Must We Endure "Gross Darkness?"

According to ancient writings, the God worshiped by Jews, Christians and Muslims sent Messengers to warn of the disaster that could befall us at a future time--if we will not do what is needed to prevent it! The Prophets explicitly warned of a day when our flesh and eyes could "consume away" (Zech 14:12) while we stand on our feet, "the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light" (Matt. 24:29), and "gross darkness" shall cover "the earth" and "the peoples" (Isa. 60:2).

A half-century ago, some victims of atomic bombs provided a preview of flesh and eyes consuming away while they stood on their feet. And scientists predict that a large-scale nuclear war would produce mushrooming clouds of smoke reaching miles high, which would create a pitch-black, freezing cold "nuclear winter" that humans could not long endure.

Because our modern weapons can "consume away" our facial features while enveloping the world in "gross darkness," no one can rightly deny that ancient prophecies can now be fulfilled exactly as described. And since a few of our ancestors were graced with the knowledge to precisely describe what scientists have now made possible, our common sense can tell us we would be wise to heed what they said we must do to prevent it!

The Scriptures promise that if we must suffer the darkness, it will be shortened, and survivors will see the sun rise "with healing in its wings" (Mal. 3:20/4:2). That means a nuclear war will not be the literal "end of the world," as some people are now frantically predicting! Mankind will be here to see the sun rise. Better yet, we're told we could spare ourselves the darkness--if "the fathers" and "the children" turn their hearts to each other (Mal. 3:24/4:6).

Current events can help us understand that the Jews, as the "fathers" of monotheism, and the Christians and Muslims, as the "children" of the faith , along with all human beings who are "children" of God, urgently need an improved understanding of the God Who sent the Messengers and the messages they delivered. That improved understanding rests in the linked teachings of all the Prophets. But will we learn from those combined teachings while the sun shines? Or must we see the "gross darkness," before we'll believe the Prophets who foretold it?

The individual clergies of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have each believed they are preaching the truth as best man can know it. But 2,000 years of religiously inspired bloodshed testify to the divisive interpretations of the messages that have been preserved in each religion 's Scriptures. For example, some interpretations of the Koran recently inspired al-Qaeda soldiers, when fleeing the allied troops in Afghanistan, to leave behind an ominous message for everyone. The terrorists declared, "We will continue our jihad until the end of the world."

In other words, Muslim extremists are pursuing a modern-day "holy war," in which they truly believe it is their "God-given duty" to end the world as we know it. They intend to end it by cleansing the world of "unbelievers," even if they must employ biological, chemical or nuclear weapons. They identify "unbelievers" as everyone who is not a properly observant Muslim, which means they are not open to negotiations with persons they consider "infidels," or to timeworn pleas for "tolerance." And that means the world is already engaged in a religious war, in which both sides believe they could righteously use weapons of mass destruction against their "evil enemies."

Such thinking bespeaks the urgent need for all "peoples of the earth" (Zeph. 3:20) to improve their understanding of the religious beliefs that could ignite a nuclear holocaust. An improved understanding of our mutual Creator and of our promised Messiah would finally enable us to turn to each other with heartfelt respect for our shared struggle to recognize the Divine Guidance that will bring us " peace without end" (Isa. 9:6/7).

Regardless of what we have individually believed or disbelieved, deliverance from the pending agony rests with all "peoples of the earth," since we are the generation that can fulfill the worst of all prophecies, and, if we fulfill them, everyone will suffer. Then, the militant Muslims will have accomplished their mission!

Even as "there are no atheists in a foxhole," there will be no "unbelievers" in a nuclear winter! All survivors will be desperately praying that the promised Messiah will prove as real as the prophesied darkness. But must we endure "gross darkness" to enlighten closed minds?

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