurate declarations. Ever since the Berlin blockade (which led to the birth of NATO in 1949), and later the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, partial mass-hysteria and jitters have been prevalent. Yet, repeatedly throughout our literature we have consistently pointed out that the global phase of such nuclear war is as yet in the offing.

On the other hand, we should not console ourselves in the false hope that just because the Cold War has subsided, the nations have and will return to sanity and friendly relations. THAT is but a vain hope!

The Great Pyramid of Gizeh clearly graphs the final, titanic struggle impending, showing the cycle of its inception, together with the exact duration of its ferocity.

The ancient Inspired Word, in tones loud and stirring, proclaims:

"…Prepare war, wake up the mighty men…let the weak say, I am strong. …Let the heathen

be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe…. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near…." Joel 3:9-14

With reference to the "heathen" above, the original could better have been rendered "Gentiles" _ which indeed it has been rendered in numerous places. Also, the "weak" could better be rendered as "small" (nations).

Birth Pangs of a Nation...

As of yet, this prophecy has not seen fulfillment (at least history does not record it). And still more importantly, the opening verse of chapter 3 of Joel specifies that it would be after the Jews return from their dispersions and Jerusalem liberated, that such events would take place. This means, therefore, that the fulfillment of this prophecy would have to incept after 1948-49 and the establishment of the modern state of Israel, which accelerated the return of multitudes of Jews to their homeland. Yet even then, the ancient city of Jerusalem did not become their possession. Hence, it was only after they had received or taken the city on June 7, 1967, as a result of the 6-Day War, that significant elements of this prophecy fulfilled. Now time truly trembles in the balance.

"According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things." Micah 7:15

Israel's "coming out of Egypt" was 40 years. Yet it becomes difficult to fix the precise time of a modern commencement of 40 years, if indeed there is just one commencement point _ rather than several. For example, were we to add 40 years to 1967, that would see completion in 2007.

The Italo-Turkish War of 1911 led to the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, and both are said to have prepared the ground for World War I, which eventually led to the liberation of Jerusalem and granted hope unto world Jewry through the Balfour Declaration. Forty years added to these dates saw the appearance of the Nazi madman Hitler murdering millions of Jews, which in turn led to a mass exodus of Jews from as many countries as possible. Though we could err in making the comparison, yet when the Lord's prophetic Word declares, "according to thy coming out of Egypt," it would be natural for our thoughts to jump to Nazi Germany, when the mass exodus of Jews commenced there no later than 1935. That was the year when the Nurnburg Laws were enacted, depriving German Jews of citizenship and nearly every recognized, decent human right. As a result of these "pogroms," which continued up to and through 1938, German Jews were reduced to animal status, if indeed that well esteemed. Therefore those who could, got out before it was too late.

Earlier I stated, "we could err," but I think the comparison is reasonable. If we recognize it as a parallel, then 40 years added to 1934-38, reached into 1974-78. In 1973, the Yom Kippur War (or War of Atonement) took place, the aftermath of which continued to flame the passions of radical Muslims and Palestinians in their hatred toward the Jews. All of this has set the stage for the present turmoil, which will eventually end in all-out war _ including atomic terror.

More Prophecy Fulfilled...

Our sands of time remaining are but few. WILL man soon return to rationality and clear, brotherly thinking which is necessary to establish world peace? WILL atomic warfare be effectively outlawed? WILL these fearful weapons be destroyed? Need I even say it -- this is wishful thinking?! HEAR the Word of God and KNOW the future.

"And the LORD shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of His arm…and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and

hailstones. …And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass …it shall be…in battles of shaking…." Isaiah 30:30-32

The figurative language employed by the Prophet Isaiah in this Scripture, speaks of terrific noise by the "glorious Voice" of the Lord. The "glorious" word has a deeper meaning in that it speaks of a great lighting up as by a blinding light.

The "lighting down" referred to in verse 30 refers to the arm of God's indignation -- meaning the dropping of dreaded atomic bombs and the even greater hydrogen bombs. Only by such titanic explosions do the actual "tempest" and "hailstones" come about. The "scattering" or spreading of the "shockwaves" we should be able to understand by visual images of detonated nuclear or atomic bombs that have often been portrayed on TV screens. And, the "battles of shaking" is extremely graphic language for atomic warfare. And then, the "grounded staff" is another expression which can be applied to aerial combat, where the course of flight is controlled often by a staff (as in the modern computer games which use the "joystick") rather than a wheel as in a car. Its "grounded" phase is manifest when bombers discharge their lethal cargoes or guided missiles, being directed from distant bases either on land or from control ships on the seas, or from submarines, or even from vehicles orbiting in space.

Season for Contractions...

In an article I wrote for the Shepherdsfield Update No. 46 (Spring 2002) entitled "The Shaking of All Things: Watching the Signs of the Times," I commented on the distinction between "kairos" time versus "chronos" time. To quickly reiterate, kairos has to do with the quality of time within the events that take place during a specific period of chronos _ chronological time. We have recorded in Matthew 24 some sober questions posed to Jesus by His disciples regarding "the sign" of His coming, "and of the end of the world [age]" (Matt. 24:3). Jesus responded that the events occurring within a certain period of time (kairos) would let us know that the chronology (time marked objectively _ chronos) for His return would also fulfill. Therefore, we could know by the things which were taking place within that period of chronological time, that the time for His return had arrived. He went on to speak about the "fig tree" (representing the nation of Israel) which would "put forth its leaves" (reborn nation in 1948) as signaling the time of His return being "even at the doors" (Matt. 24:32-33). Also in the 1940s, "the powers of the heavens" were "shaken" when the atom bomb was exploded. The word used for "heavens" here is the Greek ouranos _ uranium (see Matt. 24:29).

I used as an analogy the experience of a pregnant woman who knows her child will be delivered in nine months. "Birth pangs" commence, but they may yet be preliminary _ as with Braxton-Hicks contractions. Desert Storm was just such a "contraction," and now we have "Operation Iraqi Freedom." All these "tremors" are but preparing the way for the great "shakings" soon to take place.

The Word of God in unmistakable language makes no uncertainty about man's final and desperately monstrous struggle. But one of the major difficulties in the way of man's better understanding Bible prophecy, is the age-old fallacy that prophetic Truths can only be realized through miraculous power-feats of God Almighty. Although there are specific prophetic truths which can only come through direct revelations or actions by God, yet the bulk of prophecy has and will be fulfilled through the instrumentality of man!

Thus, when we see that waters are to be turned to blood (Rev. 16:4), it does not necessarily imply some miraculous power of God to bring it about, but rather the evil and degeneracy of man which stops short of nothing to realize the desired goal. Though we have seen two great World Wars, still we have

seen no major waters turned to blood. BUT, in man's final, desperate struggle, atomic and hydrogen bombs shall plunge into the sea in vast enough numbers as to destroy much life therein and thereby converting large areas of such waters into blood (which is also a figure of "death"). Similarly is it with the moon being turned into blood (Rev. 6:12). Back in the 1940s and early 1950s, this was difficult to understand, but now we behold its sober feasibility.

The Star called Wormwood

So can we also understand the star called "Wormwood" which will embitter many areas, bringing about death (Rev. 8:10-11). This, too, will be fulfilled by nuclear fall-out from the bombs striking rivers and fresh water sources, killing off vast numbers of people. It is also interesting to note that the tragedy which struck Chernobyl in April of 1986, was the result of a nuclear power plant accident. Chernobyl means "wormwood," and is located in the Ukraine, which is also currently experiencing "shakings" of its own in the political arena.

The 16^th chapter of the book of Revelation deals with a number of end-time events which will come about as a result of the hydrogen bomb. The "vials of wrath" will manifest through the massive use of nuclear bombs in a desperate attempt at survival. Though the enemy will make great progress during the early part of the struggle, the scales of God should swing in favor of the formerly "Christian" democracies towards the end of the War. It is then that our side will take the powerful initiative and resort to unrestricted use of nuclear weapons.

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain...." Revelation 16:10

"Gnawing their tongues for pain" portrays, in the days grimly approaching, a nuclear explosion of high megaton rating, striking the metropolitan areas of the enemy, completely disrupting their light and water-works. It was therefore forecast that their kingdom turns into darkness, and "gnawing their tongues for pain" is figurative language for intense thirst.

"Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger." Isaiah 13:13

"...And the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down...clean dissolved...moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again." Isaiah 24:18-20

Here again the Prophet Isaiah uses clear language which becomes even more striking in the light of modern science. Expeditions and geological discoveries have established that the earth has previously shifted on its axis. It has been claimed that polar icecaps, as much as 2 miles thick in places and extending over vast areas, are capable of upsetting the earth's equilibrium. Some claim that even now we are living on "borrowed time."

If we keep this picture in mind for a moment, then it calls for little imagination to realize that when man commences to release great shock-units of energy in the form of hydrogen bombs, the earth will commence to stagger and "reel...like a drunkard" (Isa. 24:20), removing out of its place. Its actual orbit will be radically affected "when it shall fall and rise no more." This speaks of a change in the inclination of its axis.

Tidal waves and shifting ocean beds will produce nothing short of a worldwide cataclysm. The "remnant" remaining will not be great. But well before those days come upon us, we shall witness

destruction and devastation in scattered places brought on by the forces of nature convulsing. It may very well be that the Lord's return will be so timed as to coincide with this major, coming cataclysm, for it has been written:

"And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives...and [it] shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west...half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

...And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea.... And the LORD shall be King over all the earth...." from Zechariah 14:4-9

We can realize that when a vast valley opens through the Mount of Olives and when a great water gushes up and divides to flow in opposite directions, then has a tremendous CHANGE taken place in our earth, and likely in the inclination of its plane to the sun.

Indeed, the "transgressions" by modern man WILL be rated as heavy upon it, when the sudden pressure of nuclear bombs blast it off balance, causing a sufficient wobble to dislodge and set in motion the immense northern ice masses.

When are these things to be?

There is a great wealth of prophetic evidence bearing on this question, although it is now beyond the scope of this article to survey the matter at length. For this article, I have employed ideas and statements from Mikkel Dahl's A & H Bomb in Bible Prophecy. Therefore I would recommend your writing in and requesting this booklet. Therein will be found a further discussion of prophetic time periods as related to the impending

Atomic Terrorism!

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