According to the “Doomsday Clock” it’s almost midnight.
Most clocks strike midnight in a routine uneventful manner. One day is over. A new one has come. But the doomsday clock is not like most clocks. It’s purpose is to gauge how close humanity has come to global cataclysm.
The clock is currently set at three minutes to midnight. If it reaches midnight we’re all toast. The Apocalypse will have occurred. Nuclear holocaust would be the likely culprit. Climate change is not helping the situation. In any case, the clock is currently giving us three minutes to live. Relations between the US and Russia are currently “tense.” And both still have enough weapons to get us to the midnight hour relatively quickly. Then there’s North Korea. They recently tested a nuclear weapon. And they don’t like us. In fact, I’m not sure they really like anybody. Then there’s the plethora of other nations who would love to get their hands on the big bomb. Many of these don’t like us either. Some of them seem to have pathological tendencies. And when I say “pathological” I mean “evidencing a mentally disturbed condition.” Just listen to their rhetoric.
It’s slightly comforting to know that the Doomsday Clock was previously set at two minutes to midnight back in 1953. Both the US and Russia tested a hydrogen bomb that year and both displayed a willingness to blow each other up with it. The clock slipped back to 11:55 p.m. for several years but recently it has begun creeping back to the danger zone. Is it all hype? Do the scientists who control the clock really know what they’re talking about? Is it really 11:57 p.m. Who knows. But it got me thinking about “Doomsday.”
I try not to be a pessimist. Seriously, I do. But at times I wonder how much longer this world can continue in it’s current state. Apparently, even scientists have a sense of impending doom. Is it plain old negativity or is it something more?
Of course, the question we should be asking is “what does the bible say about this?” Actually, the bible says quite a bit about it, too much to cover in a single blog such as you are currently reading. But we can rest assured in one thing the bible is clear about: “God has everything under control.”
In reading the bible I’ve never gotten the impression that the universe, which would include our beloved and troubled earth, was left in the cold hands of fate. Rather the bible indicates that God is very much in control. At times it looks like everything is descending into a pit of chaos because God still allows humanity to exercise that wonderful and terrible freedom to choose our own way. Evil runs rampant but God places limits on it. Satan wreaks havoc but he’s still on a leash.
At the same time, the bible also presents a God who is not afraid to discipline His children or punish His enemies. He is both a God of love and a God of judgement. He loves us and He’s going to judge us. There’s no contradiction of character here. Just truth as the bible presents it.
The other comforting fact is that God is not bound by a clock built by scientists. God has His own clock and He’s the only One who knows how much time is left on it. Jesus said not even the angels know the time but only the Father. Still, there’s that tendency to ask the question. How much time is left on God’s clock?
The answer? We really don’t know and maybe that’s a good thing.
Ordinary Me 