Perspective

By L. Jim Tuck

March 2, 2024

   It’s All a Question of Survival Will you survive the incredible catastrophes the Bible describes in the future? Matthew 24:21-22 tells us what is coming: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

   The days ahead will be so intensely evil, God will have to send His Son to intervene so the elect saints will be saved alive. Will you survive and how?

Perspective

   It is all a question of survival! How can you make it through the worst time in all of human history? Jesus said it will be a dangerous time unparalleled in the history of nations.

   Daniel the prophet said, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.” (Daniel 12:1)

Depopulation Enthusiasts

   During the end time, the value of human life will be greatly diminished. Even now, there are those in the intelligentsia of education who advocate that the population of earth must be reduced by 90% in order for the planet to survive. Such odious ideas seem very bizarre to anyone who truly prizes life. However, some advocates of this are much worse than the proposal of a distinguished scientist of the University of Texas, ecologist Professor Eric Pianka. He stated at a meeting of the Texas Academy of Science in 2006, “the Earth as we know it will not survive without drastic measures. Then, and without presenting any data to justify this number, he asserted that the only feasible solution to saving the Earth is to reduce the population to 10 percent of the present number.”

   Professor Pianka continued “…then showed solutions for reducing the world's population in the form of a slide depicting the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. War and famine would not do, he explained. Instead, disease offered the most efficient and fastest way to kill the billions that must soon die if the population crisis is to be solved. Pianka then displayed a slide showing rows of human skulls, one of which had red lights flashing from its eye sockets. AIDS is not an efficient killer, he explained, because it is too slow. His favorite candidate for eliminating 90 percent of the world's population is airborne Ebola (Ebola Reston), because it is both highly lethal and it kills in days, instead of years. However, Professor Pianka did not mention that Ebola victims die a slow and torturous death as the virus initiates a cascade of biological calamities inside the victim that eventually liquefy the internal organs. After praising the Ebola virus for its efficiency at killing, Pianka paused, leaned over the lectern, looked at us and carefully said, ‘We've got airborne 90 percent mortality in humans. Killing humans. Think about that.’ (2006, “To Save the Planet, Kill 90 Percent of People Off,” says UT Ecologist, reason.com)

   Pianka is not the only distinguished person who advocates these kinds of drastic measures to reduce the population. Paul Ehrlich, Bing professor of population studies at Stanford University in California and author of the best-selling book (1968), Population Bomb, goes much further than the Royal Society in London. He stated the optimum population of Earth – enough to guarantee the minimal physical ingredients of a decent life to everyone – was 1.5 to 2 billion people rather than the 7 billion who are alive today or the 9 billion expected in 2050, said Ehrlich in an interview with the Guardian. (“Cut world population and redistribute resources, expert urges,” guardian.com)

   There are quite a number of “learned” people who advocate these kinds of drastic measures, and some have stated openly this population reduction must come about by any means. Possibly a Black Death-kind of killer pandemic which extinguished between 30-60 percent of the population of Europe would fulfill their goals.

   However, the depopulation the arrogant experts so warmly welcome will come in ways that they could not conceive. The winds of a global war are blowing across the world, and there are quite a number of ways WWIII could ignite. North Korea, Russia, China, and Iran are rogue nations which now form an Axis of Evil in the world which stands against the Western allied powers. It is a matter of who is going to pull the trigger first, and when it begins there will be no way for mankind to stop it.

   At a given point God will take a hand in world affairs. During the Day of the Lord, He will punish humankind for their wickedness. When the full force of the Pale horse of Revelation 6:7-8 strikes, twenty-five percent of people on earth will be killed by war, famine, disease, and the beasts of the earth. During the trumpet plagues of Revelation 9:15, one third of the people will be slain, and despite that, those who survive won’t repent (Revelation 9:20-21).

   It will involve nuclear weapons, and life as we know it on earth will change dramatically. Supply lines will alter how we live in every way. Countries will be invaded, and the U.S. and Britain will be first on the list, and probably Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and others. People will die in war and from famine and diseases. Ezekiel 5:12 anciently warned a third of modern Israel will die in war. Our cities will be laid waste (Ezekiel 6:1-6). Our children will be trafficked and traded like animals. Slavery and trafficking will be legal commerce (Joel 3:3; Revelation 18:13).

   Scripture indicates the Beast and the False Prophet will prevail in persecuting the saints of God (Daniel 7:21; Revelation 13:7). Prior to the return of Christ there is a prophesied martyrdom of some of the saints (Revelation 6:9-11). And yet, they will be a part of the better resurrection, and they will be assured a place in God’s coming kingdom to sit with Christ in His throne (Revelation 3:21).

   Heavy persecution will fall upon true believers. Jesus said in Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”

   Jesus said, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 10:23)

   Christ taught His disciples, “But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 13:11)

   Jesus also admonished them in Luke 21:36, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

   The most important thing is not trying to save our own skin; even if we face martyrdom, we remain faithful, and we will be there in the resurrection to stand before our Lord. Some, no doubt, will face heavy persecution and even death in the future because they feared God and love Him more than this physical life (Revelation 12:11-12, 17).

   God also does promise there will be a remnant of faithful servants of God who will escape to be taken out of the reach of Satan to a safe place. The church in prophecy is symbolized as a chaste woman. Revelation 12:14: “But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”

   The only way any of us will survive and be saved is if we endure to the end (Matthew 24:13). Revelation 22:10-11 teaches us to respond now before time runs out. There will be a time when the words of Revelation 22 will come to pass: “And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.’”

Beyond all the terrible trouble ahead for this earth and for God’s people is the great kingdom of eternal peace for which we yearn. It will be a place void of war or the other awful things the world will have endured, and you and I have been invited to serve with Jesus Christ to make this earth into the wonderful world of tomorrow.

This is my Perspective for this week. Have a great Sabbath and nice weekend!