Parachute Mentality

by Tom Wacaster

Having never worn a parachute, and fortunately never having needed one, I don't know if I can appreciate what a paratrooper goes through in the exercise of his basic skills as a skydiver.  While serving in the Coast Guard in Corpus Christi, it was my privilege to work in the field of aviation search and rescue.  Those of us who went on search and rescue missions were never issued a parachute, never trained in the use of them, and seldom had one on board when we went out on search and rescue missions.  I was told on one occasion that there were always a couple on board, but they were stored under the seats of the pilot and co-pilot (hmmm).  I once asked one of my fellow workers if he felt a little uncomfortable flying several hundred miles out into the Gulf of Mexico not having a parachute.  He answered in the negative, and then explained that the parachute was bulky, uncomfortable to wear, and interfered with movement around the plane.  And, since it was not required that crew members wear the parachute seldom if ever would you find someone with one strapped to his back.  I once read (some years after my discharge from the military) of a sign that hung over the door of a parachute preparation room which read, "If you ever need it, and don't have it, you ain't ever goanna need it again."  In time of need it might be great to have one close by, but, hey, who needs it now?  Until and unless an emergency arises, we'll just leave it stored under the seat.  That, my friends, is what I mean by "parachute mentality."    Do you suppose some members of the Lord's church have a "parachute mentality"?  Think with me on this.

In every congregation there are a small number of Christians who are barely hanging on.  There is little, if any, involvement in the work of the church.  To them, AM worship is all that is required, and that only if something else does not interfere.   Sunday morning Bible classes, Sunday evening worship, and Wednesday night are purely optional, and that only for the fanatical, right-wing fringe (which they want to avoid at all costs).  Asked if Jesus were important they would answer in the affirmative.   But if the truth were known, their definition of "important" is quite different than what God considers "important."   The faithful, humble, serving child of God realizes that when he was baptized into Christ he "put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27).  But that child of God with a "parachute mentality" perceives of Christ as bulky, uncomfortable to wear, and an interference to his free-moving life style that places a premium on business, pleasure, and self gratification.  Jesus is stored under the pew at the local church building, ready to grab and strap to the back in time of emergency.  But to wear it on a daily basis?  Forget it!    Sometimes I think we ought to hang a sign over the exit door on our buildings similar to the one referred to above.  That sign might read something like this:  "If you ever need Him, and don't have Him, you ain't never goanna need Him again."  The Christian with the "parachute mentality" makes at least two fatal blunders. First, he thinks that Jesus is something you put on and off depending on your need.  But you know as well as I do that Christianity is a daily walk.  I read somewhere that Jesus said, "take up your cross daily...."   Second, he thinks that God can be ignored and spurned when things are going well, and then immediately come to the rescue when things turn sour.  If I read my Bible clearly it does not work that way.  Dearly beloved, God wants your humble obedience and submission every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day of the year.  It isn't that He needs you; it is that YOU need HIM!  To think otherwise is to possess a "parachute mentality."    

Working With Jell-O

Working With Jell-O

By Tom Wacaster

Senator John Boehner used this analogy some months back when referring to attempts to “negotiate” with the President and his staff in matters concerning the economy, taxes, and balancing the budget.   More precisely the Speaker of the House pointed out, “Dealing with them the last couple months has been like dealing with Jell-o,” Boehner said. “Some days it’s firmer than others. Sometimes it’s like they’ve left it out over night.”   I have been preaching for almost four decades now, and I can attest to the frustration that comes with trying to reason with folks in a logical, analytical manner.   Some folks simply cannot be taught; not because they are incapable of receiving the facts, but because they have become so close-minded that the truth cannot penetrate their thick skull.  Pride and selfishness play an important role in hardening the heart and closing the mind to truth.   It is even possible for a person to so harden his heart that he no longer loves the truth (2 Thess. 2:10).  When a man reaches that point in his life, “God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess. 2:11-12). Frankly, that frightens me!  

 I used to say that reasoning with some folks is like trying to wrestle with an octopus – about the time you get hold of one arm in an attempt to tie the creature down, another one grabs you from an altogether different direction.   Liberalism has a way of avoiding truth while making you think it is addressing the issue.  Politicians are good at this.   If you have some time to waste, tune in to CNN or C-SPAN and listen to the news conferences with any of our leading politicians on any issue whatsoever.    Try to pin a politician down on any issue and you will quickly learn that it really is like trying to work with Jell-O.    You might take a moment to tune in to one of many talk show programs.  It is astounding how a liberal can call in, be asked a simple “yes” or “no” question by the host, and in an attempt to answer the question actually avoid the question all together!   Every attempt to press the point of the discussion is like – well, like working with Jell-O!

Liberals in politics have their counterpart in the sphere of religion.  Trying to reason with purveyors of false doctrine is like working with Jell-O; you can’t pin them down on any single issue, and simple “yes” or “no” questions are avoided like the plague!  I have had opportunity to conduct two public debates in more than forty years of preaching.  One thing I have learned from those debates is the inability (or unwillingness) of my opponent to stay with the subject.   It is like working with Jell-O, and most of the time it is Jell-O it its liquefied state!   Reason flies out the window, emotion takes hold of the disputant, and you end up chasing rabbits more than addressing the subject at hand.  It can be frustrating! 

This week I had the opportunity to discuss a religious matter with someone I met while eating breakfast at Whataburger.  I have learned from practical experience that “arguing” with someone over a religious topic accomplishes little.   So, when I come across a prospective student, I attempt to get an appointment to come into their home and have an open Bible study.  This will provide opportunity for the student to see what the Bible teaches, rather than listen to what I might think on the matter.    On this particular occasion I asked the question, “Why do you suppose there are so many strange churches popping up everywhere?”   Rather than address my question, he took the same kind of approach a politician might take on a sticky issue, and commenced to discuss how his fiancé has some really “weird” ideas about religion.  When I asked him what might motivate a person to pursue such radical and far-fetched ideas, he asked if I believed in prophets today.  Attempting to keep him on the subject and move toward an in-home Bible study, I asked if he would like to see what the Bible had to say on the matter.  He changed the subject again – this time he wanted to discuss the unreasonableness of some women when it comes to having a normal conversation on husband and wife responsibilities.  I felt like I was trying to work with Jell-O.    It was difficult (if not impossible) to pin him down on any single point, and our conversation ended with an invitation to visit our worship assembly or public Bible study opportunities.   As expected, there was no definite commitment, but the typical response, “I might just do that someday!”    “Someday” – but then that’s a topic for another discussion. 

Some weeks back I watched a portion of Walt Disney’s “Alice In Wonderland.”  It reminded me, in an amusing way, of how illogical some folks can be.   Some years ago Jefferson Airplane produced a song titled, “White Rabbit” – a definite reference to Alice in Wonderland and the complete lack of logic demonstrated in the story.  The last stanza of the song is thought provoking:

“When logic and proportion

Have fallen sloppy dead

And the White Knight is talking backwards

And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"

Remember what the dormouse said;

‘Keep YOUR HEAD’”

Next time you are in a discussion with someone who cannot seem to stay on the subject, “keep your head,” and remember – trying to reason with some people is like working with Jell-O!

An Open Letter To Barack Obama

Dear Mr. President:  

It is with all due respect and honor for the office of the President of The United States of America that I write this open letter to you.  The office you now hold, and have held for slightly more than four years, is without doubt the highest office in our land, and perhaps the most influential office in the entire free world.   On that cold day in January 2009, you stood before the American people, a host of cameras and news organizations being present, placed your hand on a Bible, and repeated the following words (with but slight variance):

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so help me God.”

That oath administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been repeated by 43 men who preceded you in that office; 43 men who have shaped the course and destiny of this nation; 43 men who have stood before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and made a promise to fulfill that office faithfully and to the best of their ability.  That oath was taken in the presence of the citizens of this nation and the God Who has so blessed this nation with the liberties we now enjoy.   Every single word in that oath of office is significant. 

That oath consists of only thirty-eight words that take less than one minute to repeat; but words that have profound meaning.  For one thing it is a personal oath.   “I do solemnly swear” make up a quartet of words that place the burden square upon your shoulders to fulfill that oath.  You avowed that you would, to the best of your “ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  If you fail in fulfilling that promise you can blame no one but yourself.  The failures during your first term in office are glaring, but your complete lack of willingness to accept the responsibility for your failures is even more evident.   You have sought to blame everyone but yourself, criticizing the Supreme Court in a State of the Union message, while openly ridiculing those who would hold to their “guns, Bibles, and religion.”  You made the promise, Mr. President, that you would bear the responsibility for your failures when you spoke those four words.  It is time for you to live up to your promise.

The oath you took four years ago recognized an authority upon which you, and the forty-three Presidents before you, based your decisions and actions as Commander and Chief of this mighty nation.  That authority is the Constitution of the United States.   It is not the Muslim Sharia, the United Nations, international law, or personal likes and dislikes.   The Constitution of the United States of America sets forth the lawful procedure for the everyday operation and function of this government. Your attempts to circumvent that Constitution by “executive orders” and “recess appointments” demonstrates either an ignorance of the Constitutional process or an unwillingness to abide by the Constitution which you vowed to uphold. 

The oath of office was something to which you, and your predecessors, did “solemnly swear.”  You made a promise Mr. President!   Campaign promises may sometimes be difficult, or impossible to fulfill due in no little part to circumstances beyond your control.  But that to which you swore in that oath are not open for negotiation, alteration, or compromise.   You clearly stated, “I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States.”  Most of our Presidents have fulfilled the duties of the office admirably.  It is because they know what it means to serve.  You have failed to “execute” the office of President, not asking what you can do for the country, but what the country can do for you!  Your extravagant life style, golf outings, and multiple vacations all attest to your failure to “execute” that office in service to the people.

Perhaps your greatest failure as President of these United States is the stark contrast between the last four words of that oath and the leadership you have provided the American people in view of those words, “So help me God!”  May I humbly submit that you have not only forgotten the God of Heaven (if indeed you ever believed in Him at all), you have trampled upon His word and done despite to the Creator Who has so blessed this country for more than two centuries.  Recall, if you will, that memorable day when you turned to the Chief Justice, placed you hand on the Bible, and called upon the God of Heaven to stand as a witness to your oath of office.   When you said those four words, “So help me God,” here is what you implied:

First, by placing your hands on the Bible, you called the God of the Bible as a witness to that sacred promise you so avowed.   With the closing words, “so help me God,” you sought His assistance in fulfilling that vow.   Mr. President, have you at any time sought God’s wisdom in the decisions you have made as the leader of this country?  Did you seek God’s wisdom and guidance when you affirmed your approval and support for same-sex marriages?  Have you ever sought God’s will in the matter of abortion?   Even today, as I write this letter, you stood before an assembly of Planned Parenthood and offered encouragement and support to the largest abortion provider in the world.   Have you, Mr. Present, ever asked God what He thinks about homosexuality, same-sex marriages, or any other ethical and moral issues that confront our nation?   Have you ever opened that book upon which you placed your hand on that cold January morning to see what God says about such matters?  Those four words, “So help me God,” are more, much more, than some dignified way to simply close an inaugural swearing in; those four words mean something.  To speak those words without due reverence for the God of heaven and His divine will in matters pertaining to your oath of office and service as President, is a mockery of the God of heaven and the Bible upon which you placed your hand.   But in your first term when your will crossed the will of the Father, you completely ignored His will and sought the will of the people rather than the will of the Almighty.  

Finally, you vowed that you would preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  “Defend”!  Men and women have died to defend the Constitution!   Blood has been shed around the world to defend the Constitution.  From the shores of Normandy, to the killing fields of Cambodia, oceans of blood have been spilled to keep the Constitution  and to preserve our liberty.   In my generation we lost more than 50,000 young men in Vietnam in order to defend and protect the Constitution.   The “greatest generation” of the 1940’s and 50’s fought in Germany, Italy, Africa, and the Pacific to liberate a world oppressed by tyranny so all of us could enjoy the greatest freedom in the history of the world.   That generation, as well as my generation, now feel betrayed by the “transformation” you are seeking to bring to America.   Your disregard for the Constitution, the due process of law, and most of all your disregard for the Bible and God Who blessed you to be seated in the highest office in the world have left my generation bewildered, troubled, and fearful of what lies ahead for our children and grandchildren. 

For two-hundred-thirty years every President of these United States of America has stood with his hand on the Bible and taken that oath of office you took in 2009, and which you reaffirmed in 2013.   We pray that God would grant you wisdom so that you would rule according to the dictates of God’s divine will.  To do otherwise will leave you with a legacy of failure, and a fearful expectation of the judgment of God that you will face after this nation has long passed into ruin. 

 Tom Wacaster

The Power And Nature of Prophetic Prophecy

by Tom Wacaster

Rex Turner, in his book Systematic Theology, has correctly pointed out:  "Predictive prophecy is the highest evidence of divine revelation.  The one thing  that a mortal man cannot do is to know and report future events in the absence of a train of circumstances that naturally suggest certain possibilities, but even then that person is very dependent upon the constancy of the cause and effect from which he has based his predictions and/or conclusions" (Rex Turner, page 12).    Dozens, if not hundreds of so-called "prophets" have come and gone over the centuries.  Some of these false prophets are mentioned in the Old Testament by name, and warnings abound in both Old and New Testaments as to the futility and danger of following false prophets in any generation.   Yet in spite of the warnings and the ultimate end of both the deceiver and the deceived, multitudes continue to entrust their souls to men who claim to know the "signs of the times" and use their canny ability to sway the multitudes to gain a following.   

In the early 90's when the door first opened into Russia we had what seemed unlimited opportunities to preach and teach the gospel to university students from one end of that country to the other.   My own personal experience can attest to the interest, and the gullibility, of a generation whose knowledge of God was lacking.  It seems that almost every where I went someone would ask a question having to do with Nostradamus, or some "modern-day" prophet who was evidently well known among those whom we had opportunity to teach.   Occasionally we would come across a reference to some prophetic statement that did, indeed, come to pass.  I would classify these as mere "guesses" that out of sheer circumstance came to pass as predicted.  I would add,  however, that such self claimed 'prophecies' did not come close to the nature of prophecies we read about in the Bible.  The Bible contains prophecies about places, nations, lands, and even individuals.  In every case of genuine prophecy the thing prophesied came to pass exactly as stated by the prophet.  It is the amazing accuracy of Bible prophecy that makes it stand in stark contrast to the so-called "prophecies" of men.   One author focused on this characteristic of Bible prophecy.  He wrote that Bible prophecy is "a miracle of knowledge, a declaration or representation of some thing future, beyond the power of human sagacity to discern or to calculate" (An Introduction to the Critical Study of the Scriptures, page 272).   The power of such predictive prophecy is an argument used by God Himself.  Through Isaiah God challenged the false prophets with these words: "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come" (Isa. 41:21-22). He even warned that if a prophet spoke and the "thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him" (Deut. 18:20-22).   The life a false prophet was short lived because his punishment was immediate stoning.  Among other things this assured that a false prophet would not have an audience more than once.   What, then, distinguishes false prophecies from genuine Biblical prophecies?   Here are some characteristics of genuine Bible prophecies.

First, Biblical prophecy was always stated in clear, unmistakable and understandable terms.   In his book, The Dawn of Belief, Roger Dickson noted:  "Prophecies must be sufficiently clear in order for the observer to be able to link pronouncement with fulfillment. If a prophecy is not understandable enough so as to allow the observer to depict its fulfillment, then what good would the prophecy be" (page 346).  Vague generalities in advance of what simple observation might predict is not Bible prophecy.   The so-called prophecies of Nostradamus are a good example of the absence of this distinctive trait found in Bible prophecy.  Nostradamus was a French astrologer who lived in the 16th century.  In 1555 he published a book of "prophecies" under the title Centuries.  One of the reasons for the success of Nostradamus' prophetic writings was the vagueness of his writing.  Had Nostradamus attempted to be more specific in his prophetic utterances he would have been immediately recognized as a false prophet.  Referring to Nostradamus Wayne Jackson pointed out: "The verses are deliberately obscure. Couched in a French that was already archaic in the sixteenth century, they are interlarded with words from other languages, as well as with anagrams, obscure images, and terms the seer apparently invented" (Christian Courier, July 7, 1993, page 3).   I don't know who wrote these words, but they are certainly applicable here:  "Arrows shot in all directions, even in the dark, are bound to hit something occasionally."  Such was the case with the vague and more-often-than-not confusing language of Nostradamus.  

Second, Biblical prophecy must have proper timing so as to classify it as genuine prophecy.  As brother Jackson observed, "the oracle must significantly precede the person or event described" so as to "preclude the possibility of an educated guess" (Essays in Apologetics, Volume IV, page 155).    Sometimes prophecy is used without regard to the time element; this is because prophetic statements are sometimes based on the condition of repentance and/or faithfulness on the part of those with whom the prophecy has to do.   For example, it was prophesied that God would make a great nation of the seed of Abraham, but a specific time element is not provided.   But on those occasions when a specific time frame is mentioned in the prophecy, the details are so precise that it precludes guess work.  Take as an example the prophecy of Cyrus in Isaiah 44:28: "That said of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundations shall be laid."  Those words were recorded more than 150 years before Cyrus was even born!   That, my friend, is predictive prophecy!

Third, there must be an exact, identifiable fulfillment of the prophecy.   It is not enough to simply claim that one event is the fulfillment of some statement made previously; it must be evident and observable.  The case of Cyrus mentioned above is one such example.   Another example is the prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the life of the Savior.  Here are but a few examples of precise, predictive prophecies of the Christ, each one fulfilled as promised:  He would be a man of sorrows (Isa 53:2), upon Him stripes would be laid (Isa. 53:5), He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12), He would be spit upon (Isa 50:6), He would be born in the town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), die with transgressors (Isa 53:12), and be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isa 53:9).  He would be of the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10), born of a virgin (Isa 7:14), of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and a prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:18-19).  There are more than 330 prophecies of the Messiah, and every single one of them was fulfilled without any question whatsoever as to the connection of the prophecy and fulfillment.  

These are but a few of the unique marks of Biblical prophecy.  They are sufficient, however, to put the Bible into a class of its own, unequalled by so-called modern day prophetic utterances.  

The Power and Nature of Predictive Prophecy

by Tom Wacaster

Rex Turner, in his book Systematic Theology, has correctly pointed out:  "Predictive prophecy is the highest evidence of divine revelation.  The one thing  that a mortal man cannot do is to know and report future events in the absence of a train of circumstances that naturally suggest certain possibilities, but even then that person is very dependent upon the constancy of the cause and effect from which he has based his predictions and/or conclusions" (Rex Turner, page 12).    Dozens, if not hundreds of so-called "prophets" have come and gone over the centuries.  Some of these false prophets are mentioned in the Old Testament by name, and warnings abound in both Old and New Testaments as to the futility and danger of following false prophets in any generation.   Yet in spite of the warnings and the ultimate end of both the deceiver and the deceived, multitudes continue to entrust their souls to men who claim to know the "signs of the times" and use their canny ability to sway the multitudes to gain a following.   

In the early 90's when the door first opened into Russia we had what seemed unlimited opportunities to preach and teach the gospel to university students from one end of that country to the other.   My own personal experience can attest to the interest, and the gullibility, of a generation whose knowledge of God was lacking.  It seems that almost every where I went someone would ask a question having to do with Nostradamus, or some "modern-day" prophet who was evidently well known among those whom we had opportunity to teach.   Occasionally we would come across a reference to some prophetic statement that did, indeed, come to pass.  I would classify these as mere "guesses" that out of sheer circumstance came to pass as predicted.  I would add,  however, that such self claimed 'prophecies' did not come close to the nature of prophecies we read about in the Bible.  The Bible contains prophecies about places, nations, lands, and even individuals.  In every case of genuine prophecy the thing prophesied came to pass exactly as stated by the prophet.  It is the amazing accuracy of Bible prophecy that makes it stand in stark contrast to the so-called "prophecies" of men.   One author focused on this characteristic of Bible prophecy.  He wrote that Bible prophecy is "a miracle of knowledge, a declaration or representation of some thing future, beyond the power of human sagacity to discern or to calculate" (An Introduction to the Critical Study of the Scriptures, page 272).   The power of such predictive prophecy is an argument used by God Himself.  Through Isaiah God challenged the false prophets with these words: "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come" (Isa. 41:21-22). He even warned that if a prophet spoke and the "thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him" (Deut. 18:20-22).   The life a false prophet was short lived because his punishment was immediate stoning.  Among other things this assured that a false prophet would not have an audience more than once.   What, then, distinguishes false prophecies from genuine Biblical prophecies?   Here are some characteristics of genuine Bible prophecies.

First, Biblical prophecy was always stated in clear, unmistakable and understandable terms.   In his book, The Dawn of Belief, Roger Dickson noted:  "Prophecies must be sufficiently clear in order for the observer to be able to link pronouncement with fulfillment. If a prophecy is not understandable enough so as to allow the observer to depict its fulfillment, then what good would the prophecy be" (page 346).  Vague generalities in advance of what simple observation might predict is not Bible prophecy.   The so-called prophecies of Nostradamus are a good example of the absence of this distinctive trait found in Bible prophecy.  Nostradamus was a French astrologer who lived in the 16th century.  In 1555 he published a book of "prophecies" under the title Centuries.  One of the reasons for the success of Nostradamus' prophetic writings was the vagueness of his writing.  Had Nostradamus attempted to be more specific in his prophetic utterances he would have been immediately recognized as a false prophet.  Referring to Nostradamus Wayne Jackson pointed out: "The verses are deliberately obscure. Couched in a French that was already archaic in the sixteenth century, they are interlarded with words from other languages, as well as with anagrams, obscure images, and terms the seer apparently invented" (Christian Courier, July 7, 1993, page 3).   I don't know who wrote these words, but they are certainly applicable here:  "Arrows shot in all directions, even in the dark, are bound to hit something occasionally."  Such was the case with the vague and more-often-than-not confusing language of Nostradamus.  

Second, Biblical prophecy must have proper timing so as to classify it as genuine prophecy.  As brother Jackson observed, "the oracle must significantly precede the person or event described" so as to "preclude the possibility of an educated guess" (Essays in Apologetics, Volume IV, page 155).    Sometimes prophecy is used without regard to the time element; this is because prophetic statements are sometimes based on the condition of repentance and/or faithfulness on the part of those with whom the prophecy has to do.   For example, it was prophesied that God would make a great nation of the seed of Abraham, but a specific time element is not provided.   But on those occasions when a specific time frame is mentioned in the prophecy, the details are so precise that it precludes guess work.  Take as an example the prophecy of Cyrus in Isaiah 44:28: "That said of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundations shall be laid."  Those words were recorded more than 150 years before Cyrus was even born!   That, my friend, is predictive prophecy!

Third, there must be an exact, identifiable fulfillment of the prophecy.   It is not enough to simply claim that one event is the fulfillment of some statement made previously; it must be evident and observable.  The case of Cyrus mentioned above is one such example.   Another example is the prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the life of the Savior.  Here are but a few examples of precise, predictive prophecies of the Christ, each one fulfilled as promised:  He would be a man of sorrows (Isa 53:2), upon Him stripes would be laid (Isa. 53:5), He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12), He would be spit upon (Isa 50:6), He would be born in the town of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), die with transgressors (Isa 53:12), and be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isa 53:9).  He would be of the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10), born of a virgin (Isa 7:14), of the seed of Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and a prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:18-19).  There are more than 330 prophecies of the Messiah, and every single one of them was fulfilled without any question whatsoever as to the connection of the prophecy and fulfillment.  

These are but a few of the unique marks of Biblical prophecy.  They are sufficient, however, to put the Bible into a class of its own, unequaled by so-called modern day prophetic utterances.  

Seven Billion and Counting

By Tom Wacaster

The “World Population Clock” is updated every few seconds.  Our world reached 7 billion somewhere between October 31, 2011, and March of 2012.  We are already one tenth on our way to 8 Billion, with a total population as I write this article of 7,104,635,615.   During the early centuries of man’s life on the earth, the population was quite sparse.  Allan Barnes of Johns Hopkins University estimated that at the time of Jesus’ birth the world population was somewhere around 200 million. It took us 1,830 years to reach our first billion shortly before our nation’s Civil War.  It took only 80 years to reach our second billion, only 30 years to reach three billion.  We hit that mark in 1960.  By 1972 we reached four billion, and only 40 more years to jump to our present population of more than 7 billion.  It is estimated that our population will double over the next 40 years.  That, beloved, is a staggering 14 billion!   The figures are giving sociologists fits, and the gainsayers fodder for doomsday prophecies.  The radical leftist organizations are using these figures to forward their agenda of mercy killing, abortion, and euthanasia, all in the name of survival (talk about an oxymoron).   The common man simply stands in awe at the prospects that lay before us, both good and bad!

The following “suggestion” for population control appeared in the 1971 Reader’s Digest and Almanac and Yearbook: “In the long run, if the birthrate is not reduced to match the death rate, nature will automatically increase the death rate to match the birth rate.”  So much for failed prophecies!   But listen to the “solution” offered in the event that nature does not take care of the population rate:  “The more rational and desirable means of diminishing the population growth rates include birth control of conception, birth, and population.  Conception control includes all the means by which conception is prevented. Birth control involves conception control plus abortion.  Population control means those policies and programs encompassing the inter-relations of the birth rate, death rate, and net rate of migration, and well as social and economic programs that affect these factors.”   In 1971 our society rejected such “solutions”  -  today they are being given serious consideration.  The “solution” thus presented is fraught with ethical questions, not the least of which is the role that “abortion” plays in population control.  All efforts to either stop or slow the population growth rate over the past 50 years has simply not worked.  Even in China, with their governmental policy of forced abortions and child limitations, they have only managed to slow their population growth and not to match the growth rate with the death rate.   

What, then, should be the Christian’s perspective regarding the ever increasing numbers of our population?  Shall we join hands with those who seek, through human wisdom, to address the problem?   Like all other world problems that have challenged us over the centuries, the child of God has a different “world view” that enables him to cope with issues that arise from time to time.   Here are some things to think about.

First, God’s wisdom should be sought.   Those who have a strong belief in God, and rest upon His divine promises, look at problems from an entirely different perspective than those of the world.   Frankly, I don’t think the present population, or the prospect of doubling that amount within the lifetime of my children and grandchildren has, in any way caught God off guard.   God is omniscient, and when He created this world He was fully ware that it would eventually have to house 7 billion (or perhaps more).  By the same token, global warming, the shortage of water, the ozone layer, or a myriad of other issues facing our world just do not bother me because I trust in God’s omniscience and omnipotence.  

Second, our God is caring God, concerned about every single person who has ever lived on this globe, is now living, or who will be born in the years to come.  David wrote, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living.  Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah” (Psa 27:13-14).  God cares for us; perhaps we need to rest on His divine care and leave the population issue in His hand.   

Third, out of the 7 billon now living, and the myriads upon myriads of souls yet to be born, our greatest concern should be for the lostness of humanity.   I cannot  imagine 7 billion souls, much less 14 billion.   Of all the souls who have lived in the past, the greatest population of hell will come from our generation and those to follow!   The billions who will be weeping and gnashing their teeth will have come from our generation.   By the same token, you and I have the opportunity to provide for the greatest percentage of those who will live in heaven, feasting on the riches of God’s grace for all eternity.   If we are negligent in our duty to preach the gospel as far, and as fast as humanly possible, we will, by our neglect, contribute to the population of hell.  If, on the other hand, we are diligent in our efforts to send forth the gospel both far and wide, we will play a vital part in increasing the population of heaven when our Lord comes again.   Let us, then, be faithful to the task at hand.