Richard Hollerman

Today, we are seeing continuing fighting going on in the world. Massive amounts of sin are on every hand and it is part of modern culture. When will it end? War is one of the expressions of this diabolical part of present life.

Consider Ukraine and Russia.  This has been much in the news—and for good reason! These two well-known countries have been in bitter conflict, with hundreds of thousands slain and billions of dollars lost! There have been fighting in Syria and Iraq with ISIS in the forefront. There have recently been fighting in Sudan and many have attempted to flee to Chad but masses of them have been murdered in the matter of escaping and running. We really can’t understand this, for surely Islam is a wicked religion, yet 1.8 or 1.9 million people are part of it!

Further, we find the climate worsening, with many states now either facing or soon to face weather related crises. Additionally, we have heard that not only have many millions been affected by the influx of illegal aliens at the southern (and northern) borders. This we can’t understand, for the thousands killed did do at their own bidding with people—especially young people—willingly and voluntarily taking drugs that will kill them. Sadly, at this writing, there have been perhaps six or seven million of these people from many dozens of countries. And, of course, without China and Mexico, most of these killings would not have occurred.

Not only is Mexico and China to blame for this, but many other nations also are at fault. North Korea is massively evil and blameworthy. They have warned the world of nuclear catastrophe! Of course, China with its Communist government is making inroads into other countries. Iran is further evil (although Muslim) and murderous. We all know about Russia and its evil designs. Many other religions are also found around the world and are evil to the core. There would be Roman Catholicism, with its 1.3 billion souls. How can anyone accept this and other religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, Confucianism, and others? We wonder!

But not only are these countries wicked and guilty, but think of the others around the earth where evil is in the ascendancy and seems even to prevail. Europe is at fault and this secularistic domain is evil and must to receive the blame. Atheism (a disbelief in God our Creator) is surely found in most of these countries. And the atheism is either the ruling perspective or they have competed with the false religion of Catholicism. This is why some would say that persecution (against Christians) is rampant in such nations.

Wars are raging around the world, we know, and this will continue on and on. And we know of the many crises in some of the strategic nations of the world. Yes, the world does seem to be on “fire” and surely this will continue into the future. I read a book years ago on the world “aflame” and this is true!

We have written about this matter in the recent past but it has been revived recently with the killing of the Russian mercenary forces, led by Pregozhin (who is now dead). We have also seen the fires in America, the flooding in various areas, the extreme cold and unbearable heat in other areas. There would also be drought in various countries that has killed millions.

And then there would be monsoon rains in certain countries, typhoons, and other weather-related events, especially in the Far East as well as Central and South America. So we must conclude that there are multiple crises in various parts of the world, whether it be rain, or flood, or fire, or drought, or cold or heat. All of this is to be found on earth, the earth that God found to be “very good” in the beginning.

Think of the earthquakes and flooding in North Africa, and these poor people, hundreds (thousands?) of them are now gone. And surely they are all lost, with Hades full of them. With the world population at nine billion people, we do know that most of them are without God and without any hope at all (see Mark 16:15-16; John 3:18-20)! And think of the two thousand years since the time of Christ and the many years before Jesus—they are all lost. And then we think of the time of the great deluge at the time of Noah, with all 7 ti 9 billion souls evidently lost (according to Scripture). Lost, lost, lost, without hope.

Let us not overlook the disease that has come with the massive influx of illness in various parts. Not all disease is common and not all illness comes without cause. Just looking at this from a human standpoint, we know that there are many expressions of illness around us, both man-made and “natural.” We just can’t seem to find a rational way to handle the mess that all of this entails.

I think of my own friends here, of which I don’t have many, but surely all of them or nearly all of them are gone and lost and without hope too. What can we say and what can we do? We can seek to bring them to Christ but what else?

I think further of my own childhood and the disease that we were subject to. I was a patient of Dr. Helling who practiced until his 90s, I believe. (I smilingly said that I didn’t want a doctor “practicing” in me but doing the real thing!) But during my childhood and that of my brother and sisters, we contracted (and endured) many illnesses (mumps, chickenpox, and measles) and my brother also had scarlet fever. But God delivered us from all of this, thankfully!

We can say that this world is in a mess. And are we ready to have it solved? God knows what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen. God knows and cares. On this we can depend!