Looking at the war in the Middle East certainly reminds one of the passage in Matthew 24:6, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: See that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass."
War is a terrifying thing. In these days of satellites and television, the war, in all of its ferocity, is brought right into our homes. Everyone is talking about it. Psychologists are warning the public about the effect this will all have on people, especially children. People are anxious and sorrowful; the talk of death is before us daily.
Can the creation message help at this time of anguish? Yes, the creation message can give great comfort in many ways:
1. As Creator, God is sovereign over all. The Bible says, in Deuteronomy 4:39, "Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: There is none else. " God is in total control of the situation on this earth. Nothing happens that He does not know about or has not allowed. No one can thwart God's plan for the future of this planet. "O Lord God of our fathers, art not Thou God in heaven? And rulest not Thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? And in Thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand Thee" (II Chronicles 20:6)?
And who is this God of heaven? "l am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself" (Isaiah 44:24). What a comfort to know that the One who created all things is in absolute control of the destiny of this earth.
2. As Creator, He can control the affairs of men. God's Word tells us that because He is the Infinite Creator, He controls the affairs of men for His purposes. Proverbs 21:1 states: "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever He will."
In Isaiah 45:1, we read: "Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him: and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut." The non-believing Cyrus accomplished what he did because it was planned by God to happen. Another example we read of in Scripture concerns the Pharaoh of the Exodus: "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth Mine armies, and My people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.... And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt" (Exodus 7:3,4; 11:9).
Many are concerned that Saddam Hussein may use nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons in this present war in the Persian Gulf. But remember, whatever happens, the God of creation is in total control. Saddam can't do anything that God doesn't allow. Some have expressed fear that a nuclear war could destroy the whole earth. However, the Bible teaches clearly, in II Peter 3:10, that it is God who will judge this earth by fire: "But 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."
Even though this time of war is unsettling and fearful for many, we should always remember the words of Isaiah, "Sanctify the LORD of Hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread" (Isaiah 8:13).
A GREATER WAR
It is sad, though, to observe that this great nation which once feared God as it should is departing from the foundation it was built upon--the foundation that the God of the Bible is the Creator, and thus it is His rules we must obey. As a result, there is a war in this nation that is far greater than the war in the Middle East. Far more lives are being lost, and the destruction is so great that the fabric of society is collapsing around us.
What are the weapons of this war? The weapons are textbooks, magazines, newspapers, radio and television programs that are capturing the minds of millions, by convincing them that there is no God, and that life is the result of chance, random processes. Millions are being told that they are just animals in the fight for survival, and that there is no purpose or meaning to life, because they evolved from the primeval slime.
Where are the control centers? The universities, the public schools, and the education departments that control and dictate the syllabi and the textbook content have, by and large, been taken over by those who oppose the God of creation and preach the anti-Gospel that man is the center of all things and that man should be worshiped, because he alone can save himself. Homosexuals, witches, and abortionists, etc., are often allowed into these systems to indoctrinate students--but Christianity and the message of God as Creator and Savior have been banished.
Who are the casualties of this war? Millions have been killed--torn to pieces in abortion clinics. Thousands are killing themselves (suicide), as they see no hope, no purpose, and no meaning to life. Millions have been led away from the truth of the everlasting Gospel, only to face that eternal death--eternal separation from the God of creation who came to earth to die for them. Thousands are dying from diseases (e.g., AIDS), spread because so many have abandoned the laws of the Creator.
Where are the soldiers to fight the war? 'Onward Christian Soldiers' is the name of the famous hymn. We live on the battlefield, and Christian soldiers are to be involved in the battle. But where are the Christian soldiers needed to fight the onslaughts of humanism, with its foundation in evolution that is taking over society? Sadly, it seems, the majority of our "Christian soldiers" have been trained by the enemy, through the educational system. And because they have been trained by the enemy, they think like the enemy. Many Christians accept some form of evolution; they compromise the Word of God; they don't understand the war.
Yes, they see the increase in abortion, homosexuality, lawlessness, etc. Yes, they see the increasing anti-Christian sentiment. Yes, they see the coming generation devoid of the knowledge of God and His law. But no, they don't realize that this is all tied in with the war of origins--creation versus evolution.
Perhaps we could use the words of Isaiah 59:2,3 to describe what has happened in this nation: "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness."
At this time of war in the Middle East, let us also be reminded of the terrible battle within this nation that all our military equipment and modern technology cannot stop—a war that is destroying from within. Let us pray, at this time, that the nation of America will remember the God of creation, that it will turn from the lie of evolution that it has so willingly accepted, and that it will proclaim to the nations of the world: "For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, the LORD is our King; He will save us" (Isaiah 33:22).
