Mark Hitchcock - What On Earth Is Going On?

O ne of the oldest books in the world states, Man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward (Job 5:7). Never have these words been truer than today.

Twenty years ago, Billy Graham wrote these sobering yet timely words:

The whole world is sighing and suffering on a scale perhaps not known in human history: the refugees, the starving, the new slaves, the psychological woes, the emotional turmoil, the broken marriages, the rebellious children, the

Certainly America is suffering and sighing right nowperhaps unlike ever before. World events and events close to home are a deep cause of worry and fear for many people. In recent years we have seen rioting in Los Angeles, poison gas attacks on Japanese subway commuters, disgruntled former employees on senseless shooting sprees, troubled students slaughtering their classmates, the Oklahoma City bombing, and now upward of three thousand people killed in New York City and Washington D.C. by murderous terrorists, with the continuing threat of more terrorist actseven chemical and biological terrorism.

Recent world events have also caused people to rethink their lives and ask all kinds of questions about God, man, life, our world, and the future. Did God cause this to happen? If God is in control, why didnt He stop this from happening? Is God judging America? Was Satan behind this? How can people be so evil? How can anything good possibly come out of this cataclysm? Whats next?

Though I have heard or read all of these questions and more in the weeks and months following the terrorist attack on America, one question has emerged most frequently and persistently: Is this the end of the world? The question is asked in many different ways: Is this the beginning of the end times? Is this attack predicted in the Bible? How does this event fit into Bible prophecy? But the gist of these questions is the same: What on earth is going on?

I certainly dont profess to have all the answers to these questions, but I do believe that a proper understanding of what the Bible says about the end times can shed some light on how the recent events in our country fit into Gods overall end-times drama.

God has not given us many of the details about the end times that we would like to know, but He has graciously given us the big picture, the blueprint of coming events. And when we see some of the major trends for the end times taking form right before our eyes, we need to wake up and pay attention.

I believe it is important for every person to understand how the events prophesied in Scripture are shaping up today. This understanding is important in order to call us to preparedness for the Lords coming. Moreover, we need to understand the times in which we live so we will be equipped to share with others, to use the opportunities God gives us, and to seize this time when people are searching for answers to help them understand how the unfolding world events of today are important pieces in Gods plan for the ages.

Someone has wisely said, If you want to know what happened yesterday, read the newspaper; if you want to know what happened today, listen to the evening news; if you want to know what will happen tomorrow, read the Bible.