The Atomic Bomb
Algernon James Pollock
Table of Contents
The Atomic Bomb: Its Startling Lesson and Far-Reaching Consequences
MAN, greatly daring, has striven to discover, what has hitherto been hidden in the mind of God Himself, the secret of the driving power of the universe. Man is seeking to harness this power for the advancement of his own selfish ends, for we fail to find any acknowledgment of God in his propositions. We are now promised that atomic energy will make labor in the mines unnecessary, that this mighty force of nature can be utilized for the running of trains, the propelling of steamers, the flight of airplanes, the driving force of factories and mills, the lighting of our homes, in a thousand and one ways. In short, man is promised that by this means with a minimum of labor there will be a maximum of output. Instead of working five days in the week and resting two, it will be only necessary to work two days or less, and have five days or more for rest and recreation. We wonder, if this would not turn out to be the worst thing that could happen to mankind.
And what was the first use that man did make of this mighty power? Was it for happiness, prosperity and blessing? Nay, its first use was the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing men, women and children by the tens of thousands, and the destruction of thousands of homes.
All unknown to the world at large a band of research scientists had been feverishly working for years to discover this secret of nature. It is said that two million gold dollars were expended in this effort.
Monday, August 6th, 1945, was the fateful day when this bomb was dropped, startling the whole world, filling the hearts of millions with a fresh and terrible fear, setting up far-reaching consequences, little dreamed of by the unthinking multitudes. This bomb killed 60,000 people and wounded 100,000, and wrecked the major part of the big city of Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, a seaport about 100 miles distant. So absolutely terrible was the devastating power of these bombs that it brought Japan, that proud, aggressive Empire, ambitious to be master of the Pacific, to her knees. Humbly she sued for peace.
This bomb was said to have more power than 20,000 tons of T.N.T., and 2,000 times more blast power than the British Grand Slam, hitherto the largest bomb ever used in the history of warfare. Perfectly wild speculations were set afloat as to the mysterious power of this terrible bomb, which were set at rest when the President of the United States of America announced that it was atomic.
The immense power of this bomb was shown in that mica, whose melting point is 900 degrees centigrade, fused on granite gravestones 380 yards from the center of explosion. Gray clay tiles, whose melting point is 1,300 degrees centigrade, were dissolved as far distant as 600 yards from the center of explosion. The bomb's heat on explosion was calculated at the amazing figure of 6,000 degrees centigrade.
So terrible is the power of this bomb that it can destroy the very marrow in the bones, and those so affected die on their feet. A number of men were found in a wood, their faces wholly burned, their eye-sockets hollow, the fluid from their melted eyes running down their cheeks, their mouths a mass of pus-covered sores, which could not be stretched wide enough to admit the introduction of the spout of a feeding cup. How strikingly similar in details this is to a prophecy of over 2,500 years ago. We read, "This shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; THEIR FLESH SHALL CONSUME AWAY WHILE THEY STAND UPON THEIR FEET, AND THEIR EYES SHALL CONSUME AWAY IN THEIR HOLES, AND THEIR TONGUE SHALL CONSUME AWAY IN THEIR MOUTH." (Zech. 14:12).
How was it, we ask, that Zechariah could prophesy a plague in such minute detail, exactly corresponding to the effect on human bodies of the atomic bomb, unknown till so recently as Monday, August 6th, 1945?
With universal dismay it was known that the great powers were straining every nerve to possess themselves of this dread secret. Was this power to be the great weapon of the future? Wars instead of stretching over weary years would be decided in a night. The first to strike the blow would be the conqueror. To work in utmost secrecy, and then to launch the fatal blow suddenly, swiftly and without warning would be the aim of a power bent on ruthless exploitation. Little wonder that the Bible speaks of men's hearts failing them because of fear.
But has GOD got no voice in this? Has He allowed man to discover a little bit of the secret of the universe for a definite and wise purpose? We believe He has, and for this statement we are prepared to give our reasons. Please follow carefully the following statements.
God's great gesture of love and mercy to mankind is seen in sending into this world His only begotten Son to be the Savior of the world. This necessitated His atoning death upon the cross of Calvary. For nigh two thousand years the Gospel of God's grace to guilty man has been proclaimed. Putting their trust in the Savior, millions have been saved. But what is the position today?
Take Christendom—the European nations, the Dominions of the far-flung British Empire, the United States of America, populated in the main from European countries—and what do we find today? We send our missionaries to convert the heathen, and these so-called Christian lands, from which the missionaries are sent, are themselves rapidly becoming PAGAN. Crime, lawlessness, dishonesty, impurity are widespread and increasing to the alarm of all thoughtful persons. Impatience of control is the spirit of the age, be it of children in relation to their parents; of pupils to their schoolmasters; of workmen to their employers. Big wages, short hours, little labor, long holidays at full pay, ample leisure for sport and pictures—these are the demands of the hour. Long queues are seen outside picture palaces with their salacious attractions, whilst churches and chapels are comparatively empty.
With all this in mind please read a very illuminating passage of Scripture, throwing light on the subject in hand. We read: "Thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; BECAUSE I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO THEM, BUT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD: AND I CALLED UNTO THEM, BUT THEY HAVE NOT ANSWERED." (Jer. 35:17).
Do you not see the connection? Because God speaks, and man does NOT hear; because God calls, and man does NOT answer, therefore mercy despised must be visited by stern judgment. God is speaking today, God is calling today, and in the vast majority of cases, alas! alas!! He speaks and calls in vain. Is the time coming when the fulfillment of this solemn Scripture will be a dread reality. "Therefore it is come to pass, that as He [God] cried, and they would NOT hear; so they cried, and I would NOT hear, saith the LORD of hosts." (Zech. 7:13)?
Can there be anything more terrible to contemplate than this state of affairs? Has God not given man a solemn warning in the falling of this atomic bomb? Is it not more than a hint that, "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, AND THE ELEMENTS SHALL MELT WITH FERVENT HEAT, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)?
Strange warning to flow from the pen of a fisherman, but Peter was inspired of God to write this stern warning. It will most assuredly come true. It only took a bomb of a few pounds weight to show men how inconceivably mighty are the forces of nature, but here it is not the question of a single bomb, but of a whole world melting with fervent heat. Motorists sometimes see a kindly notice by the road side, "You have been warned," and surely the falling of the atomic bomb might well carry the message to each one of us. You have been warned. Judgment is assuredly coming for those, who refuse mercy.
What a dread prospect lies before mankind as we think of man's use of this atomic power. War may become imminent overnight, so great are the strained relations between the great powers. If war broke out, fear of atomic warfare would instantly produce a sickening dread in the heart of millions. Terrible dismay would grip the inhabitants of London, Moscow, New York, and the great cities of the world.
In striking contrast let us think how God is using atomic energy, the product of the wise omniscient mind of the Creator. The dropping of the fatal bomb on Hiroshima, not only opened the eyes of millions as to its terrible use in warfare, but at the same time showed as in a glance the mighty power of God, and that the whole universe is run on this energy, and that beneficently for the comfort and well-being of man.
That celebrated scientist, the late Sir Ambrose Fleming, tells us that 250,000,000 tons of matter are broken up into atomic energy every minute since the sun was created. So vast is the size of the sun that this huge consumption of matter would not affect its bulk for millions of years. Contrast the size of the sun with that of the earth, and it will be seen how unbelievably great is the bulk of the former. The earth's diameter is 7,918 miles, whilst that of the sun is 866,400 miles, that is, the bulk of the sun is 1,300,000 times greater than that of the earth. And further, when we recollect that the heat of the sun travels 90,000,000 miles to reach this planet on which we dwell, we realize dimly what atomic energy is in the hands of God.
And what does God do with this inconceivable power? He uses it for man's blessing, for the ripening of earth's harvests, the drawing of moisture from the vast expanse of water that encircles this globe, producing clouds, which, descending in refreshing rain, renew the fertility of the soil. All this, since the sun was created, and put into relation to the earth, has been carried on for man's blessing and support.
In striking contrast to this, let even a little of this power get into man's hand, and at once gnawing fear possesses the heart of millions.
We remember visiting the ruins of Pompeii and wondering how it was possible that a single volcano a very few miles away could be the means of wiping out whole cities, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum, burying them below layers of lava and ashes. But what will it be when the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the whole earth is burned up? And that may take place far sooner than men think,
To show how slow God is to judge, how slow to withdraw His offers of mercy, and how faithfully He warns men of coming judgment, we append three or four Scriptures. "He [GOD] commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He [Christ] which was ordained of God to be THE JUDGE OF QUICK AND DEAD." (Acts 10:42).
The warning is quickly followed by the gracious invitation, "To Him [the Lord Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through His Name WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS." (Acts 10:43).
Again we read the gracious invitation: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man [the Lord Jesus Christ] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins." (Acts 13:38).
But please note carefully how quickly comes the word of warning: "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and PERISH: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." (Acts 13:41).
The Apostle John wrote in similar strain. Here is the gracious invitation, followed immediately by the warning note: "He that believeth' on Him [the Lord Jesus Christ] is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is CONDEMNED ALREADY, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18).
Again we read the gracious invitation followed at once by a solemn warning: "He that believeth on the Son [the Lord Jesus Christ] hath EVERLASTING LIFE: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM." (John 3:36).
We have sought to point out the lesson of the atomic bomb, we may now ask, What are its far-reaching consequences?
To begin with the falling of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killed isolationism in the United States of America in a single night. This alone will alter the future of the world to a remarkable extent. Not long ago isolationists were in the majority in that vast country. They argued that their distance from Europe, the width of the broad Atlantic Ocean, were sufficient reasons to keep themselves to themselves, and leave the old world to its own quarrels and troubles. But the atomic bomb fell, and in a night shriveled up the mighty Atlantic to the width of a mere ditch. With the range and speed of present-day warplanes New York, Washington and New Orleans are as vulnerable as London, Paris and Moscow. Add to this, the production of a supersonic plane, able to travel swifter than sound, has been very recently announced from America.
All this has made the Marshall Plan possible, leading the United States to conceive the scheme of pouring vast millions of money into Europe for the rehabilitation of its stricken and war-impoverished nations.
The writer has often been asked what place the United States of America has in Bible prophecy, and its part in the last days. Seeing the continent of America was quite unknown in Bible times, it is very obvious that there could be no allusion to that country in the Scriptures. But the fact that the population of that vast land is mainly drawn from European countries seems to indicate plainly that their future will be linked with the revival of the Roman Empire.
Of that there seem to be some indications already, and definitely brought about by the falling of the atomic bomb. We see them already in the Marshall Plan, America's intervention in the affairs of Greece, and in other ways.
If we think of Russia, and the part she is playing at the present time, it will enable us to see this more clearly. Europe covers 3,865,000 square miles, and Russia in Europe 1,997,000 square miles, that is Russia is a little over half the size of the whole of Europe. Including Siberia, that is Russia in Asia, that vast country covers 8,660,000 square miles, or more than twice the size of the whole of Europe. It is true that vast tracts of the North of Siberia are uninhabitable frozen regions, but allowing for everything of that nature, Russia stands out as the Colossus of the North. In contrast to all this, Britain, that is England, Scotland and Wales, comprises only 88,755 square miles, that is, it would take nearly one hundred Britains to make one Russia.
It is known that Russia is able to produce all the food and minerals that she needs, and that her man-power is enormous. It is known also that she is striving every nerve to possess herself of the secret of the atomic bomb, if she has not already done so. We can thus see plainly how Russia is casting a sinister shadow over Europe, and that no single European country could successfully challenge such might.
And that this is having present-day consequences, we shall see, as we proceed. Britain is indeed a very great country, the center of the far-flung British Empire, but her peak of prosperity and power seems to have passed. No longer does she control India and Burma, no longer has she a position in Egypt, thus weakening her hold on the Suez Canal, that great waterway to her dominions and dependencies in the East. No longer has she the mandate over Palestine. But in size and manpower how very small is she as compared with Russia. Indeed what would have been the fate of Britain in the last two world-wars, if she had stood alone, and been without the loyal help of the Dominions of the British Empire, and the mighty support of the United States of America?
Scripture also prophesies what an important role Russia will play in the last days. There are two very important chapters in the Old Testament—Ezek. 38 and 39—bearing on this subject. We read: "Son of man, set thy face against Gog [the Ruler], the land of Magog [the land ruled over], the chief prince [Hebrew, Rosh] of Meshech [Moscow, the capital of European Russia] and Tubal [Tobolsk, the capital of Asiatic Russia], and prophesy against him." (Ezek. 38:2).
Germany, we believe, will be among her many allies, under the name of "Gomer, and all his bands" (verse 6). With a mighty army Russia will invade Palestine with very sad results to themselves, God Himself taking a hand in the battle, employing the very elements of nature to their utter discomfiture, a just judgment for their persecution of the Jews over long centuries. (See Ezek. 38:21-23).
For many years the writer has said that in his belief the only thing that will bind the nations together, and bring into being the revived Roman Empire, will be fear, ABJECT fear. Prosperity will not bind nations together. The tendency in that case is quite the other way, as history testifies again and again. In face of the present condition of things, viz., the fear of Russia and her satellites, coupled with the awful dread of the atomic bomb, the late Mr. Ernest Bevin, former British Foreign Secretary, once said that, if we, in Western Europe, do not co-operate, we shall perish. This is more tritely put by the saying, If we don't hang together, we shall hang separately.
Bringing before our readers' notice the immense power of Russia and the intransigent attitude she has taken these many months, will prepare their minds to see how all this is having a reflex influence on the nations of Western Europe—in short, shadowing the revived Roman Empire. What then do we find today? Most recently Britain, France, Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg have formed a defensive alliance, pooling their economic and military resources. What is to prevent the United States of America joining in this defensive alliance? They are in sympathy with it. Their joining would make the alliance very formidable, sufficient to make the strongest power think twice before commencing hostilities. Indeed from Scripture we do not gather that Russia and the revived Roman Empire will come to grips in the last days, but rather in both cases Palestine will be the objective of their attack. This we gather from Ezek. 38 and 39.
Lately it was a question of acute anxiety as to whether Italy might not turn communistic in the recent elections. Since Italy is to form part of the revived Roman Empire, the writer was assured that the elections would prove to be on the more conservative side, and this has already taken place. It is not difficult to see that it would be to the great advantage of Italy and other nations, such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, to join in this alliance of nations. They may call the present alliance Benelux (Be stands for Belgium; Ne stands for Netherlands or Holland; Lux stands for Luxemburg). They may call it by what name they like, but it is in germ, we believe, the revived Roman Empire, the alliance of Western and Southern Europe, standing in opposition to Russia, the great threatening power in Eastern Europe, stretching her tentacles towards India and Palestine. It may be an abortive start, it may break down altogether, it may grow to full dimensions, but it certainly is casting a shadow in the direction of the fulfillment of Scripture.
It may safely be said that the atomic bomb has produced startling and far-reaching consequences, which will continue to operate to the end of time. Monday, August 6th, 1945, was indeed a fatal day, marking a new and frightful epoch in the history of the world. The world will never be the same again.
Does it not look like things shaping fairly rapidly for the last days? Communism bids fair to sweep the whole world, and Communism at bottom is anti-God, and that forebodes the rising up of anti-Christ, as foretold in the Scriptures.
Thank God, true Christians can lift up their heads, and wait with renewed and eager desire to hear the summoning shout of their Lord, to call them in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, to be forever with Himself (1 Cor. 15:51-57).
But may not this happiness be yours also, as you read these lines? Most assuredly. Scripture not only warns us to "flee from the wrath to come" (Matt. 3:7), but invites every one of us to receive the Gospel. It asks the question, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2:3). There is no escape from the doom of sin save by trusting the Savior, who died on the cross of Calvary to make our salvation possible. Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).
God has done all He can do, even in the giving up of His beloved Son to all the agony of the cross, where righteousness was upheld, and mercy procured for all, who will accept it.
GOD IS WILLING to save you now. There is no obstacle on His side. ARE YOU WILLING to be saved? The decision lies in your hand. "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
Even now believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and salvation is yours through God's infinite grace, as His free gift.
A. J. Pollock.
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