|
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >
Crime and Natural Disasters to Increase
Strife Beyond Words
In this article we will examine some of the predictions Ellen White made regarding the increase
of lawlessness and natural disasters in the future. We will compare what she said with
the chaos and lawlessness that gripped New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which is a sobering
illustration of what can happen in any of our cities.
First, we'll look at a statement that connects scenes of strife and anarchy with catastrophes
such as hurricanes:
|
The restraining Spirit of God is even now being withdrawn
from the world. Hurricanes, storms, tempests, fire
and flood, disasters by sea and land, follow each other in
quick succession. Science seeks to explain all these. The
signs thickening around us, telling of the near approach
of the Son of God, are attributed to any other than the
true cause. Men cannot discern the sentinel angels
restraining the four winds that they shall not blow until
the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid
His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of
strife as no pen can picture.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 408, bold added.
|
The four winds of Revelation 7 themselves apparently represent not only
natural disasters, but also the evil and violent passions of men:
|
We feel depressed, greatly depressed, as we see the world and its
wickedness. . . . Why is it that all this wickedness does not break forth in decided
violence against righteousness and truth? It is because the four angels are
holding the four winds, that they shall not blow upon the earth. But human
passions are reaching a high pass, and the Spirit of the Lord is being
withdrawn from the earth. Were it not that God has commanded angelic agencies
to control the satanic agencies that are seeking to break loose and to
destroy, there would be no hope. But the winds are to be held until the
servants of God are sealed in their foreheads.—Manuscript Releases, vol. 20,
p. 269, bold added.
|
Anyone who has read the first chapter of Ellen White's Great Controversy cannot but see something
ominous in both the above words and in the looting and lawlessness that went on in New Orleans. She describes
in that first chapter the utter anarchy among the Jews that occurred during the Jewish revolt of 66-70 AD,
and then claims that that entire tragedy is a "faint shadow" of the judgments of God that will fall in the
end of time:
|
The Saviour's prophecy concerning the visitation of
judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of
which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the
fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world
that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law.
Dark are the records of human misery that earth has
witnessed during its long centuries of crime. The heart sickens,
and the mind grows faint in contemplation. Terrible have
been the results of rejecting the authority of Heaven. But a
scene yet darker is presented in the revelations of the future.
The records of the past,—the long procession of tumults,
conflicts, and revolutions, the "battle of the warrior . . . with
confused noise, and garments rolled in blood" (Isaiah 9:5),—what
are these, in contrast with the terrors of that day when
the restraining Spirit of God shall be wholly withdrawn
from the wicked, no longer to hold in check the outburst
of human passion and satanic wrath! The world will then
behold, as never before, the results of Satan's rule.—Great Controversy, pp. 36, 37, bold added.
|
 |
 |
Back of a house in Grand Isle, La.
—Robert MacMaster. |
|
Those who have "rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His law"? A connection between
natural disasters, and strife and anarchy? Hmm. This seems to make sense.
What would happen if 5% or 10% or 15% of society were living extremely self-centered, self-indulgent
lives, trampling upon the 10 Commandments, doing whatever they wanted to do whenever they wanted to do it?
What would happen if a significant amount of infrastructure collapsed, and food, water,
sanitation, police protection, and other basic services simply vanished? Would not utter
chaos break loose as that 5% or 10% or 15% began to run amok?
This whole topic demonstrates that the survival and tranquility of
our society depends on people everywhere allowing the Holy Spirit to transform their lives
through the power of the Gospel.
New Orleans: A Glimpse of the Future
According to the passages we read above, we can expect to see an increase both in lawlessness
in our cities and also in natural disasters.
Let's first take a brief look at some of the lawlessness that gripped New Orleans immediately
after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. After that we'll take a look at some of the ominous signs that occurred prior
to Hurricane Katrina that indicated that just such lawlessness was on the horizon. Then we will look
at the trend of natural disasters.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >
|
