THE WORLD'S ON FIRE!

The World’s on Fire

“For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.”   Ezekiel 36:24

            Why would anyone say that the world’s on fire?  I listened to a newscaster talking the other day and his comment was. “The Worlds on fire and we better do something before there’s nothing left to do.  Let’s begin this week’s study on where this fire starts.  As far as countries go, Israel is not very big, but it is probably the most important country in the entire world.  It is the bed of coals that fires up the world. 

When God brought the Israelites back to their land in 1948, it has prospered greatly.  Ezekiel 36:35 explains that prophesy, “So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the Garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.”  This is exactly what has happened and it was God’s people, the Jews, who have done it.  This property, once a dry and desolate land, has become so rich and fertile and most people on the average prosper.  It is their land and no one else’s.  They will never give any part of it up to another people like the Palestinians.

             God gave the land to the Jews and declared in Ez. 37:21-22 that it will remain theirs forever.  “Then say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD: "Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.”

The Arab nations want to destroy Israel and its people; along with America and our people.  Most of these nations are Muslim and their aim is to kill all those who aren’t. Does this help you understand what their aim is?  I am sure there are peaceful Muslims, but the radical ones are getting so powerful and whatever they come after they don’t mind dying for it.

            Most frightening of Muslim terrorists is the group “Isis”.  I don’t know why they chose the name Isis for their group, but this name originated in Egypt as one of its goddesses. With every god or goddess, those who worship them become a cult.  So it is with this terrorist group who is practicing the most heinous and vilest of killing that hasn’t been seen for hundreds of years. They cut off the heads of Christians, bury men, women and children alive, and torture their victims.  They send out videos of what they are doing and terrorizing people into following them.  By the way, their group is growing very quickly.

The next group of terrorists is al-Qaeda, which we have dealt with for many years.  We are still fighting in Afghanistan to put this group down.  With the crisis in Gaza, the rise of Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria and the international stand-off ongoing in Ukraine, it can sometimes feel like the whole world is at war.  Expert’s study of ‘global peace’ claims that things are only going to get worse.  Of the 162 countries covered by the Institute for Economics and Peace's latest study, just 11 were not involved in conflict of one kind or another.

            Russia and the Ukraine is a hot spot we cannot overlook.  They will not listen to the United Nations or anyone else, but follow their leader, Putin.  This man in his own way is a terrorist against the Ukrainians.  Look at this list of countries at war: Central African Republic (civil war), Democratic Republic of Congo (war against rebel groups), Egypt (popular uprising against Government), Mali (war against Tuareg and Islamist militants), Nigeria (war against Islamist militants), Somalia (war against Islamist militants), Sudan (war against rebel groups), South Sudan (civil war).  Only 11 countries out of 162 world-wide are not involved in some kind of war.

Yes, it seems the world is on fire and no one can control it.  A fire without control is a deadly adversary that destroys everything in its path and it is moving quickly.  What can we, as Christians, do about this?  Next week let’s explore in God’s Word, His plan for his people in these troubled times.  Are we in the last days?  Are Christians in the US being persecuted?  What comes next?  Follow up next week with, “Escaping the Fire”.