Insecurity, instability, and uncertainty have dogged the steps of the human race since the day that our first parents walked out of the Garden of Eden. They had given up God for the devil's lie and had to reap the sad consequences. Estranged from God, the murderer Cain set about to make himself and his posterity happy by building a city into which he put the basic ingredients of the cities of the 20th century- wealth, commerce, industry, and the arts and sciences. Cain was no infidel or atheist, but a religious man whose religion was obnoxious to God. There are countless members of his religion today—a religion which is a sign of integrity, of affluence, of respectability in the world, but which leads men down to destruction and perdition. "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain." Jude 1111Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11). It is a natural religion which sets aside the atoning work of Christ and the shelter of His shed blood as the absolute for a sinner's acceptance before God.
Now that we are in the last half of the 20th century (which century many are inclined to view as the summation of all knowledge and wisdom) we may well take a look at the world at large and see what it presents. It is filled with contradictions, of which we will name a few. Great inventions have made life easier for much of mankind, yet man is not happier or more contented. He has increased his knowledge of the sciences and the wonders of God's creation about him, but he is as great a stranger to God as before; in fact, in his boasted knowledge he has, by and large, rejected the true knowledge of God. He has increased food production many fold, but more people go to bed hungry than before. He has harnessed rivers, stopped plagues, controlled many insect invasions, but has never been able to control himself. He has unleashed the power of the atom and now lives in dread of the monster he gave birth to. He has curbed the ravages of many diseases, but not his own lusts. By marvelous ingenuity he has increased the speed and means of communication so that all the tales of crime and horror reach him quickly; and then he makes a spectacle of such things to further debase himself and his posterity. He has made the earth relatively smaller by his conquests of the sky and the oceans, and now has nowhere to hide if some madman decides to let his missiles fly. In this country, both numerically and percentage wise, there are more people enrolled on the church registers than ever before, so that one might expect a decrease in crime; but rather the crime rate is disproportionately high and still increasing. So where is all the boasted progress leading? To the climax of man's day, the worship of a man and of Satan, and to the greatest folly and rebellion of all time, when man will actually attempt to fight against the Lord's Christ when "He ariseth to shake terribly the earth" (Isa. 2:19, 2119And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (Isaiah 2:19)
21To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. (Isaiah 2:21)), and comes back with the armies of heaven to execute judgment on those "that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1:88In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:8)). But fellow Christians, our Lord will soon call His own from this world to be with Himself. "Even so come Lord Jesus." Rev. 22:2020He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. (Revelation 22:20). It is indeed a bright prospect for all true believers, but a foreboding and fearful peril to those who reject or neglect God's great salvation.
One of the greatest changes of this century is the awakening and muscle-flexing of the non-Caucasian peoples, which, if the Lord does not come and bring an end to man's day, would ultimately bring an end to Caucasian supremacy. The multitudinous hordes of Asia and Africa armed and marching forward could swamp the rest of the world. Added to this posing threat is the fact that International Communism is the driving force behind the Asian resurgence, and is at least suspect of stirrings in Africa. Already one third of the world's population is under Communist domination; and that all came about in much less time than the sixty years of this century. The world is marching with quickened pace to doom. Everything portends the coming judgment of God upon the world which, when He came into it in grace, spit in His face and cast Him out.
Most of the great European powers which had colonies in Asia and Africa have either lost them thus far this century or their hold on them is tenuous and of very doubtful duration. During only one month, July, 1960, four African countries became independent nations, while Italy, France, Britain, and Belgium watched the old colonies chart new and untried courses. In October, Nigeria becomes independent. Within two more years, three other countries are scheduled for freedom. The dark continent with its great natural resources is on the move, and many untried leaders of doubtful allegiance between East and West will come forward. Add the future uncertainties to the already nearly overwhelming perplexities of the present day and it is not difficult to imagine the heart-breaking consternation that is fast coming when men's hearts will fail them for fear.
The latest upheaval has been the terrible strife in the newly independent Congo. Man glories in his independence, but when there are no restraints he becomes the plaything of the devil. Creature perfection is characterized by dependence and obedience; these were the marks of the perfect Man when He was in this world. The Lord Jesus as that perfect Man said, "Preserve Me, O God: for in Thee do I put My trust." Psalm 16:11<<Michtam of David.>> Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. (Psalm 16:1). He also said, "I do always those things that please Him [the Father]." John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29). The first man, Adam, was disobedient unto death; but the second Man, the Lord from heaven, was "obedient unto death" (Phil. 2:88And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8)).
Man's fall was brought about by disobedience to God, and independence of Him. So with man today; when he pleases only himself in independence, and there is no human power to restrain him, he becomes an abject slave of his lusts, and the willing tool of Satan. True liberty is only known by those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior, and have been set at liberty from slavery to self and to sin, and thus are free in the "perfect law of liberty" to please another- even God. (Jas. 1:2525But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:25).)
Russia has been a master at sowing strife and discord and then encouraging a minority to overthrow duly constituted authorities; then their tools often find they are in worse slavery. What a strange mess man has made of the world!
Look around today and you will find no segment of the world really tranquil and at rest. All of Europe is uneasy; West Berlin is like a time bomb, with none but Russia knowing the setting of the timing device; Italy has just been through the throes of another political crisis; France is involved in a war in Algeria which it is unable to terminate; Eastern Europe is either under the heel of Russia or straddling the fence between East and West; Belgium will feel the strain of the Congo crisis for some time. Then to the east, Turkey has been through a revolution; Nasser of Egypt and Syria still threatens Israel; Russia is stirring minorities in Iran (Persia) to topple the Shah from his throne; India has border troubles with China; Nepal and other countries on the periphery of China have the same; likewise Tibet is suffering, as China seeks to assimilate its people while ruthlessly crushing resistance; Indonesia has been in trouble from within and without; to say nothing of Indo-China, Korea, Formosa, and other nations who are threatened constantly; nor of Japan and the bloody riots instigated by Russia. We have already considered Africa. In North America, all are aware of Russia's designs either to isolate its powerful nations from the rest of the world, or to eventually break them by force. To the south, militant and die-hard communistic groups are active in nearly all lands. Cuba has already succumbed, and the future is uncertain for any nation.
(As we go to press, another national upset with international complications has taken place, this time in the tiny, strategic kingdom of Laos in Southeast Asia. It lies between Communist nations, and between Communist and non-Communist countries. Less than one year ago it was rescued by the United Nations from military aggression by Communist North Vietnam. Now in the space of only a few hours, the pro-Western government fell in a military coup; and the new government ordered the French and the United States military advisers out of the country. This is another defeat for Washington, which has spent much money to bolster Laos as a buffer state; now Moscow gloats. It is all a part of a new kind of warfare, called "cold war," which is global in outlook and effect, and in which the International Communist conspiracy is the most adept. How wonderful it is that our rest and hope are in heaven, and not here!)
Thus the 60's of the great 20th century finds the world with all its boasted progress ripe for the day when peace shall be taken from the earth (Rev. 6:44And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (Revelation 6:4)). Then what of man's achievements? what have they brought him? He has lived without God, and he is about to perish in his own delusion.
Students of international affairs, and great statesmen, are often at their wits' ends. They see and grapple with matters that they cannot settle; they see the ominous trends toward disaster and are powerless to reverse or stay them. It is easy for one politician to criticize another, but not one of them is master of the situations they encounter; they can only go on from one crisis to another, devising some way to play for time, hoping for some method of escape that is not apparent. We quote herewith the "second Psalm" which shows that God is still supreme, and "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." All of man's puny efforts will come to naught, and in the end the One whom the world rejected will reign and subjugate all of His enemies.
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure. Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him." Psalm 2.
"Thou art coming, gracious Savior,
Ah, to see Thy face we long;
Thou art coming, blessed Savior,
Righting all creation's wrong.
Nation rises against nation,
Trouble spreads from shore to shore.
Thou art God's supreme salvation,
Come, and chaos shall be o'er."